Proportions?

[whisperer]

Hi,
This has probably been asked before, but are there proportions that one can go by when tying soft-hackles, flymphs and spiders? I know Catskill style dries have certain proportions associated with them, but do these flies?

Thanks,
Ernie

[Roadkill]

There is nothing sacred about the proportions, rather think in terms of what you want to imitate. My own preference is to start the body just in front of the hook point. Also remember that the early tiers worked with what they had in terms of materials.

That said there are some historical styles of flies that have certain proportions or styles of tying like Stewarts spiders. One great site for understanding these and other historical aspects is to look at is Donald Nicolson's site http://donaldnicolson.webplus.net/

[Ron Eagle Elk]

I've heard it said that you used to be able to tell what river a fisherman frequented by looking at his fly book. That in reference to the rivers Clyde, Tweed and Tummel in regard to body length and hackle style (not to mention wings....shudder).

REE

[William Anderson]

We may have danced around this topic somewhere before, but I don't know that it has been asked so specifically. It's a good question to explore how and why different folks use different proportions and why. There really isn't any single hard fast rule, and it really is about what you are trying to imitate, and every author you read will have a strong opionion leaning one way or another, BUT, there are some guidelines that are very helpful in getting the result you are trying to achieve. I hope there are a lot of varied responses to this.

Personally, I like to take my cues from the naturals as much as possible, but the intention is to create a fly that is suggestive in behavior, and that doesn't always mean 1:1 ratios.

w

[letumgo]

Hackle Length Varies Over a Wide Range: from half the hook length (0.5X) on the short end of the scale, up to one and a half times the hook length (1.5X)

It all depends on what you want the finished fly to look like. If your going for a specific imitation, follow the general proportions of the insect you are trying to imitate. Add a small stainless steel ruler to your fly vest and measure some insects the next time you are out on the stream. Derive the proportions by using measuring the length of the body (hook), and the legs/wings (hackle). Jot down each of the colors you see in the insect (overall, highlights, contrast, markings).

In a few minutes you have the makings for a perfect imitation.

[whisperer]

Thank-you, all, for your responses. Roadkill, thanks for the link to that site. It is great. I don't tie these flies myself, although I tie others. I've bought a few soft-hackles from Cabelas, and they work pretty good, but I can see there would be an advantage to tying your own. I may try a few.

Ernie

[willowhead]

Thank-you, all, for your responses. Roadkill, thanks for the link to that site. It is great. I don't tie these flies myself, although I tie others. I've bought a few soft-hackles from Cabelas, AND THEY SEEM TO WORK PRETTY GOOD, but I can see there would be an advantage to tying your own. I may try a few.

Ernie

Outta the mouths of babes..... Ernie, you just not only nailed it.....you counter sunk that puppy deep, wide, and "almost" consecutively. "Think" impressionisticly in your tying, and get your PRESENTATION together.....you'll be fine.

[Ruard]

On my site there are 6 articles of David Westwood.

I ussualy make my hackle a bit longer: more movement and if you tie them a little bit to 45 degrees then then they come as far as the hookbend or somewhat more.


greeting

[Klaas]

I try to tie them as the natural what im trying to immitate
Ive noticed it evrytime in a US swap that i have to keep in mind that alot of insects are different then in Europe.
Last september in Canada my eyes droped on a october caddis,fish here would be scared at such a big caddis i think.
In yellowstone we saw alot of tiny tiny tiny mayflies,the ones we have here a bigger.
Opend my wet flybox and luckly alot of small flymphs and spiders,all from flyswaps and they worked.
So like the rest had said before,just try to immitate what flies above the water and what floats underneat it.
Try to shoot some pics from insects that are floating in and just below the surface,may help alot to choose what collors u can use.

Klaas

[William Anderson]

Klaas, your flies have always been a treat to see in these swaps (which are definitely international rather than US, I hope). I hope you are tying flies specific to your area for these swaps which makes it more interesting for me. On the other hand, researching and trying to interpret flies from other areas is just as interesting for a tyer. After tying for a couple years the facts about BWO's or March Browns from around the world finally started to sink in. A particular issue for new tyers looking at Hans site and seeing the most beautifully tied BWO emerger by some Gent in Eastern Europe and not realizing it has characteristics that dont match the hatch in PA or SC.

Anyway, tying by imitation has to take into consideration your very localized conditions, when looking at proportions and looking at flies posted by great tyers around the world. Another reason there can't be set proportional charts for soft-hackles, spiders or flymphs. All the bugs are very unique.

w