Steelhead/Salmon Flymphs..... ;>)

[willowhead]

Kelly, i'm SSSOOOOOOOO proud of you..........YOU DID IT!!!!! That is VERY Cool.........the flies are cool too. i actually have no problem at all with the whole short body concept..........sometimes it's very cool..........i mean just look at the British flies that are dressed like that.........and we know they "work."
i might try to keep the eyes from gettin' crowded a bit more though........but that aint no bid deal.........just comes with practice. Keep tyin' them.....one a day, like the vitamins........ just do it as a break from whatever else you might be workin' on.......and they'll get better and better and better.........just like your Streamer flies did, and still are. Like hank, and us too (livin' here), you got no place to fish these kinna flies........but "So What?" (great Miles Davis tune).......that's the dumbest reason i can think of, not to tye them. Your a fly tyer................HHHEEELLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! You did a GREAT job.............just keep at it. You've broken a boundry...............now you have a whole new universe to explore.
i was just lookin' through this book i have.........Fly Patterns of Roderick Haig-Brown.........inside it says (me to Misa).....
"Bought at the Orvis Store in Roscoe, N.Y. Sat. May 23rd, '98 It was our second full, (3 day memorial day) weekend, as residents of the Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum. I Love you Misa, mark....."
We had just rented the apt. on top of the gift shop on May 15..........i was already a huge fan of Haig-Browns writings and life......and the dream to visit his place in Campbell River, Vancover Island, British Columbia, Canada had been givin' birth years before. Little did i know that on May 3rd, 2010 i'd be sleeping in his former residence, with the sound of the Campbell River commin' in from the open window all night long, and that Misako and i, would be fishing that river the next day. Anything's possible Kelly..........just keep tyin'.
And Kelly, thankx for makin' the thread even more worthwhile...........

[Kelly L.]

Well, I told you they weren't finalized. My son likes the middle one. I like the top and bottom ones better. The middle one almost got thrown in the trash. But I decided what the heck, keep it for a little while, then throw it in the trash. I used a pearl type rib, and it really looks great under the light. But they don't show the same in the photo for some reason. So now, you have more flymphs to look at. I am kind of out of my element on this type flies, because I have no idea what the heck they eat. Anyway, this is just something I came up with. Fishing flies. Dunno if they will catch any or not. I bet they might. Oh, I put the flies in the order I tied them. Just in case you were wondering.

[letumgo]

Kelly - I think you and I were on the same wave-length tonight. I just finished another Flymph-head fly (see below) and tyed it on the same blue hook (thanks Mark). I really like your flies. Kinda Tummel/Clyde style bodies. Might make a good low water version.



This the backside of the same fly. I think you can see the mylar tinsel tag better on this photo.


If you look carefully at this fly, you may notice that it is HEAVILY influenced by Donald Nicolson (Thanks Donald). The tinsel tag is stolen directly from one of his wingless wet flies. It is created by wrapping pearl mylar tinsel over the top of black thread. I just love the look of the tag. The body of the fly is actually influenced by the Carrot fly, we discussed recently. Once I started with the blue hook, I pulled out my handy-dandy color wheel to see what color complimented blue. Once I saw that orange is blues compliment, I was off to the races.

The body is intended to look like a Leisenring-style body, but it is formed with a thread dubbing loop using my Mitch's bobbin (best thing since sliced bread).

The hackle is a combination of dyed mallard, with six peacock herl tips left long for accent (again - think Carrot - but this time the vegetable). This was, as MarkR would say a "happy accident". I was just going to form a herl head and wondered to myself "What if I left the tips long an mixed them in with the mallard hackle?". It took a bit of futzing around to get them distributed 360°, but I like the look once they were positioned. I then simply formed a thread dubbing loop, twisted it into a herl-chenille and formed the head. The herl head is obviously influenced by the old pattern called "Bracken Clock". Very cool.

Just a note about the photo - the little white dots are caused by the light reflected off the glitter in the paper used as a backdrop. I'd be annoyed by this in other instances, but for this creative stuff, it is just another "happy accident".

[willowhead]

If you were to fish them.....they'd "catch." No doubt.....fish are pretty dumb........ But the point is that you did it........you took a chance.......you met the challange.........you went for it. You got HEART Kelly.........and THAT'S what it's all about.........a chimpanzie can catch fish. Btw, when you fish for Steelies, you not much thinkin' in terms of what they eat.........so scratch that idea completely..........the deal is your pissin' them off.....invadin' their territory..........gettin' them to strike out of aggression.........design your flies more with that in mind. Course a little bugginess don't hurt.
See ya later.........i'm gonna tye one up.

[willowhead]

first things first
Ray............HOLY CRAP............you continue to BLOW MY MIND..............that is REDICKALUS!!!!!!!!!!! and that's a WAY Good thing. That is what is AAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLL about............you one creative dude Bro. i'm so happy your into this thread..........the thread is goin' places i'm so happy to see it goin'...........it's really fullfillin' a nitch that needed fillin'..........just in terms of attitude and enlargin' the big picture, even LARGER! Flies for fishin'.......fies for fun...........flies for the simple act of tyin' flies..........for the pure joy of tyin'.............OH YEAH! EXTREMELY well done Ray, and thank you.

[Roadkill]

Ray
That is one inspired fly!!

[Ruard]

What a beatiful flies in this thread. Inspiring, gentlemen and lady.

Greeting

[DOUGSDEN]

Mark and all the other talented tyers on this wonderful site,
What a wonderful thread you have established much like the epic and now historic "Artistic Jazz Flies". As I page down thru the pic's and comments my mind is thinking...."I am not even in the same league with these folks". What has been produced and shown is truly amazing! Incredible creativity across all types and styles of spey/soft-hackled salmon flies. I would be up to the challenge but as I look at the ever growing list of flies that I have to do in the near future posted on my bulletin board, there is not way I could get to it before Feb. or March. Besides, what I could create would be kinda small compared to the huge contributions of this amazingly talented bunch!
This has given me some things to think about however and it's a wonderful thing just to see what possibilites are there. This site is inspirational!
Thinking about color combinations even as we speak,
Dougsden

[tie2fish]

You continue to amaze me, Ray. That fly is incredible.

[letumgo]

Thanks, Bill. In case you didn't see my other monstrosity, you may want to go back one page. That's my other creative flymph. Go ahead and tell me what you REALLY think. I can take it.

Roadkill & Carl - I went back thru your photos again and I am AWED (yes - mouth agape AWED ) by you're steelhead patterns. I'd fish those bad boys any day. Outstanding flies, gentleman.

Mark (willowhead) - I just saw your steelhead wooly worm pattern and love it. Fish-Tastic!!!