iron blue dun

[Soft-hackle]

I love this variation.

Mark

[Smuggler]

This version might be one of the cleanest ties I've ever seen, lol.
Incredibly nice, thanks for sharing

[cicvara]

-Thank you all.
-Here are a few pictures, goose feather from the back.

-Peacock..





-mallard

[cicvara]

-Pheasant..





-Dubbing...

[fly_fischa]

Very cool post Cicvara, thanks for adding the additional photos...
K

[gingerdun]

Cicvara, Thanks for this great contribution, and the excellent images.
I have a general question about how to name the variations that we invent for traditional patterns. The names don't matter to the trout, that's for sure, but I wonder what the protocols, or naming conventions, are today.
All the Iron Blue Dun patterns that I have found are consistent in specifying muskrat or mole fur for the body. So, if you replace the fur with feather or herl material, can we still call it Iron Blue Dun? Or is the claret thread the defining trait of the pattern, not the body?
I don't have an answer. Since I, too, like to invent variations, I am puzzled about how to name them. I'm curious about how others on the forum deal with naming variations on traditional patterns. How far can you depart from the traditional pattern, and still retain the name?

[William Anderson]

Cicvara, thanks so much for the extra pics. It was what I thought it was, I just couldn't believe you were wrapping the thread and then using that to wrap the shank. It makes for a very full, lush looking body and the pheasant takes on a very unique look about it as well. Great post and a cool technique.

Gingerdun, my impression regarding the naming is that some are derived for various reasons based on techinique or materials, but the iron blues are most likely based on the common term for this particular mayfly dun. The burgandy/claret underbody typically shows through the dull gray dubbing and to some that approximates the body color/effect of the natural. That was my impression.

Stripped peacock herl makes for a great imitation of a Quill Gordon dun, but the material isn't relevant to the natural...a Quill Gordon mayfly could be tied with any number of body materials, and certainly should...but then why is the insect commonly called a Quill Gordon? Oh, yea....Gordon...used quills... and the name stuck. I forgot about that. My bad. Carry on.

w

[cicvara]

-Thanks gingerdun and I think you're right. I have long thought that if the so call, but nothing else occurred to me, and remained so. I should have put in parenthesis that the variant.
-Thanks William.

[CreationBear]

That's a great technique for reinforcing pheasant tail with thread--it looks much "buggier" than the PT bodies I've twisted.

[gingerdun]

-Thanks gingerdun and I think you're right. I have long thought that if the so call, but nothing else occurred to me, and remained so. I should have put in parenthesis that the variant.
-Thanks William.

Cicvara, Don't get me wrong. Naming your fly Iron Blue Dun doesn't bother me at all. That use of the claret thread is arguably the most visually recognizable feature of the traditional pattern. It just got me thinking about the naming of flies, and how difficult and arbitrary it can be. It is good that you are experimenting. Keep it up!

Here is a photo of a Pete Hidy fly body that appears to be pheasant tail intertwined with thread and silver wire (now tarnished).