Red Fox Squirrel Nymph 2-12-12

[Kelly L.]

Okay, I just made this one. I thought it was a lot different than the other, but it is very similar still...rotfl. I did decrease the tail width, and tried to show more taper. This is still the standard version. Improvement, or about the same?

[hankaye]

Kelly L. Howdy;

I did a double take when I first saw it. Thought you had "quoted" it into
a new post. Then I saw the date on the photo ......
Maybe, if you didn't tease it out?????????

hank

[Old Hat]

Kelly, I see this as an improvement in tying the pattern, remember though that is just in the eyes, who knows how the fish will see it. However, I would believe that the "tail" still acts as an extension to the body and not as a tail. This is neither bad nor good, just an observation. What I mean is this is a nice fall caddis pattern, more so than a mayfly pattern. If you're trying to tie Whitlock's pattern you need to slim out the profile, taper even more, and forget about picking out the body of the fly. You want it buggy but not so much as to change the fly's profile. Which I think is the case here.

A wonderful tie non-the-less if that is the proportions you are after.

Carl

[Kelly L.]

Hank, yes I teased it some. I guess I shouldn't tease the abdomen at all.

Old Hat, I wanted to make the standard. Maybe I am using too much dubbing. I tried to bring more taper by adding more dubbing behind the thorax area, and then into the thorax. I also am trying to dub the way Dave Whitlock does, and it still is not very natural for me to do it that way. I can start the process, and then the dubbing gets sparse, to nonexistent. Then I have to do a noodle (for lack of a better term...) ...again. I am also whip finishing the head now, the way he did in the video. I will try to get it right. I have no doubt at all that this fly will catch fish. I want to try it this way, and then as close to Dave W's way and let the fish choose. I imagine some days they will want my fly, but most his fly...who knows till ya try.

[Ruard]

Hank, yes I teased it some. I guess I shouldn't tease the abdomen at all.

Old Hat, I wanted to make the standard. Maybe I am using too much dubbing. I tried to bring more taper by adding more dubbing behind the thorax area, and then into the thorax.

Perhaps you can make a thin noodle but longer so you can make several turns for the thorax and get a taper that you like better.


Greeting

[fflutterffly]

Hey Kelly! Send me all your discards!!!! ololololol The original fly has a very slim body. My suggestion is to pull out as much dubbing as you think you need and than use only 1/2 of that. One more question, are you using lead under the dubbing? if so this will build up the thorax a little bit, since you will not only have that area raised but the thread securing it in place adding bulk. I'll try to photograph one of mine that I've copied from Dave's original.

[Kelly L.]

Thanks for the helpful comments. Yes, I do have lead under these flies.