Bracken Clock variation

[Kelly L.]

Thanks guys, glad you find it interesting. Now, I need your opinions. What do you think of the Black Phase Pheasant below? The fly is tied the same way, just the pheasant feather is darker. I think I should try both versions on the fish. The Black Phase has much darker lower feathers, and the tip portion has a violet, and teal color to it, under the tying light. You can't see that from the photo. This herl is thicker than before. The further I went up the eye stick, the herl was getting better. (good thing)

[hankaye]

Kelly L. Howdy;

Drop dead gorgeous ...

hank

PS. A regular shanked hook might make it appear chunkier ...
just a thought...

[Kelly L.]

Thank you Hank! So you like this color better? I thought of this hook for the bass. I will try a 1550 hook for the trout, and see what I think. If I remember right, it is standard size. This fly is tied on a size 10, which is for bass. I have not yet tried to tie it in smaller sizes. I wanted something I could see better, to make my mind up on how to tie this fly too. My new glasses were supposed to be in today, but they haven't called me yet. It is almost 4pm. Not much time left.

[Mataura mayfly]

That was my thinking behind the standard shank as well Hank. Beetles are usually short plump bodied critters and the Bracken Clock, Coch-y-bondhu, Little Chap etc were all beetle imitations made from peacock herl.
Nothing against what you are showing here Kelly, just how I think I would tie them.

I think the one in the Veniard photo is tied with the silk as the rib and not the herl as you suggest. The tag end of the silk is not removed when the initial run is done to cover the shank and left long at the bend. The herl is wound for the body and the thread tag wound through it as a rib- reinforcing the herl as you are doing with your wire- but also crushing the flume down to give a variegated look to the body. Perhaps they used a heavier buttonhole twist silk or silk floss to gain the effect?
It does work and gives the illusion of a peacock rib, but to do it the other way and just use the peacock as a rib over a silk body would lead to a "one fish-one fly" ratio as the rib would be sure to break on the first catch.

[Kelly L.]

Thanks Jeff. We have short bodied beetles, and long bodied ones too. Texas is full of all kinds of insects. I read in that book that the name also meant roach. We have some big ugly "water bugs" here, which is the name for a long dark brown roach. They like water. They are like a huge cockroach. Then we have the lighter colored roaches as well. I am thinking I will tie both colors. As far as the longer body, you may be right. I think I will tie it both one x long, and the standard too.

[Kelly L.]

Okay this one is the darker variety on the Daiichi 1550 hook, size 12.
Just a fishing fly, nothing fancy. But it gives me an idea of what it would look like, shorter bodied. I
made the head intentionally big like the original one I saw in the book.

[Mataura mayfly]

Very cool, I like that one.
Indeed I like all your variations. All well tied and fish takers for sure. Nice to see someone having a go at near forgotten about patterns.

[Kelly L.]

Thank you Jeff. I love old fly patterns. They usually work quite well too.

[redietz]

Okay this one is the darker variety on the Daiichi 1550 hook, size 12.
Just a fishing fly, nothing fancy. But it gives me an idea of what it would look like, shorter bodied. I
made the head intentionally big like the original one I saw in the book.

That one about nails my concept of what a Bracken Clock should look like.

[Kelly L.]

Redietz glad you like it. I plan to do these in both colors. I appreciate the comments.