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Iron Blue variations
Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2012 5:24 pm
by Roadkill
These are a couple of Iron Blue Wingless variations that I tied today.
Hook-Dai Riki 070 #14
Thread-Pearsall's Gossamer Claret
Tail- Dark Dun Hen
Body-Dark Mole spun on a Clark/Hidy block
Rib- Small Gold wire
Hackle Dark Dun Hen
Hook-Dai Riki 070 #14
Thread-Pearsall's Gossamer Scarlet
Tail-Dun Hen
Body-Dark Mole spun on a Clark/Hidy block
Hackle-Dun Hen
Re: Iron Blue variations
Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2012 5:48 pm
by Mataura mayfly
Nice looking pair.
The scarlet seems to "pop" more than the claret, but you have chosen the two differing colours of thread and hackle for a reason no doubt...... one for bright days and one for dull daylight conditions? Either way they are both very fine looking soft hackle Iron Blue's.
Re: Iron Blue variations
Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2012 7:16 pm
by letumgo
Oh wow! Instant classics! They have a lovely "vintage" quality to them (sincere compliment). Very stylish.
Re: Iron Blue variations
Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2012 8:16 pm
by JohnP
Ditto to what Ray said. Stunning pair.
Re: Iron Blue variations
Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2012 10:38 pm
by Donald Nicolson
Those are two real classics, especially the second, here is a direct quote from
Skues. You can't get more 'classic' than this.
Iron Blue Dun. (Baetis pumilus, B. niger)
(X) Late April to end of July and a smaller variety
from mid-August to End of Season.
Hook: No. 15 Bartleets B 7363 or, if that cannot be had, No. 17
down-eyed Pennell sneck.
Tying Silk: Crimson, waxed with colourless wax.
Hackle: Shortest hackle from the throat of cock jackdaw
- one turn or, at most, two.
Whisks: Three strands of soft white hen hackle, quite short.
Body - Abdomen: Mole’s fur spun thinly on the tying silk
exposing two turns of silk at tail, tapering to
thickest at shoulder.
Skues tended to like short hackles, but that is a personal quirk of his.
Re: Iron Blue variations
Posted: Fri Oct 26, 2012 4:36 am
by DUBBN
Donald Nicolson wrote:Skues tended to like short hackles, but that is a personal quirk of his.
Call me quirky aswell.
Re: Iron Blue variations
Posted: Fri Oct 26, 2012 7:48 am
by tie2fish
Really good looking flies and a nice little history lesson too.
Re: Iron Blue variations
Posted: Fri Oct 26, 2012 8:54 am
by Otter
Very nice - and a topic that has me intrigued for years as I rarely encounter a decent IB hatch more than a few times a season which means it has been difficult for me to crack and all the more fun for that reason.
I have had some successes this year on what mike c called a bailies purple - basically a stewarts black using pruple silk - worked a treat on the few occasions that IB's were being hammered by the trout.
On my river these are small flies and I would tend to tie them on a 16 short shank and preferably not too heavy a hook - in many cases in or just below the film is desirable.
Re: Iron Blue variations
Posted: Fri Oct 26, 2012 6:01 pm
by Roadkill
Otter,
For a small fly that has been working well for me this year see:
http://flymphforum.com/viewtopic.php?f= ... 745#p38745
I have also fished small purple thread bodied spiders with either a Starling or Snipe hackle.
Donald has great coverage of the Iron Blues at:
http://donaldnicolson.webplus.net/page221.html
Re: Iron Blue variations
Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2012 1:16 am
by Old Hat
Both great ties and I agree with MM that the color distinctions are enough to warrant either in different conditions. Very classy Roadkill.