Magpie and Starling

[Mataura mayfly]

Very nice fly as is. I really like the use of feather barbs as body material.... the trout must as well or the Pheasant Tail wouldn't be such an accepted form throughout the world!

If the thorax really worries you, there is always one small wrap of ostrich or peacock herl. Heck you might even still be able to add it with a very fine thread. But there is no real reason to, I am sure the fish would not be too proud to pass this one over.

[Izaak]

Hankaye, I like the "pause for effect"!

Willowhead, I just love your attitude! We might all benefit from a more laid back, just go with it approach to fly tying. Having said that, I would love to pick your brain to find out how you go about creating a fly, what you are seeing and thinking as you piece it all together. What colors, textures, lines, etc. do you "see" as you create your masterpieces? What I find fascinating is how we can all see things a bit differently and learn from what we see others doing in their tying, and there is arguably no better example of creativity here than you! On that note, you got any beads small enough to make a thorax for this fly?

Tom (alias Izaak)

[Izaak]

Mataura mayfly,

Yes, I like your idea of using some ostrich here!

[William Anderson]

Hankaye,

Fresh out of crow wouldn't you know! The problem is that the magpie barbs I was wrapping around the hook shank weren't long enough to reach any closer to the eye. I probably should have dubbed the area between the barb tie down spot and the hackle to cover up the thread wraps and make more of a pronounced thorax on this fly. If the magpie tail barbs had been long enough to reach just short of the eye the fly may have turned out better.

Tom, did I proclaim a favorite of yours earlier? I take it back. I love this little fly. Nicely done. Magpies will vary I'm sure, but the tail feathers that I have gave me the same issues. I was tying a series of gnats in #16 and #18, which left me just enough to do the job, but you're covering a lot of the hook on a #14 so I can see where the length left you a bit short. I like the idea of another herl wrapped in the thorax, if you wanted that, or my first reaction would be to grab a tiny bit of mole and touch dub it for a thorax. Spiders this simple look great without a thorax anyway. Just rambling. Great fly.

w

[Izaak]

W,

I agree with you. A bit of mole would have been perfect here. May even try it with a short shank hook. Hmmm...