A Skues Fly and a nymph.

[DNicolson]

McCaskie's Green Cat
Hook: Partridge #12 North Country.
Silk: Pearsall Hot Orange.
Body: Green Irish dubbing, split thread.
Hackle: Dark dun hen.


March Brown Nymph
Hook: #12 Veniard light nymph.
Silk: Pearsall Hot Orange.
Tail: 3 fibres of Pheasant Tail.
Rib: Gold wire.
Body: 4 fibres pheasant tail, untwisted flat.
Thorax: Dark Hares Ear.
Hackle: Dark barred ginger hen.


The McCaskie is a trial run of Skues original pattern with no tail.
Was a BWO fly.

The Nymph was a last minute thought.
The Pheasant tail was not very good quality, tail is too long.
The orange butt was an intentional hot spot (non-fluo)
The Dark barred ginger hen looked better on the skin, but still not too bad.

[Kelly L.]

VERY NICE...I like BOTH!

[hankaye]

Donald, Howdy;

Beautiful tyes, absolutly beautiful...

hank

[letumgo]

Lovely flies, Donald. I am especially drawn to the lower fly. I find that the perfect round bend of the hook gives the fly a vintage look. Wonderful stuff.

[Mataura mayfly]

Nice looking flies the pair, but I get the feeling the green in the top fly looks better in the hand than in the photo?

[Soft-hackle]

I love these, Donald. Very authentic looking and nicely tied. I hear the river just by looking at them.

Mark

[narcodog]

Donald what is green Irish dubbing?

[Izaak]

Donald,

I really enjoy seeing your work and hearing about the background of a lot of these flies! Thanks for sharing with us!

Tom (alias Izaak)

[DOUGSDEN]

Donald,
You know what a Skues nut I am and I really appreciate both of these patterns! They are great! It's interesting that you should post these at this time. I am about half way thru Ken Robsons book "The Essential G.E.M. Skues". This makes the fifth time thru reading this wonderful work. I have it highlighted and underlined and notes in the margin and on the front and back pages.
The green fur in the orig. pattern (McCaskies Green Cat) was, if memory serves, from Dr. Norman McCaskies green cat. Skues often refers to a certain turn in the River Itchen called McCaskie's corner. When you look at it on the map in the book, it's quite an impressive bend in the river.
The fur in question.....dyed perhaps? I will have to keep on cruisin' thru the book to find out more details. Does anyone know? Phillip? Help!
Dougs-den

[DNicolson]

The dubbing is Frankie McPhillips Traditional Irish Dubbing, bright green.
This is the range
http://www.troutcatchers.co.uk/acatalog ... x-423.html
It is sold by a lot of Material suppliers over here. I think I may have over-lit the fly.
I shall try a few more pics with variations in the lighting set-up.
The nymph is not exactly a Skues pattern, it is more Leisenring influenced, but then
he was a correspondent with Skues.
The hook on the nymph is one of the new Veniard Osprey VH111 Dry Fly/Light Nymph Hook.
In his book Leisenring mentions that his favourite hook was Veniard.
Unfortunately Veniard stopped supplying hooks for many years and only this year (2012),
they are now offering hooks under their brand name. Here they are :-
http://www.troutcatchers.co.uk/acatalog ... Hooks.html

It might be worth contacting Jim Slattery, he is a Veniards Dealer.
Here is the new range of Osprey Hooks on their non-retail site.
Note the barbless hooks in the pipe-line.
http://www.veniard.com/search_results.asp?section=181

How's that then

Just noticed, the barbless are now available from Veniard, probably better info
from Jim Slattery.

Dougsden, I can recommend the originals as well.
G. E. M. Skues:-
"The Way of a Trout with a Fly." - 2nd ed. 1928 - 4th ed. 1949
"Minor Tactics of the Chalk Stream." - 3rd ed. 1924} Combined volume,
"Nymph Fishing for Chalk Stream Trout." 1939 } reprinted 1979.
"Side-lines, Side-lights & Reflections." 1932/1996
"Silk, Fur and Feather." 1950/1993