Wire Bodies

[DUBBN]

I am struggling with wire bodies. Yellow Sally season is just around the corner and I wanted to tie up a few soft hackled nymphs. I started out with x small wire for the abdomen and this is what I ended up with.


I feel I did a good job making a smooth body for a foundation, but the flies did not turn out. I thought I would use a medium wire and see how that would turn out. Heres the same fly photographed from both sides.




Better look, but the wire is not tight.

Any suggestions?

[CreationBear]

I doubt very seriously that a trout would pass those by, but I think any time you wrap a light material like wire over a dark underbody, it's going to accentuate the gaps (at least to human eyes.) Of course, you could always cheat like I do and lay down a Uni-stretch underbody before wrapping the wire--it really seems to seat the wire wraps

and can give you a bit of a "shoulder" if you like that kind of tapered body.

What I'm really interested in, though, is whether fish respond to what you might call the "surface color" of wire, or whether transluscence is king, even if the color is a bit off.

[DUBBN]

I dont see any gaps in your pattern, and the lines are perfect. I do have Yellow Uni-Stretch and will give it a try......Thank you so very much!

[DUBBN]

I threw one together VERY fast as I am late for a BBQ at my daughters. CC, thank you sir. I know this one looks rough, but a bit of practice and I should be able to achieve a better looking pattern.

[CreationBear]

Very nice--Yellow Sally season lasts most of the year around here, so I'll be looking forward to your fishing reports.

[Mataura mayfly]

Dubbn, I kind of like your open weave style shown in the first couple, even if it was not the effect you were aiming for!

I find it hard to get uniform looking wire bodies when using a bobbin holder and easier with small lengths of wire wound by hand...... but then I find it hard to make nice looking bodies with most any material!
I would still fish the first two, might be just the variation the fish are looking for.

[DUBBN]

MM, all of those patterns will get fished. A year ago, I wouldn't have worried a bit about it. I am trying to kick my skill up a knotch since following this forum.
I dont do too bad on wire bodies if I leave off the tail and the extra bulk I make when I tie them in. I will sit dow today and try to make a pretty fly. That last one I posted was tyed in haste and I regret posting it.

[DUBBN]

You can not believe how many size 14 Yellow Sally flies I now have! I believe I will stop at this one. Theres a few flaws, but I am satisfied. This forum is awesome!



CreationBear, the Uni-Stretch was just the ticket. Thank you sir.

[CreationBear]

That's a nifty looking fly--it will definitely get down 'mongst the bigger fish. FWIW, the whole Uni-stretch theme got me thinking about some of Lucian Vasies' patterns, where he splits the Uni, inserts a sparse amount of dubbing fibers then trims one side of the fibers before twisting the floss up tight. He uses these mostly for sparse thoraxes, but one neat application might be to leave yourself a long Uni-stretch tag, so after you wrap your wire you could make a similar brush (tie a knot in the end of the Uni before splitting) and then spiral it back up toward the eye, jamming it between the wire wraps to protect it.

[Kelly L.]

I think the last one showed you have it going on. One thing I might mention, besides the fact I like the fly....don't be afraid to use 2-3 colors of wire when you wrap it for the body. I love the effect. I also have used one thinner wire, and one thicker wire. Such as I like one gold, and one copper wire, and wrap both at once. I like the look. But since you are going for a Yellow Sally look, you probably won't be interested in trying it. A thick yellow and very fine gold, may just be the ticket, if you feel like playing around with it. I also make wraps by hand. I think it helps keep the wire tighter. Thread underbody at the very least. Maybe a light very sparse dubbing underneath. Just things to consider. I love your fly just the way it is though.