Fly tying exposition

[Iasgair]

This Saturday is the fly tying expo in Longmont, Colorado. I have been racking my brain figuring out what flies I want to tie, and it's not been fun. But I have picked a few and I would like to show you which ones they are, but keep in mind, they are subject to change.

This is the largest show that has been put on since it first started. Forty tyers will be tying there this year, so I kind of wish I was a spectator instead of a participant so I could watch some of our very talented and skilled tyers that Colorado has to offer, or at least in this area of the state. But if it's like the years before, it'll mainly be a lot of streamers and nymphs tied by young guides.

But this year I'm throwing in some classics. Dick, at Laughing Grizzly Fly Shop, wanted me to tie up some winged wet flies because no one ties them here any more. They have become a forgotten style of fly because streamers and nymphs seem to be what's popular these days. This younger generation has no idea what they are missing out on. I hope it's not like that in the UK. So I tied up two winged wets, the Rio Grande King and the great Blae and Black. I may put in one more winged wet fly, but if it happens it will be added last minute.

I do plan on taking photos of some of the best tyers Colorado has to offer, so that means no photos of me.

I have two days to get everything ready. A member of another forum I belong to said he will drop by and meet me. He has done expos for forty years and said to only do three flies, that way I show consistency and talk about what I'm doing as I tie. And to always give the kids a few free flies. That part has never been a problem because the kids always get free flies from me.

So here are some of the flies I'm going to display and tie at the show.

Rio Grande King


Rio Grande King Trude. I must have these two Kings together.


Stewart's Black Spider.


Blae and Black


I might add in another winged wet fly. Would any of you have any suggestions?

[Watermole+]

How about a traditional 'Butcher' with the blue wing, as in your recent post?
Always an attractive fly-and you have the experience now to tie good ones!

The 'Teal & Silver' is a popular favourite.
The usual way is with golden pheasant tippet tail, flat silver body ribbed with oval (or round) wire, kingfisher blue throat hackle (tied in tip first) and pent shaped teal wing.

THIS is a real eye catcher. You need to practice to get the head neat and it helps to use finer 8/0 thread; finer still if you can manage it.

SILVER DOCTOR (sea trout & steelhead version)
I found an old Hardy variation of this fly for smaller hooks in a 1930s book.

Red colour Tying thread.
Hook size: 8 or 10

Tail: a few Golden pheasant tippet fibres. Tie in at just after the second black 'bar' so that you see both 'bars'-just.
Butt: four turns of dyed scarlet ostrich herl. Tie in tight together.
Body: flat silver tinsel overlaid with a few turns of oval silver wire.
Throat hackle: kingfisher blue hen hackle; three turns only, doubled and tied in tip first and a few fibres of a guinea fowl feather tied in front as a 'beard'. This beard to be slightly longer than the longest blue fibres.
Wing: A light underwing of dyed red and yellow swan strips of about 5 fibres each, two pairs 'married' together, yellow nearest the body and an overwing pair of palest grey mallard strips, one strip each side. The mallard should be translucent enough to see the underwing showing through.

The head finishing thread should be painted with red "Cellire" but any modern scarlet enamel would do.

Happy tying!

wm+

[Mr B]

ALEXANDRA
This fly was banned at one time in The Uk for being so deadly.
This is the first fly I got at 13 ( well I got 52 of them but thats another story) this is my last one.

Mr B

[Liphook]

Good luck at the expo lasgair For me it would have to be a Dunkeld - a fly pattern that in many variants has long held high regard in my wet fly selection. It's a deadly colour combination

[Iasgair]

How about a traditional 'Butcher' with the blue wing, as in your recent post?
Always an attractive fly-and you have the experience now to tie good ones!

The 'Teal & Silver' is a popular favourite.
The usual way is with golden pheasant tippet tail, flat silver body ribbed with oval (or round) wire, kingfisher blue throat hackle (tied in tip first) and pent shaped teal wing.

THIS is a real eye catcher. You need to practice to get the head neat and it helps to use finer 8/0 thread; finer still if you can manage it.

SILVER DOCTOR (sea trout & steelhead version)
I found an old Hardy variation of this fly for smaller hooks in a 1930s book.

Red colour Tying thread.
Hook size: 8 or 10

Tail: a few Golden pheasant tippet fibres. Tie in at just after the second black 'bar' so that you see both 'bars'-just.
Butt: four turns of dyed scarlet ostrich herl. Tie in tight together.
Body: flat silver tinsel overlaid with a few turns of oval silver wire.
Throat hackle: kingfisher blue hen hackle; three turns only, doubled and tied in tip first and a few fibres of a guinea fowl feather tied in front as a 'beard'. This beard to be slightly longer than the longest blue fibres.
Wing: A light underwing of dyed red and yellow swan strips of about 5 fibres each, two pairs 'married' together, yellow nearest the body and an overwing pair of palest grey mallard strips, one strip each side. The mallard should be translucent enough to see the underwing showing through.

The head finishing thread should be painted with red "Cellire" but any modern scarlet enamel would do.

Happy tying!

wm+

Great sounding patterns Watermole+, except for the Silver Doctor. Using swan feathers is illegal in this country because they are protected.

[Iasgair]

ALEXANDRA
This fly was banned at one time in The Uk for being so deadly.
This is the first fly I got at 13 ( well I got 52 of them but thats another story) this is my last one.

Mr B

I have all the material for this fly. I shall have to take a try at this one.

[Iasgair]

Good luck at the expo lasgair For me it would have to be a Dunkeld - a fly pattern that in many variants has long held high regard in my wet fly selection. It's a deadly colour combination

Wow, what a beautiful fly. That would take practice and materials I do not have at the moment. But it's a fly I want to tie at some point.