My Grayling Fly

[ibrown]

I have been trying to come up with something different for Grayling but staying with the idea that pink is best. I saw in a magazine a fly called the Bullet by Chris Sandford and decided to use that as my base.

Please comment on ways to improve the design
Thanks
Ian

pink bullet | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

[ACW]

Personally ,the wing and thorax cover seem surplus to requirement ,thats assuming the body is pink wire ,and meant to be a sinking bug ,the wing in particular will slow the sink rate.
that's my view from a mainly chalk stream out look !

[ibrown]

Hi Andy,
The original was tied with red and black silk and is a dry fly. Sept. 2010 FlyFishing and Fly Tying mag..page 47. I didn't want a dry fly but changed the silk with UTC Pink and red SM wire. Thinking i could fish it just under the surface like an emerger.

Ian

[Chris Reeves]

The original is finished with Bug Bond which seals the deer hair but also adds quite a lot of weight and makes it possible to fish this fly sub surface. If left alone it will float (just), if twitched or pulled it sinks,
I have an original sitting in front of me as I type, and as far as I'm concerned, the unique selling point for this fly is exactly that, it looks like a dry but fishes more like an emereger, Mr Sandford is never slow at grabbing new ideas and running with them, he has supported Bug Bond since its launch and was using CDC about 10 minutes after it was introduced to the UK. Prolific he isn't but his patterns are the result of detailed experimentation and experience and stand the test of fishing.
Adding wire adds nothing to this pattern just goes off in a different direction and frankly, I'd fish a wire bodied bug rather than add a wing which could spin the fly whern retrieving it. Unless of course you're going to dead drift it, in which case ......................etc etc

All that said it looks great but I think it is unnecessary adornment. Keep then coming, I love people who experiment and tie their thoughts rather than talk about them!

Regards

[ibrown]

many thanks Chris.. I will tie some without the wings. I haven't been tying that long, actually i started in early this year. I went to the Chiltern Branch fly tyers Guild in April. Dave Bartle had some of the dvd's when you where a guest in 2008. I have been practicing with your DVD's. The Mayfly i love and the cruncher. I just wanted to take the oportunity to thank you for the inspiration you have given me from your DVD's.

Will you be at the BFFI at Trentham in October?

Regards
Ian

[ACW]

My apologies looking at the picture it looked to me to be solid wire which to me makes it a sinker .
as an emerger could see it working well , would make the wing somewhat shorter and denser.

[andypandy]

good looking emerger pattern...i like the idea and design of it

Andy