Thunder Creek family

[Offshore]

I've had a good old play this weekend and having done some bucktail Thunder Creeks I decided to go smaller and tie on a Tiemco size 4 ( a 9 series number but can't remember which...) and decided to go the original Keith Fulcher route where he I believe used marabou... please do correct me if I'm wrong... BUT I've decided to use Raccoon again as an alternative... I love this stuff!

So the size 4 is next to top and the Tiemco size 8 is on an 811s... frankly the shank is way too short as the head reduces the gap... BUT I was interested to see how small you can go...

I need some long shank size 12 hooks

[MichaelL]

Have a read of Keith Fulsher's book on Thunder Creek flies and the proportions head/body etc... , its an excellent book if you search for it on Amazon. The long shank hooks - I had trouble getting those here in the UK, so I ordered them from 'The Fly Shop' - they're on-line - based in California, iirc.

THE FLY SHOP - FLY FISHING EQUIPMENT, GUIDE SERVICES, AND INTERNATIONAL FLY FISHING TRIPS

[Chris Reeves]

Nicely done David, Have you got the Fulsher book on Thunder creek style flies? Or the Bates Streamer book which has a chapter by Keith Fulsher.
Great books and full of good info on this style.

I have some long shank Carrie Stevens hooks 4x long shank which are perfect for this style but I tie the flies very small and with much smaller heads than on your saltwater ties.

I'll bring some along to BFFI if I reember and show you what I mean. Thats said for saltwater these will be great and I love the furry ones!

Cheers

[stevekale]

Where did you get the nice coloured buck tail?

[Offshore]

Chris, I have neither book but will remedy it... amazon awaits LOL

Steve... most of my tails have been from Nigel at Lakeland... and I've been happy with his service... I send a note with the order and I get what I ask for. The only way to beat it would be to bulk order tails and start dyeing myself... I have too much on to do that but envy folk who do and get the exact shades they want.

[stevekale]

Cheers. Didn't realise he had so many colours. Need to get some lavender.

[Offshore]

Originally Posted by stevekale

Cheers. Didn't realise he had so many colours. Need to get some lavender.

I got a particulary good lavender bucktail from him... good long straight and soft fibres... the only problem is that you can't see the colours in person... but never been a problem, I'm not that anal that I need a specific shade of a shade ... I do have a lot of bucktails... all the bum ones have been from elsewhere. The only other decent one was from Oz... a black one terffic... smaller BUT soft long straight fibres.

[Offshore]

As a further thought Steve - have you used Icelandic Pony at all as an alternative to bucktail???

[stevekale]

No I haven't. Any good?

I have more fly tying materials than any fly tying store I've ever been into so not sure I need another set of materials.

BTW I was tying more Deceivers with Bug Bond for the heads (together with a similar thicker tacky material). (BTW If you want the pics of the Copper John's just grab them of the thread and post them although I should tie and photograph better ones!)

[Offshore]

Originally Posted by stevekale

No I haven't. Any good?

I have more fly tying materials than any fly tying store I've ever been into so not sure I need another set of materials.

BTW I was tying more Deceivers with Bug Bond for the heads (together with a similar thicker tacky material). (BTW If you want the pics of the Copper John's just grab them of the thread and post them although I should tie and photograph better ones!)

I have a few flies tied by Steve Silverio with it and it is lovely soft straight hair... I'll be bringing some back from the US later this year... I'll let you know how I get on...

Cheers for the offer of the pics... I will credit you of course.