Tell me what you think of my new fly

[philx123]

Hi,

I'm new(ish) to fly tying. Tied some about 30 years ago, and a few more about ten years ago. But I've now dug out all my father's old stuff and am getting back into it.
I'm not very proficient, though have tied a few hoppers and gold ribber hair's ears.
I sometimes like to try inventing ones myself, just for fun really.

Tell me what you think about this. You can be brutally hones. Does it look like the kind of thing that will attract trout? I know the proof is in trying the thing, but what with winter and two young kids and a business to run, it'll be a while before I'm nest in the water. It's mainly tinsel and seal fur and a bit of deer hair. I'm not sure whether to snip off the bits of tinsel that curve up, or whether to leave them as added attraction.

All the best

Phil

[maharg]

Should work ok.
Remember often with adding flash, less is generally more.
ATB
Graham

[roll cast]

Using the materials from the fly you could have tied a good dry fly pattern.

Take the tinsel tie it in as a rib, wind a seals body and then add a wing of deer hair.
Quick and easy deer hair caddis

[philx123]

Thanks for that. I'll bear in mind the "less is more".

Roll cast, am I right in thinking you mean put the tinsel in first as a rib, then wind the seal's body over it? Only, I'd read to put the tinsel over the top of the seal fur. Just want to make sure I'm doing it right.

[Mrtrout]

Good effort Phil, sedgy, it'll catch fish.
S.

[syphogenic]

Yip, Maharg is right, you've gone nuts with the flash. Proportionally...lengthen the wing and shorten the tail. Most importantly though, you've started to dip your toe in the water. Good stuff

[Scratch]

Hi Phil. Something tells me that the fly was tied on a whim... without any firm self-imposed 'brief' or m.o. in mind? No great shame in that, and we're all guilty from time to time. The result however, of just 'chucking something together', more often than not, is something that falls between two.. or three stools - which is what I see here. How do you intend to fish it? I get the feeling that its hunting ground would be sub-surface.. in that case, no real need for the deer hair - several other materials would be better employed here - hen hackle, body fur, tail fur, marabou etc. Also, the body needs to be ribbed really... to stop the seals fur from fuzzing up too much and slowing down the sink rate. Graham was right about the tinsel... way OTT! If, on the other hand you intend to fish it as a dry, or an emerger, then the tinsel is superfluous.

[Mrtrout]

Originally Posted by Scratch

Hi Phil. Something tells me that the fly was tied on a whim... without any firm self-imposed 'brief' or m.o. in mind? No great shame in that, and we're all guilty from time to time. The result however, of just 'chucking something together', more often than not, is something that falls between two.. or three stools - which is what I see here. How do you intend to fish it? I get the feeling that its hunting ground would be sub-surface.. in that case, no real need for the deer hair - several other materials would be better employed here - hen hackle, body fur, tail fur, marabou etc. Also, the body needs to be ribbed really... to stop the seals fur from fuzzing up too much and slowing down the sink rate. Graham was right about the tinsel... way OTT! If, on the other hand you intend to fish it as a dry, or an emerger, then the tinsel is superfluous.

And what gives you the right to comment barmcake? I mean what do you know about fly tying. ?
S.

[syphogenic]

Well done scratch, I never even spotted the deer hair! I'm like, what deer hair! until I checked it out again couldn't see it for what looks fine gold holo tinsel straight off a spool judging by the curl! I see the fly as a deer hair bodied sparkler. Philx, ask a few of the more successful anglers where you fish for a sketch at what they're using. You need to get a wee book on tying to establish the various categories of fly that have been developed over years of experimentation...then take things from there. Look, having said that, I can see how keen you are, so when you get the balance right, please don't stop experimenting. Thats how great flies are born!

[philx123]

Thanks for that, guys. You're right, it was tied on a whim, and I hadn;t really thought about it's use other than a general attractor. I do have a book that gives general patterns, but no real explanation of the properties of materials. I'm guessing from what you wrote, the deer hair is bouyant?
I'm a photographer by trade, but used to do a lot of artwork as a trade, and so I suppose I suffer from a certain tendency to go for form rather than function. Thanks again for the input. Invaluable. I'll do a bit of googling, and come back to you soon with another one.

All the best

Phil