One for a Blow....

[Scratch]

Nicely overcast.. a good blow... top dropper... job done!

Another colour scheme from a series of floppy wets that fooled a few fish this season....

Hook: B175 8, 10 or 12
Butt: Flat gold
Rib: Oval gold
Body: Seals fur mix - Black, Darkest Brown, Fiery Brown, Black Claret, Claret
Body Hackle: Grizzle hen dyed 'Golden Brown'
Shoulder Hackle: GP body feather
Head Hackle: As Body
Thread: 'Wine' UTC

[darwin]

Another very nice fly, I really like the colours. I do have one question, why no tail? Not trying to be difficult, just wanting to understand and add to my education.
Thanks

[bruno]

thats very nice
ill try and put a few like this together for my box
regards Scott

[weight_forward]

Originally Posted by Scratch

Nicely overcast.. a good blow... top dropper... job done!

Reckon it would do a decent shift in a #12 on the middle as well. Is your GP body au naturel or has it been dyed? The feathers on mine are more reddy brown, but then maybe mine is just a rubbish skin. Quality tying and photography as usual, didn't realise you'd had that much snow over there, you can't even see your bin.

[A. Fluker]

A great looking Blow Job.

[Scratch]

Originally Posted by darwin

I do have one question, why no tail?

Let me turn that around, Darwin... Why a tail? Because convention says we must? I just felt that with this style, the 'selling job' is done with the movement of the hackles - the 'flow' of the soft hen hackles, and the 'kick' of the stiffer GP feather. I kind of thought this one through from front to back, and when I got to back end, I decided that a tail was not going to add any extra for me - in fact, I felt a tail would detract from the 'darty' profile and feel.

Originally Posted by weight_forward

Reckon it would do a decent shift in a #12 on the middle as well. Is your GP body au naturel or has it been dyed? The feathers on mine are more reddy brown, but then maybe mine is just a rubbish skin. Quality tying and photography as usual, didn't realise you'd had that much snow over there, you can't even see your bin.

Hi Steve, hows the low country? Perishing up in Chorleyland today... minus 3 and dropping

Aye, I've beeen tying and using most of this series on both 10's and 12's... and you're right - the 12's seem well at home on the middle. Some seem to work better than others on a 12, and on the middle... I've had good sessions with a Kate version, and a Silver Invicta version too.

The GP skin is indeed a dyed red one - forgot to mention that in the dressing! The dyed red skin yields a good range off the red spectrum - there's a some good deep reds, dark clarets, and from the breast you get a really vivid, almost flourescent scarlet.

No snow yet mate.... and the wheely bin is still there... It's just that with these temperatures, I've developed a liking for indoor photography, strangely enough!

[darwin]

Originally Posted by Scratch

Let me turn that around, Darwin... Why a tail? Because convention says we must? I just felt that with this style, the 'selling job' is done with the movement of the hackles - the 'flow' of the soft hen hackles, and the 'kick' of the stiffer GP feather. I kind of thought this one through from front to back, and when I got to back end, I decided that a tail was not going to add any extra for me - in fact, I felt a tail would detract from the 'darty' profile and feel.

Solid logic and that works for me. My first thought when I saw this fly was the Octopus in the Stan Headley book, then I thought about the Goat's Toe and the Melvin Octopus. I agree with the movement/breathing (and colours) of the feathers should be enough to do the job. As I stated, still trying to understand the "why" of things. Occasionally I see a fly with two tails and I ask why...
Anyway thanks for your time and the posting.

[weight_forward]

Originally Posted by Scratch

The dyed red skin yields a good range off the red spectrum

Ya ******, I didn't get any red dye - that's another order on Monday then .

Originally Posted by Scratch

Hi Steve, hows the low country? Persihing up in Chorleyland today... minus 3 and dropping

Cold, wet, postal workers on strike - feels like home really. I thought it was plus SEVEN round your way this afternoon

[Scratch]

Originally Posted by weight_forward

I thought it was plus SEVEN round your way this afternoon...

That was in Manchester mate... a lot hotter down there this afternoon

[tsm101]

That is a belter scratch, and i can see that working a treat anywhere
One question though, if you dont mind? Where do you get all your fantastic dyed hen necks from?
Hen necks are something ive been looking for more and more latley, partley due to reading t+s, Stan always swears by them and partley from last years experiance between doobrys etc palmered with hen or cock. One fly that was outstanding for me this year was a peach tailed coch zulu, palmered with genetic hen and im sure now that the movement gave it the edge to a standard cock palmer, and it caught me fish from a slimeline to a di7!
Any how i'd be interested in your view on the difference between cock and hen for wet flies, and if you could point me in the right direction for some good quality hen capes suitible for palmering i'd be much in your debt!

Cheers Thorfinn