Ke-He

[danielp]

Hi Guys

Couple of questions about this one as I have been asked to tie some for a friend. As far as I can make out the red wool part of the tail is an addition to the original but present in most these days is this correct? He asked for the original so trying to get to the bottom of that one.

Also am i right that the black hackle is a variant and the original was tied with red game?

Final question, the peacock herl body with no rib seems to me like it would be ripped apart in an instant by the teethy buggers. Did the traditional have a rib that I am just not seeing (black thread?) or do I simply need to go down the drop of glue/varnish before winding route?

My experience of the more traditional wets is a bit limited so thanks in advance for your replies.

Many thanks, Dan

[Wee Jimmy]

I'm fairly certain the red wool tail was part of the original dressing Dan,non fluorescent that is.Red game hackle also.

I prefer to counter wind the tying silk through the herl to secure it rather than winding it over varnish but either or wont make too much difference.

[dabhoy]

The KE HE was developed sometime in the 30's and had a rhode island red hackle and no under tail.I usually glue the shanks before winding the herl but this can still take a battering to get around this I use a version with a peacock style dubbing.
I fish the Ke he regularly in different guises but the black version is the best known of these and can perform very well.

[Ephemerella]

'Severn Ke' a grayling dry fly - variant of the original - popular in North Wales.

[danielp]

Cheers guys, will tye him some with and without the red tail, see which he prefers.

Not a fly I have ever fished with myself but cannot see why, simply and nice profile, will definitely be giving it a go!

[maharg]

Devised by a Mr Kemp and a Mr Heddle for fishing on Loch Harray,to imitate small bees that were blown onto the water.(KeHe)
The original does not appear to have the red wool, just tippets, then a combined tail of red wool with tippets over seems to have appeared.
I have also seen it with a black hackle that looks quite good.
Try them all and see what the trout like.
ATB
Graham

[troutheaven]

Well, you know what they say, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.

Ke-He - Kemp and Heddle - correct.

The original did indeed lack a red wool tail, but the very original hackle was red not red game! The 'small bee' referred to was Bibio pomonae (heather fly) and, therefore, the red hackle makes sense.

In this form it didn't last long but was quickly superceded by the dark ginger hen hackle with red tail variant. In the 70s I added the fluo red wool tail (Turrall) and it worked fine for a few years but in the 80s it seemed to loose its attraction to trout. I rarely use it now, but the black hackled version is still in my box

[danielp]

Cheers guys, think I got the jist, possibly.

Original (no red tag)


Black Ke-He


Again macro ahs not been kind to them lol, are the proportions etc.. alright on them?

Got sidetracked from the serious tying and had a play with some variants.

Silver Ke-He


Cruncher Ke-He


Was also going to do a Ke-He Bach but ran out of golden pheasant, well order placed.

Dan

[maharg]

Originally Posted by troutheaven

Well, you know what they say, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.

Ke-He - Kemp and Heddle - correct.

The original did indeed lack a red wool tail, but the very original hackle was red not red game! The 'small bee' referred to was Bibio pomonae (heather fly) and, therefore, the red hackle makes sense.

In this form it didn't last long but was quickly superceded by the dark ginger hen hackle with red tail variant. In the 70s I added the fluo red wool tail (Turrall) and it worked fine for a few years but in the 80s it seemed to loose its attraction to trout. I rarely use it now, but the black hackled version is still in my box

Is that not basically what I said Oh Grumpy One?
Have not seen any mention of the redhackle before, so we bow to your great wisdom

ATB
Graham

[dabhoy]

Originally Posted by troutheaven

Well, you know what they say, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.

Ke-He - Kemp and Heddle - correct.

The original did indeed lack a red wool tail, but the very original hackle was red not red game! The 'small bee' referred to was Bibio pomonae (heather fly) and, therefore, the red hackle makes sense.

In this form it didn't last long but was quickly superceded by the dark ginger hen hackle with red tail variant. In the 70s I added the fluo red wool tail (Turrall) and it worked fine for a few years but in the 80s it seemed to loose its attraction to trout. I rarely use it now, but the black hackled version is still in my box

Hi Stan not that I doubt you but wondered what your reference was,
Just in case your memory is going again what with metz genetic hen
The Ke He certainly still works maybe you just lost confidence in it.