first attempts at salmon/sea trout flies

[matt_b]

Just had a go at tying my first sea trout/salmon flies.

Made a more or less acceptable stoat's tail, but substituting the hair wing with black marabou (so it really looks like a giant cormorant).

Does this sound like a sensible thing to try?

Oh - and could anyone suggest what is best to use to create silver tinsel bodies on these bigger flies (for instance when making things like teal blue and silver)?

[dartmoor navigator]

I use a medium silver tinsel on tubes. Marabou, for me, would be too light, I tend to use hair such as squirel on most patterns.

Tie sparsley - dont over pack your flies with 'stuff' and don't let the wing extend too far beyond the hook - you may miss a 'nipping' sea trout.

To be honest - when the sea trout are taking - black and silver is a bit of a winner

[maharg]

You could use marabou, and try it in the slower pools. Wider tinsel will take care of the bodies. You could also use a silver hook or even silver wire.

[matt_b]

Beautiful flies Maharg - where do you get the red wire?

[maharg]

Its UTC wire, most places stock it in different diameters and colours.

[nick s]

Lovely flies Marharg, what's the blue hackle in the first one?

[maharg]

Just a single turn of light blue chinese cock. A hackle from the end of the cape, normally to long for anything else.

[paddy5]

Lovely flies Maharg . what hook did you use?
I am new to hairwing tying but have found that using small amounts of different type hair gives body and movement with out making them heavy eg.black calf tail underwing with black stoat or arctic fox over . PJ.

[maharg]

The hooks are Salar hooks from Partridge, chunky little feckkers.

[boony]

I tied a cascade with marabou tail and wing, and i liked the way it looked when wet, although they say the proof is in the pudding but im yet to fish it, but i see no reason why it wouldnt work.

John