Sooty Olive

[weight_forward]

If everyone isn't too fed up of dabblers, here's one of my efforts.



Constructive critisism, and general slagging off greatfully received and expected.

Steve

[Mal Hunter]

Originally Posted by weight_forward

Constructive critisism, and general slagging off greatfully received and expected.

Steve

You'll get no criticism from me on that one Steve - good colours and neat head - I'd certainly put that on my cast. Would be nice to see a version with a jungle cock cheek too.

Cheers
Mal

[hobble]

Oh yes , nice one steve, like that a lot,

you want my postal details now so you can send one over!!!!!

[alimar]

Never sick of dabblers ,, nice tying

[danielp]

Absolutely beautiful that one.

Quick aside, is there a reason for the sudden explosion in dabbler patterns posted on here? Not complaining mind you, beautiful patterns which catch a lot of fish are always gratefully witnessed (and copied if the tying looks easy enough). Just wondered if they were a winter fly traditionally or something like that?!?

[weight_forward]

Thanks for the comments gents.

Why so many dabblers, I think it’s a snowball effect, someone posts a few, and it kicks off peoples creative juices and you get other people posting a few, then people like me try to copy them.
They are also quite a nice fly to tie, with a few different elements, they are also very difficult to get just right in my opinion, mallard is a pain to work with, I can’t get it to cloak consistently.
They are also so versatile, with patterns and dressings to suit almost any situation, from fry bashing to mayfly.
They are also very pretty flies (to my eyes anyway).

Generally I find the traditional Irish / Scottish style flies much more interesting to tie and aesthetically pleasing than the more modern styles, although I am much more likely to fish a team of boobies and cormorants than muddlers and dabblers when out on the reservoirs. I have promised myself to give the traditionals more line time next season though. I'd be interested to here some tips from guys who fish traditionals on the English ressies.

Steve

[Scratch]

Tasty fly Steve. Like that alot. Looks like you've got some nice shades going on there... I'm a sucker for a dark, dirty bit of sooty

[weight_forward]

Cheers Scratch,

All the materials are courtesy of Gerry for this one. Sooty olive seals fur (which is at first glance black, but has a lovely oliveness to it on closer inspection), olive palmered hackle, dirty olive head hackle and the mallard is olive as well, but that doesn't come across as much in the pics.

Steve

[Scratch]

Originally Posted by weight_forward

the mallard is olive as well, but that doesn't come across as much in the pics.

It does mate, clear as day. Nice

[irishflies]

really nice dabbler there.I am a sucker for dabblers.Had a lot of trout with dabblers on the lakes here in Ireland.
Try tying the same patterns with a longer body hackle and a small hint of hot orange seals fur as a tag.
Good tying by the way