I have been thinking about this one for some time now. Last year I was over speaking to Daver and as usual buying some goods. We got talking about the curse (Caenis), and he showed me a wee pattern.

Mmm, I thought. I wouldn't mind giving this a try. So I did, and low and behold , when the caenis are hatching these wee flies are deadly. So much so the fish take them so confidently they don't even know they're hooked until they try and swim away. No need for a lightening fast strike, just a gentle lift. I use a wee spot of Mucillin Dry fly on the wings just to keep them afloat.

I also must apologise for some of the pictures, I haven't yet mastered the white balance thingy.

So with permission from Daver, I give you the Caenis

Hook: size 20 TMC 101 Straight Eye
Thread: Danvilles Spiderweb
Body: Dubbed Natural Mole
Tail: White Cock
Wings: TMC Wing Post, or you can use antron

Step 1: Catch in your thread just behind the eye.


Step 2: Take some wing post and fold it over the thread like so, lift it up and over on to the hook shank.


Step 3: Secure the wing post with a figure of eight cross wrap


Step 4: Once it is secured take your thread down till it's opposite the hook point.


Step 5: Pinch some Cock hackle fibres, I have taken 4 here.


Step 6: Tie them in as a tail. What you may notice is the some of the fibres will slide round the side of the shank which is good. Any rogue fibres just pull back and the should come off quite easily.


Step 7: I have used a ceramic scrape to get some Natural Mole fur. Feel free to use your own methods.


Step 8: Dub this onto your thread to form a nice tight thin rope. You don't want it to bulky in some parts and too thin in others.


Step 9: Take the dubbing rope all the way up to behind the wings (Sorry about this picture)


Step 10: Now the tricky part. Do a figure of eight cross wrap over and under the wing one wrap only.




Then on your last wrap bring your dubbing rope round to the front of the wings and apply one wrap behind the hook eye.


Step 10: Finish off with a whip finish and your wee curse should look like this.


Trim the wings to size.






I tend to find that becasue they are so small I will fish them on a two fly cast. I will use a hopper or bibio on the top dropper and the Caenis on the point. The hopper or Bibio I use as a sight indicator, anything fish that rise within the radius of the hopper I just lift the rod and 9 times out of 10 the fish is on.

Also the TMC 101 Straight Eye hooks sit on the water better than down or up eye hooks.

__________________
Wild, Dangerous, Unfettered and Free

Thanks for that Kypmeister, I too am struggling with the black / white balance, amongst other technical things, otherwise I would have had a go at a step-by-step myself, before now.

The dressing is spot on, I will try tying some of these tonight.


Thanks again

[QUOTE=kypmeister]

( Edited, because I cocked the link address up the first time! And because the "Delete" facility has been removed! At least for this post!

[QUOTE=kypmeister]

I also must apologise for some of the pictures, I haven't yet mastered the white balance thingy.

Go here;
http://www.irfanview.com/

and get the program.

Open the image file you wish to correct, like the one below;



Click "Image" on the menu, and then "Auto Correct". Save the file. This is the result;



Of course the prog can do a lot more if you wish.


TL
MC

Yes, that works; I like that.


Thanks Mike, that's much appreciated.


Steve

My pleasure.

That is not really a substitute for setting up your camera white balance, but it works.

There are other much more powerful programs as well, if you are interested. Also free. Just say the word.

Probably the best free prog is this;
http://www.photofiltre.com/

It also has an absolutely first class white balance adjustment plug-in;

http://plugins.photofiltre.free.fr/plugins/wbadjust.zip

The application and the plug-ins are free. It is actually better than most commercial offerings.

TL
MC

Unfortunately my digital camera, the Olympus EF100 does not appear to have a manual setting.

However I have just edited my avatar using IrfanView and this has made significant improvements; it actually looks a bit more like than the Jersey Herd I tied and photograph'd.

Thanks again; I hope this is of help to you also Kypmeister.


Steve

Presumably you mean the FE 100. This one;

http://www.imaging-resource.com/CAMD...ions%5B%5D=922

Indeed it only has one automatic white balance setting. Several users reported that this was not very good.

You will have to use the software.

Better lighting improves things considerably, and this thing works well, but not for "step by steps"

http://www.devoncamera.co.uk/index.c..._studio_easy_l

http://www.makezine.com/blog/archive...to_studio.html

may also be of interest
http://www.timezone.com/library/time...71221336328157

http://www.diyphotography.net/homest...h-mini-bouncer

http://www.diyhappy.com/mini-photography-studio/


Let me know when you have read these, and I will delete them, I don´t want to mess up the "step by step" section.
TL
MC

This image was corrected using the auto functions for white balance and contrast in photo filtre, with just two clicks.

Before;



After;



This was also sharpened;


The external white balance filter is even better;

From the same original image, using only the external white balance filter;



You can of course do batch corrections of a number of images.

TL
MC

Thanks Mike
I have no wish to hijack Kypmeisters excellent step by step but you can see from the dabbler I tied tonight and have posted as my avatar that I am making progress.

Who knows, an Obadiah step by step over Christmas?

Depends on how much falling down water I have.

Thanks again


Steve