Soft Hackle Flies

Big Dale,

If I recall correctly, you are from California correct?

Dustin


"Big Dale" wrote in message
...
Stuart wrote:snipI am looking for a good Pattern book for Soft-Hackled
Flies.
I already have
the book Two Centuries of Soft-Hackled Flies by Sylvester Nemes but would
like yet another

This is not a pattern book, But Dave Hughes wrote a book called Wet Flies
that
was copyrighted back in 1995. It was responsible for my addiction to tying
and
fishing soft hackle flies. Don't forget to tie a few of the pattern called
the
red ass. There is something about the combination of peacock and partridge
with
a little of the color red thrown in that a lot of fish seem to find
attractive.
Even with the old style of soft hackle flies I sometimes have about three
fibers of z-lon as a mini trailing shuck. I have conned myself into
thinking
that this sometimes makes a difference.

Big Dale

"Willi & Sue" wrote

I think there's lot of room for experimentation with soft hackles. Many of
the established patterns are old and were developed in England for the
hatches there. Not that that's bad, it's just that there aren't many
patterns
around developed to imitate American hatches.



Nemes has a book, "Soft Hackle Imitations" ( I think is the title ) that
does some work along these lines. Borger and Hughes also mention soft
hackles fished for specific hatches

This is something with great potential, imho, and I, too, spend a lot of
time fishing soft hackle flies to rising fish. Indeed, I'd say that 90% of
the time a riser will take a soft hackle, IN the film, that comes close to
the size of the natural even if nothing else seems close to the naturals.
SHs
that were closely matched to the hatch would be damn deadly, indeed

Willi, I've given up on the idea of "claves" and such and probably will
never meet you, ... I'm too much of a loner ... but I sure wish we lived
close enough to compare notes on this, as a season went from bug to bug.

This summer I walked down the hill from my trailer to the HFork nearly every
night to try slight variations of a "muskrat and partridge" size 18 on the
evening rise ... basically EVERY fish I could cover with a good drift and a
good "float" took ... but getting a float that lasted more than a single
fish or even a few casts without one is something I never achieved ....
exactly the kind of challenge that drives one both nuts and back the vise,
over and over

"Willi & Sue" wrote

I think there's lot of room for experimentation with soft hackles. Many of
the established patterns are old and were developed in England for the
hatches there. Not that that's bad, it's just that there aren't many
patterns
around developed to imitate American hatches.



Nemes has a book, "Soft Hackle Imitations" ( I think is the title ) that
does some work along these lines. Borger and Hughes also mention soft
hackles fished for specific hatches

This is something with great potential, imho, and I, too, spend a lot of
time fishing soft hackle flies to rising fish. Indeed, I'd say that 90% of
the time a riser will take a soft hackle, IN the film, that comes close to
the size of the natural even if nothing else seems close to the naturals.
SHs
that were closely matched to the hatch would be damn deadly, indeed

Willi, I've given up on the idea of "claves" and such and probably will
never meet you, ... I'm too much of a loner ... but I sure wish we lived
close enough to compare notes on this, as a season went from bug to bug.

This summer I walked down the hill from my trailer to the HFork nearly every
night to try slight variations of a "muskrat and partridge" size 18 on the
evening rise ... basically EVERY fish I could cover with a good drift and a
good "float" took ... but getting a float that lasted more than a single
fish or even a few casts without one is something I never achieved ....
exactly the kind of challenge that drives one both nuts and back the vise,
over and over

"Willi & Sue" wrote

I think there's lot of room for experimentation with soft hackles. Many of
the established patterns are old and were developed in England for the
hatches there. Not that that's bad, it's just that there aren't many
patterns
around developed to imitate American hatches.



Nemes has a book, "Soft Hackle Imitations" ( I think is the title ) that
does some work along these lines. Borger and Hughes also mention soft
hackles fished for specific hatches

This is something with great potential, imho, and I, too, spend a lot of
time fishing soft hackle flies to rising fish. Indeed, I'd say that 90% of
the time a riser will take a soft hackle, IN the film, that comes close to
the size of the natural even if nothing else seems close to the naturals.
SHs
that were closely matched to the hatch would be damn deadly, indeed

Willi, I've given up on the idea of "claves" and such and probably will
never meet you, ... I'm too much of a loner ... but I sure wish we lived
close enough to compare notes on this, as a season went from bug to bug.

This summer I walked down the hill from my trailer to the HFork nearly every
night to try slight variations of a "muskrat and partridge" size 18 on the
evening rise ... basically EVERY fish I could cover with a good drift and a
good "float" took ... but getting a float that lasted more than a single
fish or even a few casts without one is something I never achieved ....
exactly the kind of challenge that drives one both nuts and back the vise,
over and over

Larry L wrote:

Willi, I've given up on the idea of "claves" and such and probably will
never meet you, ... I'm too much of a loner ... but I sure wish we lived
close enough to compare notes on this, as a season went from bug to bug.

If you've given up on Claves, then the chances of us getting together is
slim (unless you come to CO) because virtually all the fishing I do out of
State is at Claves or informal get togethers with people I've met at
Claves.
There are people from time to time who attend Claves from a distance.
They don't stay in the same places as the other people and they only
drop by
occasionally either to fish or to talk or .... Think they generally
feel welcome.
There are no rules or requirements but it's best if you don't act like TOO
much of an asshole.


This summer I walked down the hill from my trailer to the HFork nearly every
night to try slight variations of a "muskrat and partridge" size 18 on the
evening rise ... basically EVERY fish I could cover with a good drift and a
good "float" took ... but getting a float that lasted more than a single
fish or even a few casts without one is something I never achieved ....
exactly the kind of challenge that drives one both nuts and back the vise,
over and over

I don't understand, if every fish took, why are you looking for a better
fly?

Willi

Larry L wrote:

Willi, I've given up on the idea of "claves" and such and probably will
never meet you, ... I'm too much of a loner ... but I sure wish we lived
close enough to compare notes on this, as a season went from bug to bug.

If you've given up on Claves, then the chances of us getting together is
slim (unless you come to CO) because virtually all the fishing I do out of
State is at Claves or informal get togethers with people I've met at
Claves.
There are people from time to time who attend Claves from a distance.
They don't stay in the same places as the other people and they only
drop by
occasionally either to fish or to talk or .... Think they generally
feel welcome.
There are no rules or requirements but it's best if you don't act like TOO
much of an asshole.


This summer I walked down the hill from my trailer to the HFork nearly every
night to try slight variations of a "muskrat and partridge" size 18 on the
evening rise ... basically EVERY fish I could cover with a good drift and a
good "float" took ... but getting a float that lasted more than a single
fish or even a few casts without one is something I never achieved ....
exactly the kind of challenge that drives one both nuts and back the vise,
over and over

I don't understand, if every fish took, why are you looking for a better
fly?

Willi

Willi & Sue wrote in
:

Larry L wrote:

Willi, I've given up on the idea of "claves" and such and probably
will never meet you, ... I'm too much of a loner ... but I sure wish
we lived close enough to compare notes on this, as a season went from
bug to bug.

If you've given up on Claves, then the chances of us getting together
is slim (unless you come to CO) because virtually all the fishing I do
out of State is at Claves or informal get togethers with people I've
met at Claves.
There are people from time to time who attend Claves from a distance.
... basically EVERY fish I
could cover with a good drift and a good "float" took ... but getting
a float that lasted more than a single fish or even a few casts
without one is something I never achieved .... exactly the kind of
challenge that drives one both nuts and back the vise, over and over

I don't understand, if every fish took, why are you looking for a
better fly?


I think they tend to be one fish flys i.e. don't sit in the film after
sliming or several drifts. It doesn't parse well though ... but otoh
at least it on topic

Steve (carefully checking group ...)

Willi & Sue wrote in
:

Larry L wrote:

Willi, I've given up on the idea of "claves" and such and probably
will never meet you, ... I'm too much of a loner ... but I sure wish
we lived close enough to compare notes on this, as a season went from
bug to bug.

If you've given up on Claves, then the chances of us getting together
is slim (unless you come to CO) because virtually all the fishing I do
out of State is at Claves or informal get togethers with people I've
met at Claves.
There are people from time to time who attend Claves from a distance.
... basically EVERY fish I
could cover with a good drift and a good "float" took ... but getting
a float that lasted more than a single fish or even a few casts
without one is something I never achieved .... exactly the kind of
challenge that drives one both nuts and back the vise, over and over

I don't understand, if every fish took, why are you looking for a
better fly?


I think they tend to be one fish flys i.e. don't sit in the film after
sliming or several drifts. It doesn't parse well though ... but otoh
at least it on topic

Steve (carefully checking group ...)

"Stephen Welsh" wrote


I think they tend to be one fish flys i.e. don't sit in the film after
sliming or several drifts.

yeah, what he said ...

"Stephen Welsh" wrote


I think they tend to be one fish flys i.e. don't sit in the film after
sliming or several drifts.

yeah, what he said ...