I'm a big fan of zelon. I have been using crinkled zelon (which I have been
buying from Blue Ribbon Flies - dyed specifically for flytying) for my
posts on parachute flies such as adams (callibaetis, bwo/baetis, gray and
green drakes). I mash the posts down and they become part of the wing
impression. I have also found that the darker colors, particularly gray,
are much more visible to me than the white or orange posts, especially in
moving water.
Leland.
>Another great use of super glue. Les mentioned the "cripple" being a great
>pattern. On that note, I think it is primarily due to the visible wing;
>that to me, is the "trigger" mechanism. Standup wings, as they enter the
>fish's window, do not show up in the fly profile like the forward tilting
>wing. A great, proven pattern is the parachute. Here CAN be an
>improvement. Use floating yarn as a post. It comes in grey, for a natural
>look, and visible white if that works for you to see it; other colors as
>well. Now, don't go sparingly with the post. It will depend on the size of
>the fly, but use "enough" to do the next step. After wrapping the feather
>around the post. (I like the Mike Lawson way of finishing the fly and then
>attatching the feather and wrapping counter-clockwise with the feather and
>finishing off by catching the feather with the thread at the head and
>forming the head. When you catch it this way, you continue to tighten the
>feather. Now, take your thumb and push down, squawsh the post spreading out
>the post. Easy to do and it will make a "halo" wing around the body with
>the front portion tilted forward. It is visible to the fish from all
>angles. Put a drop of super glue right in the middle of the "halo"...wing
>stays perfect and feather won't come off. If there is a drawback to the
>parachute, lots of good features, but the wing profile is not as good as the
>cripple and other patterns.....now it is. Jere
>
>
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Les Johnson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>Sent: Wednesday, May 16, 2001 9:07 AM
>Subject: Re: Dry Falls
>
>
>> Right! Actually I have been using Quick Tite super glue. It comes in a
>handy
>> little brush bottle. Gene Gudger, a chironomid junkie of the first order
>> gave me the tip.
>> Les
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Warner, Paul W" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>> Sent: Wednesday, May 16, 2001 9:03 AM
>> Subject: RE: Dry Falls
>>
>>
>> > One thing Les left out that's important unless you tie very fast or are
>a
>> fly tying "addict" is to coat the body with either Sally Hansen's nail
>> polish or Soft Body. Even with a coating on the fly the fish still rip
>> the flies up.
>> >
>> > I have a tattered chromie proudly sitting in my chironimid box that I
>see
>> everytime I open the box up.
>> >
>> > I've been using that pattern since last May and it seems to work in just
>> about every chronie hatch.
>> >
>> > Bill W
>> >
>> > > ----------
>> > > From: Les Johnson[SMTP:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
>> > > Reply To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>> > > Sent: Wednesday, May 16, 2001 4:15 AM
>> > > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>> > > Subject: Re: Dry Falls
>> > >
>> > > The Chromie is a pattern listed in Phil Rowley's new book, Fly
>Patterns
>> for
>> > > Stillwaters. This is a very good chironomid that is often quite
>> effective.
>> > > Hook: Tiemco 2457 (use any wet fly hook). Body: silver flashabout
>> (thin).
>> > > Rib: single strand of red flashabou or red wire. throax: few turns of
>> > > peacock herl. black bead head. Gills: tuft of white sparkle yarn.
>> > > I bought the book. Phil Rowley knows his stuff. He is an experienced
>> > > stillwater angler who counts Gordon Honey and Brian Chan among his
>> regular
>> > > fishing buddies. A lot of knowlege in that trio.
>> > > Good Luck!
>> > > Les Johnson
>> > > ----- Original Message -----
>> > > From: "flyman" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>> > > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>> > > Sent: Wednesday, May 16, 2001 12:16 AM
>> > > Subject: Re: Dry Falls
>> > >
>> > >
>> > > > I hope you don't mind me asking but I don't know a lot about fly
>> patterns.
>> > > > Is that pattern listed in a book or is it a pattern that gets passed
>> only
>> > > > between friends?
>> > > >
>> > > > Thank you,
>> > > > Ray :-)
>> > > > [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > > ----- Original Message -----
>> > > > From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>> > > > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>> > > > Cc: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>> > > > Sent: Tuesday, May 15, 2001 5:43 PM
>> > > > Subject: Re: Dry Falls
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > > > I fished Lenice on Monday (may 14). Left my home in Leavenworth
>at
>> > > 4.45am
>> > > > > and was on water somewhere around 7.00am. It was cloudy , trying
>to
>> > > > rain,with
>> > > > > wind gusting very strongly. I was hopeful that if the wind died
>down
>> > > there
>> > > > > would be a good Callibaetis hatch. Conditions remained very
>> difficult,
>> > > > making
>> > > > > it almost impossible to anchor my tube in deep water and fish the
>> column
>> > > > with
>> > > > > midge patterns - my favourite form of 'below the surface' still
>> water
>> > > > > fishing. One has to watch the end of the line with the
>concentration
>> of
>> > > a
>> > > > > hungry heron, and that is close to impossible when there is big
>wave
>> > > > action.
>> > > > > Wave action also gives the fly down below an unnatural movement,
>> which
>> > > is
>> > > > not
>> > > > > conducive to a fifty fish day. This can be mitigated in some
>degree
>> by
>> > > > > keeping the last third of the rod under the water which dampens
>the
>> up
>> > > and
>> > > > > down movement of the fly to some degree. But then you cannot
>watch
>> the
>> > > > line
>> > > > > and have to rely on the tactile sense only - again not conducive
>to
>> > > fifty
>> > > > > fish a day .............Anyway, I resigned myself to to finning
>> close in
>> > > > to
>> > > > > shore and fishing scuds, mayfly nymphs and damsel nymphs around
>the
>> > > > tulles.
>> > > > > Action was very slow, two fish to hand by mid-day.
>> > > > >
>> > > > > I was in two minds to call it a day, but for some reason decided
>to
>> hang
>> > > > in
>> > > > > there in the hopes of the wind dropping and the promise of a
>mayfly
>> > > > hatch -
>> > > > > exclusive of the wind, the weather was just right for one. There
>was
>> > > bird
>> > > > > action all over the lake but for the life of me I could not see
>what
>> > > they
>> > > > > were taking , nor could I see any rising pupae or floating shucks.
>> At 67
>> > > > the
>> > > > > eyes are not what they used to be, but this was getting ridiculous
>> !!
>> > > > > However, at about 5.00pm the wind dropped and I saw one mayfly,
>not
>> two
>> > > or
>> > > > > three or fifty but one, but it was enough to get the old carcass
>off
>> the
>> > > > > bank, into the tube and back into the fray. That was the mayfly
>> hatch>
>> > > for
>> > > > the
>> > > > > day. Not a fish dimple to be seen in any direction - but by god,
>the
>> > > wind
>> > > > was
>> > > > > down and I was going to rip fifty fishes lips or die in the
>attempt.
>> I
>> > > > > anchored off in in deep water (for Lenice) from 5.10 pm till 7.35
>pm
>> in
>> > > > water
>> > > > > which varied from 16' to 22'; I like to know at exactly what depth
>I
>> am
>> > > > > fishing when fishing the column; in a float tube I use a hand-held
>> depth
>> > > > > finder put out by MarCum Ent,Inc.in Minnesota. It is about the
>size
>> of a
>> > > > > standard flash light and is used primarily by ice fisherman.
>Cabela
>> > > sells
>> > > > > them under the name of 'Polar Vision' and they are a jewel of a
>> tool.
>> > > With
>> > > > > this kind of sub-surface fishing I do not use a full sink line,
>but
>> the
>> > > > > slowest intermediate line sold by Airflo with a fast intermediate
>8'
>> > > > leader,
>> > > > > then about 6' of 3 pound test tippet (sometimes 5 pound test) and,
>> as I
>> > > > > choose never to weight my flies for still water use, 1 lead shot
>> crimped
>> > > > > about 12" above the fly itself. Back to business......... I
>suceeded
>> in
>> > > > > losing the first six fish I hooked (this was becoming one hell of
>a
>> > > day),
>> > > > > until I realised I had a bad spool of tippet material. From then
>on
>> I
>> > > > never
>> > > > > looked back, from the time I hooked the first fish till I quit at
>> way
>> > > > after
>> > > > > seven it really was a fish a cast. Keep in mind it takes time for
>> the
>> > > > line
>> > > > > and fly to sink and often longer to tweak it back up again. That
>> evening
>> > > > fish
>> > > > > were breathing the fly in on the way down, on the bottom and also
>at
>> all
>> > > > > levels on the way back. I am sure that some of these fish were
>> following
>> > > > the
>> > > > > fly up before taking it , if it was still a way down they would
>> gently
>> > > > suck
>> > > > > it in, if close to the surface they would whack it. I used only
>> one
>> > > > pattern
>> > > > > of fly all evening in two sizes, my fellow countryman (if he still
>> > > claims
>> > > > to
>> > > > > be a Brit) Phil Rowley's Chromie in sizes 10 and 12. It is a
>> > > remarkably
>> > > > > effective fly. How many fish did I catch ? I truly do not know,
>I
>> have
>> > > > long
>> > > > > ago quit the counting game. However, the rainbows ranged from 17"
>to
>> 22"
>> > > > with
>> > > > > 2 small browns of about 10 to 12 inches.
>> > > > >
>> > > > > Moral of this story ? It pays to hang in there, if you have
>nothing
>> > > > better
>> > > > > to do.
>> > > > >
>> > > > > DAB
>> > > > >
>> > > > >
>> > > > >
>> > > > >
>> > > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > >
>> >
>> >
>>
>>
>>
