Experimental Tying

Well back at the vise today. I am finding out I have a very unpredictable pattern going. I am not sure if it is good or bad yet but when I sit down to tie a pattern the next time I do it instead of trying to perfect the exact same pattern I just did, I tweak it in a few new ways so I really end up doing a whole new pattern. If I sit down to tie a half dozen of a certain pattern I usually end up with 6 different looking flies all based off the original but with their own little tweak added in. I guess we will see how the fish like them.

All four of these flies started out on the same premise but they all have something I changed on them. The closest one is the last one I did and the one I like the best. I think these will be a pretty good hopper pattern.

Here is the original inspiration for the final product in the previous picture. A hopper pattern called Hopper Juan from another blogger. Here is a link to a tutorial on tying it. Mine don't look as good as his but I really like the pattern, now I need to get out and fish it.

Finally here is my first stab at an articulated streamer. I wanted to get in a little practice as I plan on tying up a few articulated streamers to target big browns on the South Fork of the Snake. This fly is basically just a bunch of maribou wrapped around a couple hooks and a malard flank feather wrapped around at the collar with a bead head. Oh and I threw in a couple rubber legs at the head of the trailing hook. Pretty simple and we will see how it behaves in the water.

Experimenting is fun, now I just need to get down to the lab, aka river, and try them out.