Week 1...Girdle Bug, attractor nymph, or BWO nymph...

Post your Girdle Bug, attractor nymph, or BWO nymph below...

I'm gonna to go ahead and give you guys some time to start tying. Looks like we'll have a choice between an attractor nymph, a BWO nymph, and a Girdle Bug (tied poll). Pick which ever one you would prefer to tie and post the picture below. Have fun, we'll call "bobbins down" around 8:00 tonight.

Instead of picking the best fly, lets give one suggestion on how to make the fly better and one compliment about the fly. Doesn't have to be fancy...

We'll see how this goes for the next few weeks...

Here's my attempt.

Girdle Bug Variant



Hook: #10 2x Nymph
Legs: Recycled Bungee Cord
Abdomen and Thorax: Black and Orange Ultra Chenille (Over Hand Weave)
Hackle: Black Saddle Hackle

Tail: Pheasant tail fibers
Body: Olive dubbing
Rib: Copper Wire
Thorax: Ostrich herl
Soft hackle: Partridge

SHPT
Hook: #14 nymph
Thread: black
Tail/Body: PT
Rib: copper wire
Thorax: peacock
Hackle: partridge

need to clean up the head a little...

If you're still wanting to tie, I'm going to go ahead and extend the time towards 10pm or so, since it's the first time.

Ok, I misunderstood the time guidelines and I slept the day away thereby making it impossible for me to get the supplies to make a proper go at this bug. So I did what any normal guy would do.... I slapped some crap together. Thanks to Teachrtec for the leg idea otherwise I would have sat this out. It is a friggin mess! I may use it to scare some panfish one day or I might recycle the hook and bead. Oh well, it was a good try. Be kind...........

#10 nymph/streamer hook
.030 lead wire
5/32 gold bead
heavy brown thread (the spool was unlabeled)
Olive colored flashy chenille looking stuff
Recycled bungee cord legs

Recycling old things around the house is excellent for tying. I like the recycled bungee cord idea. You have a lifetime supply of rubber legs from only a few bungee cords.

Great looking flies this week guys...

I could not tolerate that bug I tied yesterday. So I went out and got the stuff I needed to do it again the right way. Well, my version of the right way.

#12 Mustad Long Curved Nymph Hook standard 3X long
1/8 copper bead head
Black Standard Ultra Chenille
White/Silver flake Sili Legs
3/0 black thread



A bug in the hand is worth two in the bushes.



That was fun.. Lets do it again. Everyone tied some great flies! You guys really set the bar high.

+/-'s ?

Had a late night at work. Ill get in on the next one. Realy great flies.

We doin the pros and cons on this thread?

Brad....Excellent Girdle Bug!! The hackle and rubber legs are a perfect combo, especially for this time of year. I think cleaning up the head just a little is the only thing you could really do. Again, great looking bug.

SBeane...Sweet SHPT Seth!! I'm liking the spot-on tapered body!! Try adding a beadhead on your next one for added weight.

Buffalo...Your bug looks very fishy!! I'm having a hard time figuring out why a trout wouldn't attack it. Toss it into a riffle and hold on!! Also, tuck the antennae under the beadhead. Usually this will help keep them secured even more.


Excellent turn out guys!! I enjoyed it myself. We'll do it again next Monday after we come up with another bug to whip up. Any suggestions for next week???

I am not much on fly tying yet so I don't feel like I have much room to give "dobetters". I guess I can try and give some comments.

Teachrtec + I like the hackles on that bug. None of the recipes I looked at mentioned hackles so that along with your bungee legs were innovative in my book. - Not much, I can say, needs improvement.

Tyler + WOW! That is a good looking BWO. I really like the rib and taper on that thorax. - Please explain the different parts of this fly. - I was wondering what that the mass of gray stuff behind the soft hackles imitates.

SBeane + Again, WOW! You young guys have some talent! I too like that thorax area. The wire is a nice touch on the Pheasant. - No improvement needed other than making about 20 each for everyone.

I tell ya', I would pay $1.95 for those flies. I need to practice more so I can hang.

Teachrtec: That weave really makes the fly look good, maybe get that hackle to look a little more uniform? great fly!

Tyler: I really like the ostrich in that fly, bet it adds some killer movement. I like smaller heads on my flies...not that it really affects fishability. Think I might have to tie up a couple bwo emergers myself.

Buffalo: Like Tyler said, tuck those antennae under the bead and maybe add some lead on the shank to really get it down. Those rubber legs make that fly super buggy, I'm bettin it would catch many more species than just trout.

Great flies everyone!

Tyler that first fly I tied looked like it came straight off the short bus. I am much happier with the second bug. My question is how do you get the front antennae under the bead head? That thing went on kind of snugly. And I was going to leave them off since it had the bead on it but then decided what the heck. I am going to try tying it in an olive color next time.

SBeane, there is lead on the shank, I just forgot to put it in the list. You are right, it does look like a panfish fly. I bet if you took the lead and bead off and made it in a flashy color with some tinsel it would be a nice breambuster.

Thanks for the comments all. I need the feedback.

Since a lot of water is unfishable right now then maybe we could look at a fly usable in March or April. Maybe a Quill Gordon or Blue Quill. Or a streamer pattern.

Buffalo, here's the way I've always tied in antennae...

1. place hook in vice and slide the bead back(away from the eye).
2. tie in antennae
3. whip finish and clip thread
4. slide the bead back up, reattach thread and finish the rest of the fly.

Hope this helps.

Seth

Tyler: This fly will catch fish on the swing like a champ. Good on tailwaters and mtn streams. Well tied Not much suggestion. Maybe comb out the hackle fibers maybe.

Sbeane: This fly will catch fish on the swing like a champ also. Tailwaters and mtn streams will be the place to fish it equally. Not much suggestion here either. Maybe wrap the rib opposite to the body fibers to keep teeth from pre-maturely wearing out the fly.

Buffalo96: I wish my early flies were as good. Keep enthusiastic about the tying. Try 2 is pretty clean . Will catch fish well. Might suggest a good rule is the back of the fly over the barb of the hook.


On mine the hackle comes more from The Bitch Creek Bug pattern as well as the two tone body.

Sorry guys for my absence today on the forum. The internet has been down, finally got it fixed.

Les...What Seth said is really all you need to do. If you're tying with 3/0 thread you might need to tie the rubber legs in with limited wraps. Also, if you have any head cement you can add just a drop on the head before you slde the bead over.