Organza Softy

[BruceC]

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Organza Softy

Hook: Gaelic Supreme Syl Nemes Size 13 U-Eye
Thread: Pearsall's Gossimer, Chestnut
Hackle: Ginger Hen
Abdomen: Stripped organza (ala Bill Logan) palmered over tying thread
Thorax: SLF #48 Natural Seal

Repost

Cheers,
Bruce

[BruceC]

Here's a repost of the directions for tying the organza body:

Organza ribbon can be found at any craft shop, Walmart, etc. The rolls of ribbon will vary from 1/4" wide to 2". Make sure not to purchase a ribbon that has a wire edge that helps to hold the shape of a bow. You want the one that has a soft edge to it. Take a 6 inch strip of ribbon and lay it flat. With a straight edge and razor, cut the long way, about 1/8" from the rib (finished edge). This will leave you a 6 inch long strip that has the rib edge and about 1/8 inch of the weave. Take a bodkin, and start picking out the individual strands of the weave in the long direction. When you have all of them removed, you'll be left with the ribbed edge and the short fibers sticking straight out. You can then wrap this like a hackle either in touching turns, or palmered, etc.

I'll try and find some other references to this process. Bill Logan came up with the idea, and Steve Thornton picked up on it. The process appears in Steve's first book, Listen to the River, Vol.1.

Cheers,
Bruce

[Bert]

If organza from the craft store is too cheap, you can buy the same thing from Hareline Dubbin, Inc. It's called Sparkle Pseudo Hackle and comes in a couple of sizes (half inch, one and a half inch) and a bunch of colors.

Kinda fussy to get the long threads separated , so I use shorter pieces of ribbon than Bruce does. About 3 inches long, then the length wise threads pull right out leaving the nice shiny cross threads bound to the edge of the ribbon.

Scroll down more than half way on this page: http://www.hareline.com/synthetics.html

[BruceC]

Hi Bert. Thanks for the link. It always makes me chuckle when I see a product that's readily available through regular sources, put into a package and sold as the latest and greatest mystery fly tying miracle. For instance you can buy 2 - 2" x 3" sheets of 2mm foam for $1.75 at a fly shop, or buy a 9 x 12 sheet for .39¢ at Walmart or your local craft shop. Other than my wingless wets life, I tie lots of other styles for myself as most of do. I've tried this body style on Klinkhammars, parachutes, and streamer flies. As suggested by Bill Logan, I also tie his caddis emerger pattern with an organza body. I buy an 8 yard roll of organza either at Walmart or Michael's Crafts for just about .79¢. The variety is endless. I actually found one ribbon that makes the most perfect caddis wings. One edge golden yellow and the other edge is caddis green. The colors blend from one edge to the other.
That's what makes a forum like this so terrific. Being able to share info and sources with a global community is priceless.

Cheers,
Bruce

[BruceC]

Hi guys. I reposted this thread because the Organza Softy has made it into a new book by Tony Lolli, author of Go-To Flies. The new book will contain 200 patterns by tiers from around the world. I'll have two flies represented in the book but I'm especially proud of this soft hackle and the way it has performed for me since the original post back in 2009.

Cheers,
Bruce

[letumgo]

Congratulations Bruce, for the well deserved recognition. It is great seeing you post again.

[VERN-O]

could make a nice sulphur soft hackle!

[DUBBN]

Congratulations BC. Fine looking pattern, and very well tyed.

[tie2fish]

Kudos, Bruce, on the inclusion of this excellent pattern in the upcoming book. By the way, I want to thank you again for coming to the CFFC&M show and stopping by to give your regards to the memory of Mark Romero.

[William Anderson]

Bruce it wool be great to see this in the upcoming book. This is a nice post. Great to see it again.