Grouse and Seal Hare Blend 1524

[William Anderson]

A pattern that I tied a pile of after some very memorable success with a similar pattern last season. I think I only carried a couple of these with such a long tail and hackles compared to the more compact flies I usually tie. This next season I intend to put this style to use more. It's not a particular species, although if you wanted it wouldn't be hard to start assigning ento relationships. The dubbing blend is a mix of hares poll, cinnamon seal and natural seal pre-spun on white silk.

Hook: Orvis 1524 #14
Thread: 14/0
Hackle: Ruffed Grouse (Thanks to Tim Didas)
Tail: grouse fibers
Rib: medium gold tinsel
Body: dubbing blend is a mix of hares poll, cinnamon seal and natural seal pre-spun on white silk on a Clark's Block. The pic doesn't do this blend justice. It's really vibrant and buggy.



w

[tie2fish]

Lovely profile; the proportions look just right to me. As you suggest, w, the photo does not show what one would expect to be a more reddish-brown body color given the components.

[crazy4oldcars]

Fluorescent lighting, maybe? It has a green cast on my computer at work.
I like this. I'm adding a Ruffed Grouse to my wishlist. (Maybe I can get a regular grouse and pet it the wrong way?)
Thanks for posting this.

Kirk

[tie2fish]

That's funny, Kirk!

[Old Hat]

This is beautifully tied William. The proportions of each part really work here. I like the long tails. The ruffed grouse is nice to tie with but I never thought too much of it color wise. It just didn't have anything special about it that set it apart as something I would go searching for. The patterns of the feathers are always a little washed out and the color just to common. It sounds like I'm knocking it and that is not the case. It's a very good dark brown soft feather. I prefer the English grouse skins as they are a little less drab. I usually just use a mottled brown India hen for the ruffed grouse. Easier to find.

[Mataura mayfly]

Nice work William. A longer tailed fuller hackled chubby looking bug.
I also see a green cast to the colouration of the body, but I bet the fly is very different in the hand compared to the photograph. I think the body in the photograph is "borrowing" some colour from the gold rib.

[William Anderson]

Thanks for the comments. I'm really happy with the dubbing blend for this fly and the duller tones on the white silk really do complement the hackle and tail.

The light temperature for this is fine, no conventional fluorescents were used. In the hand the dubbing blend has a lot of the natural seal and cinnamon seal spilling out and causing trouble, but once it's all tamed it seems the magic is compressed into a mottled unit. It works, who can argue with that?

The ruffed grouse is nice to tie with but I never thought too much of it color wise. It just didn't have anything special about it that set it apart as something I would go searching for. The patterns of the feathers are always a little washed out and the color just to common. It sounds like I'm knocking it and that is not the case. It's a very good dark brown soft feather. I prefer the English grouse skins as they are a little less drab.

Agreed. The contrast and the color intensity of the ruffed grouse don't compare to the English red grouse or even other stateside species, but maybe drab isn't quite so bad when insects are involved. The ruffed grouse really has quite a range, and mostly all on the muted sign.

w

[DUBBN]

Very well done William. It is always a pleasure to see your work, and skill. Drab? Not even.

[tjd]

William,

Great looking pattern, and no surprise that it fishes well!

I'm glad you were able to put the feathers to good use...I've not even flushed one to shoot at this year!

Nicely done, sir!

Best,

Tim

[Kelly L.]

William, this fly is outstanding!