FLYMPH FORUM

A favorite of Leisenring's and mine.

Tied with natural raffia grass, which can be a pain to work with. I usually just sit and tie these once a year and then don't bother with more. I was gifted a beautiful honey dun hen so I had to work on it.

Waxed primrose silk
Honey dun hackle
Honey dun cock fibers for tail
Natural raffia grass wrapped and laquered for body.

Carl,
Another beauty from your den in Port Orange! Raffia grass....I have seen very little of this natural material and have never tied with it! I'll take your word for it that it's a pain in the rumpus to tie with! Do you do anything with it ahead of time like soaking it in water?
I like what I see coming from your vice! Please keep doing those jobs (like this annual pattern) to keep you limber!
Looking forward to your next installment!
Doug in the soon to be frozen den! Dang that wind!

Old Hat, that Is simply beautiful! Honey dun works in so many patterns but is extremely difficult to find, I’m still searching. That’s part of the fun of this addiction, just looking for materials. That aside I’m inspired by your tying, thank you for sharing.
Mike.

Gracefully natural, and beautifully photographed. Another masterpiece Carl.

The body segments are fantastic and the hackle matches perfectly.

You impress me. Which on this forum isn't hard for you guys to do.

DOUGSDEN wrote: ↑Wed Dec 21, 2022 9:13 pm Carl,
Another beauty from your den in Port Orange! Raffia grass....I have seen very little of this natural material and have never tied with it! I'll take your word for it that it's a pain in the rumpus to tie with! Do you do anything with it ahead of time like soaking it in water?
I like what I see coming from your vice! Please keep doing those jobs (like this annual pattern) to keep you limber!
Looking forward to your next installment!
Doug in the soon to be frozen den! Dang that wind!

Don't do too much to it. Soak it good. It really needs to be damp when you wrap it. Then I let it dry before I lacquer it. Works best if the strips of raffia are narrow, if wide, they tend to bunch up (no stretch) and then tear easily with the thread. Like I said, kind of a pain but worth tying up a few each year.

Thanks everyone! I appreciate the feedback.

Well done Carl!
The blending / harmonizing of materials and colors are spot on.
Working with the raffia grass in bundled or ribbon form is very challenging.
You did a very good job indeed !

Lou

Carl,

Are you cutting the raffia into narrow strips with scissors (free-handed) or do you use some other method that results in a consistently wide strip?

Thanks- Ken

FlyFisherMann1955 wrote: ↑Fri Dec 23, 2022 6:32 am Carl,

Are you cutting the raffia into narrow strips with scissors (free-handed) or do you use some other method that results in a consistently wide strip?

Thanks- Ken

I cut off a strip of natural raffia about 6" long. Then I soak the raffia well and snip a small cut in one end to the width I want. I then just strip that piece down lengthwise. Keeping it moist is the key. Thinner strips work better. Wide strips don't lay smooth, as the raffia has no stretch, plus the wider strip tends to be more easily torn by the thread. I am going to try and fold the raffia lengthwise to get the width I want and double up the thickness. We'll see what difference that makes.