FLYMPH FORUM

I have a passion for tying Michigan dry fly classics, so I wanted to bring this to the flymph world. This flymph is based from a Michigan classic called McClain's Drake.
The brief history is this: McClain’s Drake is a Michigan trout fly created by Jerry McClain of Grayling, Michigan. The body was originally yarn from old World War II army sweaters of which Jerry had boxes full that he bought at a surplus store. Today we replace it with a specific wool yarn.

Mustad 94842 size 12
Tail – Pheasant tail fibers
Body – Lion Brand Wool-Ease Chunky Walnut
Hackle – Brown and Grizzly hen

Nice work, I am fond of wrapped yarn body flies and there is a fair share of locally sourced yarn samples in the hands of quite a few States based tiers for just this sort of pattern.

Forgive my ignorance- but Drake as in an imitation for Green Drake and the original McClain's pattern would be a dry fly?
I imagine if this fly works somewhere near the top two inches of the surface it would make a nice "drowned adult stage" pattern of the original dry fly.

That makes for a really nice color combination, Paul. I also like the length of the tail whisks and I do believe you have got the hackle just right.

Mataura mayfly wrote:Nice work, I am fond of wrapped yarn body flies and there is a fair share of locally sourced yarn samples in the hands of quite a few States based tiers for just this sort of pattern.

Forgive my ignorance- but Drake as in an imitation for Green Drake and the original McClain's pattern would be a dry fly?
I imagine if this fly works somewhere near the top two inches of the surface it would make a nice "drowned adult stage" pattern of the original dry fly.

The original was more of an imitation on the brown drake in Michigan and it was a dry fly. I believe you are exactly correct about the "drowned adult stage", because that's what I was thinking. I have spoke to Jerry McClain, who is now 99 years old and he told me his dry fly would still catch fish like crazy after it was ringing wet and going under. So this is the reason I figured a flymph version would be perfect.

That makes for a really nice color combination, Paul. I also like the length of the tail whisks and I do believe you have got the hackle just right.

Thank you Bill, I really appreciate that.

Paul - Would you be able to post a photo of the tying yarn, you used for the body? I need to know what I am looking for, when I head to JoAnne's to buy some.

Wonderful little fish magnet you have there.

Sure Ray, here ya go.

Perfect. Thanks Paul. Just what I was looking for.

It's amazing the difference in distance makes in the color of the yarn. In the bulk picture, I would just call it "Brown". The macro shot of the fly really shows what a melange of colors it is. I see red-brown, dark and light olive, an almost yellow tan. And then there's the hackle. Bellissima!
One of the lakes I frequent has an early summer mayfly hatch. We're talking CLOUDS of insects right at sunset. I haven't been there for the hatch in a few years, but we were there a week or so after it this year. There were still desiccated husks of the adults falling out of the trees every time the wind blew.
All of that was setup to say this. The tails on those flies were LONG. At least twice to maybe 3 times the length of the rest of the fly. It has changed the way I tie tails on any mayfly imitations I tie. I thought I had a picture of one, but I cant find one.

Kirk

crazy4oldcars wrote:It's amazing the difference in distance makes in the color of the yarn. In the bulk picture, I would just call it "Brown". The macro shot of the fly really shows what a melange of colors it is. I see red-brown, dark and light olive, an almost yellow tan. And then there's the hackle. Bellissima!
One of the lakes I frequent has an early summer mayfly hatch. We're talking CLOUDS of insects right at sunset. I haven't been there for the hatch in a few years, but we were there a week or so after it this year. There were still desiccated husks of the adults falling out of the trees every time the wind blew.
All of that was setup to say this. The tails on those flies were LONG. At least twice to maybe 3 times the length of the rest of the fly. It has changed the way I tie tails on any mayfly imitations I tie. I thought I had a picture of one, but I cant find one.

Kirk

I was just going to say the same thing about it appearing to be a different wool in the fly body. Very good information about the fly and the material.