FLYMPH FORUM

I was playing with Mark's embroidery #722 today and the Lil' Dorothy theme. Brought some good memories.

I love the color combinations and the subtle style changes!!

All up to your usual standards of excellence, Carl. I particularly like the third one, which should be a killer when the sulfurs are on.

Wonderful ties. Really like the hackling on the 2nd one.

I really like the first one, the second one and the third one.

Don't make me pick a favorite. That would be like picking a favorite child.

Mark would have liked these, Carl...

It would be interesting to see how a ribbed version fishes compared to the original. In my experience, the embroidery floss starts to fray after a fish or two, leaving a kind of shroud around the fly. It's been my belief that this increases the effectiveness of the fly; it certainly makes for a great translucent effect. I've even taken to roughing the floss up a bit with velcro to speed up the fraying process. I would think that a rib would prevent the fraying. OTOH, it would make for a longer lasting fly, and maybe the segmentation effect would make up for the loss of translucence.

Thanks for the comments everyone.

Bob,
My thoughts on the ribbing. Not just on this fly but in general. I don't think the rib would keep the yarn from fraying. Just like silk thread which frays when ribbed as well, I think it would still fray. I put ribbing on flies that I want to fish a little bit deeper for a couple reasons. It adds a little weight if made of wire. Not much but some. Most importantly I think natural ribbing is more prominent on the early nymphal stages of emerging. Once the shuck starts to loosen and break free often times the ribbing is far less noticeable. I like a noticeable rib if Im fishing a little deeper and will also use a heavier hook and a little longer hook because i think it has a bit more nymph look. The ribbing on this one is just the ginger thread waxed with a dark cobbler's wax.

Oh my, Carl... Not really sure what to say here. These are all very lovely.
That second one is absurdly delightful looking... the contrast with the ribbing against the 722 is super! Would love to see that moistened.

Great flies and well done photos, Carl!

I love the use of the silk embroidery thread. I suspect our forefathers didn’t have all the choices of thread we have today and had to make do with whatever they could find in the sewing box. As far as fraying goes it often the most tattered fly that catches the fish. Well, at least in my experience
Barry