Hidy's light Cahill

[Terrestrial12]

This is Pete Hidy's light Cahill per the recipe on Old Hat. Creamy pink-ish fox spun on primrose silk. Light dun hackle and whisks. I used a fine copper wire instead of silver or gold like I always do. Primrose tying thread. I'm getting much better at spinning bodies. Still not great and needs better taper but pretty decent. I need your help tho...and please don't hold back or spare my feelings. This is no doubt a good looking fly and will fish well but it doesn't have that Pete Hidy or Carl Sanders elegance. More like a Dave Hughes wingless wet style than an elegant Hidy flymph. What can I change about it? What do I need to do differently? How can I achieve that elegance?

[Johnno]

Just go with your own style and your flies will have the elegance you want. Your elegance.
Theirs is theirs. Yours is yours.

[Terrestrial12]

This is true. Thanks. Its not so much wanting to copy their style as it is wanting to adjust something I can't put my finger on.

[DOUGSDEN]

T12,
You are absolutely right about the "elegance" that Pete Hidy produced in nearly all of his patterns! I have been trying also for years to reproduce "the look" that Pete's (and Lance's) patterns possess! It will drive you crazy! You should have seen the book that Lance showed us at Roscoe #1 back many years ago. It belonged to his dad and had many patterns contained in each leaf and each one was drop dead gorgeous! So buggy looking! The guy was a true master of his craft! You can find photos of this book (or wallet) from a swap in years past! Perhaps Ray can help in researching or recovering these pics. If I remember correctly, Lance posted the pics and we who participated picked our favorite and we tied accordingly! It was great! I chose the Mahogany Dun. Lance sent me some mahogany mohair from his dad's material collection and I used it to tie the patterns for the swap! Everyone had a piece of history in the M.D.'s that I contributed! I did my best in tying the patterns as I saw them! It must have worked! I received a huge compliment from Lance and that made me feel fantastic!
Yes, you can do it! It takes a fair amount of practice! I want to encourage you to keep at it and it will happen for you! Please keep us posted on your progress to your journeys end! Your pattern above looks great and very "buggy" indeed!
Yours from the Den,
Dougsden

[DOUGSDEN]

T12,
Dummy me! It's closer than I thought! Under "Gingerdun", Pete Hidy's Fly Wallet! I think you have been there already!
D.

[Terrestrial12]

Thank ya sir!