Another of Doug's Wingless Wets

[Terrestrial12]

What is the name of that one? I've already tied 3!

[DarrellP]

There is something special about Doug's flies.

[DOUGSDEN]

To Ray and everyone!
Thank you Ray for posting these two patterns for me! You really take care of me and I appreciate it!
The first pattern is your basic Hare's Ear & Partridge (actually, it's SLF Squirrel Dubbing - Natural Fox. Wayne, you were quick to pick up on this fact) but with a twist. This pattern is tied with a few wraps of lead wire around the hook shank. Yes, a weighted nymph! I am trying to fill up my boxes and I started with my nymph box which seemed to have the most holes in it's inventory!

Everyone knows how effective this pattern, either weighted or not, can be! Fish seem to attack this pattern without scrutiny. Every time I tie this pattern, I get the feeling that I am treading on history (in a good way of course) and that the inventor is watching over my shoulder! They are soft to the touch and they fish well!
The SLF Squirrel dubbing is about as close to true hare's ear as I can find! I like it for the look and the softness. Do any of our suppliers in this country stock true British Hare's Ear dubbing?

The Muskrat Nymph I found on Tim Flagler's Tightline Video series on YouTube. It's an easy tie and again, super soft in fur and feather!



The wing (or hackle) is a bit tricky to get onto but the scruffier the better!

Thank you guys once again for the kind words about my tying! When I stand in the shadows of the worlds best talent, I am in awe and amazement and consider myself a rank beginner in many ways! Merry Christmas to all and here's to a much better year ahead! Just think of all the fishing opportunities that lie ahead!

Doug in the Den

[FlyFisherMann1955]

Ray,

The 2nd of Doug's flies you posted, seems similar to Nemes' Mother's Day Caddis, with the flat-on-the-top partridge wing and 2 different body materials. I wasn't familiar with it until the recent fly swap and presume it's fished as a dry that floats low in the water.

I will also take a shot at tying the muskrat and partridge caddis emerger with the peacock head. Three great natural materials in 1 fly!

Thanks- Ken

[DOUGSDEN]

Ken,
Good afternoon and Merry Christmas to you and yours!
You are absolutely right in noticing the similarities between Nemes' Mothers Day Caddis and Tim Flaglers (He credits it to another fellow tier and fisher but, I do not remember his name) Muskrat Nymph! A couple of differences I have noticed.....
The Mothers Day Caddis is tied a little tighter and appears more dainty than the Muskrat Nymph. Also, when you go to tie the wing in on the MDC, you have to pay a bit more attention to the size of the hackle that you use even when you gather the fibers up from below the fly and tie them off on top of the shank. With the Muskrat, you have more opportunities to use bigger hackles to get the job done! When you pull the stem of the hackle forward, you can easily adjust the length of the wing more easily by stopping where you need to! I hope you can understand my descriptions! The Muskrat looks more like an organized mess than the MDC and I usually have no problem with that! When both patterns are soaked, it may not be a problem either with the caddis eating trouts we all know and love!
Doug

[DOUGSDEN]

Ken,
I forgot to mention that Syl Nemes had no hesitancy whatsoever with applying floatants to any of his amazing soft-hackled patterns to make them into dry flies! He called it greasing the fly!
This would be a great thing to do to the Muskrat Nymph when caddis are flitting and fluttering around! Great idea Ken. Please do this and report back! See, there's another valid reason to get out and fish! Experimentation! "..... honey I have to go and fish! There are people counting on me to provide pattern results!" Please don't mention my name! I'm already in enough hot water for using "lame excuses" like this one before my wife and sometimes fishing partner!
Dunked in the Den

[DOUGSDEN]

T-12,
To answer your question from earlier in the thread....Yes, the wing or hackle is indeed made from a single partridge feather with the greater portion of the tip cut out! This is how one can use bigger hackle feathers than normal. This process has a specific name...reduced something? Help me out guys! It is the process of using larger (and we all have a bunch of larger than needed hackles hanging around) than usual hackles for both wings and hackling! I have known about this for quite sometime but never really tried it. Until now! It is fantastic!
I guess I have ran off at the mouth long enough!
Yours, D.

[letumgo]

Doug,

I did a search for the video and believe I've found the right one. I added a link to the video in your earlier post, so folks can see the hackle technique. Very useful method for using the larger feathers on smaller patterns.

Thank you for sharing the pictures and commentary about the patterns and tying methods. Very enjoyable reading.

We will make a trout guy out of you yet...

[Variant]

Doug, your patterns are very well tied . Well done my friend !
Ray , thanks for posting them and digging up Flagler’s video.
I would just like to add a few other distribution hackle techniques, Dave at East Rosebud Fly and Tackle , lookup soft hackle Tying Techniques part 2 and a good book is Allen McGee’s FLY FISHING SOFT HACKLES , Allen shows three compensation methods.

Merry Christmas to all,

Lou

[Terrestrial12]

Thanks Doug! I've been tying them like crazy since I saw yours. I thought so said IT was a Tim Flagler pattern So i spent an hour last night going trough ever one of his videos looking for the name of the fly haha. As for the muskrat nymph that's a great (and simple) fly. It's a polly Rosborough pattern. Tim I believe doesn't tie it quite right tho. The muskrat dubbing should be spun on the thread in a crappy loose noodle and overly heavy like you did when you were first learning. Then you double your thread over it in a dubbing loop and spin it really tight making a muskrat rope. When you wrap it it has a really unique segmented look.