Ugly Flys

[DUBBN]

If my memory serves me well, and I doubt it does. I seem to remember a phrase in the first tying manuel I ever owned (Jack Dennis' Western Trout Fly Tying Manual vol2 ). " You can not tye a Gold Ribbed Hares Ear nymph wrong, unless you make it pretty. If that phrase isnt in that book it should be. I think I have adopted that philosophy to just about every pattern I ever tyed.

Working on photography skills and paying attention to the top knotch tyers on this forum has improved my tying skills. Taking pictures of my patterns sure has revealed my faults. I still maintain that targetting the mentally challenged in the trout community is my biggest key to success.

I will not argue the point that quality tyed, ugly flys will take fish as often as quality tyed, pretty flys. Thats not what this post is about. In a previous post I mentioned that I am filling my Spring fly boxes. I tyed a half dozen Caddis pupa, now I am tying some Hares Ear SH's. My Hares Ear pattern is UGLY. I admit it. It really is. Half the time it is so fluffy I cant tell where the hackle starts and the spikey fluff begins. It's one of the patterns I tye when something is on my mind, or I tye it as a stress reliever. I think the reason I pick this fly to tie when I am in the dumps is, I can almost tye it in my sleep. That and as I said about the GRHE nymph, I make sure I dont make it pretty (easy for me). I must have been pretty happy this year as I almost ran out of these important Soft Hackles.

On my hook holding magnet there was a mixture of Mustad 9671 hooks, and Mustad 3906. Both in size 14. No worrys, the Hares Ear likes both of those hooks. Had there been some scud hooks, I would have used them aswell. This fly has to be UGLY!

Hook - Mustad 9671 size 14
Thread- Rusty Brown, Uni 8/0
Tail- Hares Ear
Body- Hares ear
Rib- Copper wire Xsmall
Hackle- Light Brown Hen Hackle





As with most of my Soft Hackles, I consider this a caddis pattern. One of these days I will explain why I put tails on them.

[letumgo]

Now THAT is a fishing fly! She may be ugly, but she sure can cook.

[redietz]

As with most of my Soft Hackles, I consider this a caddis pattern. One of these days I will explain why I put tails on them.

I do the same -- I seem to put tails on a lot flies that I intend to use as caddis imitations, especially those made with hare's ear.

[Old Hat]

I don't find that ugly at all.

[hankaye]

DUBBIN, Howdy;

Them ain't ugly ... they be PHugley !!!
If you were to show them PHugly flys to a smart trout,
he/she would turn themselves inside out to get away from it IMHO !


hank

[kanutripr]

You know how you pretty up a fly don't you?

Just add a brookie to it!!!!!



Vicki

[chase creek]

Now THAT is a fishing fly! She may be ugly, but she sure can cook.

Boy, is there a LOT of truth in that! I've never seen a "pretty" drowned insect.

[Ruard]

This fly is not Ugly only a bit rough. What hare did you use??

Greeting

[DUBBN]

You know how you pretty up a fly don't you?

Just add a brookie to it!!!!!



Vicki

That is so true!!!! BTW Vicki. I used Rusty Brown thread for the first time. Inspired by your pattern from a few days ago. Normally I use Brown, Camel, or Tan.

Ruard, I am using natural Hares Mask.

Thanks for the compliments everyone, even though I was looking for you to tell me how UGLY it is!

[kanutripr]

You know how you pretty up a fly don't you?

Just add a brookie to it!!!!!



Vicki

That is so true!!!! BTW Vicki. I used Rusty Brown thread for the first time. Inspired by your pattern from a few days ago. Normally I use Brown, Camel, or Tan.

Ruard, I am using natural Hares Mask.

Thanks for the compliments everyone, even though I was looking for you to tell me how UGLY it is!

I think you're going to like that colour. It adds just enough without being gaudy. It's especially nice with a thinly dubbed body. For me it gives a good suggestion of natural colour.

For this fly I started out thin at the back and just made the dubbing thicker as I worked up into the thorax. It's simple, you don't have to add an extra material and you get that hint of the thread coming through. I like the effect.




Vicki