Orange Fish Hawk variation

[hankaye]

Kelly L. Howdy;

I have a ball cap some where that pretty much sums me up it says ...
"Confusion feels completely at home running thru the hallways of my mind"

hank

[Kelly L.]

No problem. I have a fuzzy memory, so we are quite a pair on here...

[redietz]

Neither way is wrong, in my opinion.

Agreed, and didn't mean to imply otherwise. I often wrap front to back to front. depending on how thick I want the body, and whether I'm using uni-floss or multi-stranded.

[Kelly L.]

No problem. The most strands I will use is two. But for this fly, I used just one. Streamers, especially large ones, I will use 2 strands. I wish more shops sold two strand floss. It is much better, to me. There is no way I can use 4 strands all at once, and do a good job.

[Boris]

Nice fly Kelly. Just quick couple of questions if I may.

The silk body is Fish Hawk thread? Does it have a number? Also, assuming it is silk thread - it's sitting really flat and smooth - did you untwist it slightly so it beds down as single strands like floss? If not, how did you get it so smooth?

[Kelly L.]

Boris, thank you. This is not Fish Hawk thread. This is just 4 strand rayon floss. (I think it was Danville) I only used one strand for the body though, and one strand for the keeper piece, on top of the body. The key to smoothness is have a smooth under body. That means you make your thread wraps about the same, and as smooth as you can. If you under body is not smooth, it is almost impossible for the body to look good. If I am doing a large streamer, I usually use smooth thread wraps. I will then use Uni-Stretch or dental floss. I do this until I am satisfied with the way the body looks. If I am spending a lot of time on a fly, like a Carrie Stevens fly...I will burnish the heck out of the floss, before adding the tinsel rib wraps. I did not burnish these Orange Fish Hawk flies. If I thought people were fishing them though, I probably would have done that. I figure most would keep these flies as a tribute for Mark Libertone. So I did not do more fish proofing on them, as I do some of my flies. If I have a tinsel body for instance, and I know it will be fished, many times I will coat it with one or two coats of head cement. (or I might use a uv resin instead)

[Boris]

Ok, I think I got all that, thanks.

Concerning the hackle - looks like furnace.

[Kelly L.]

Okay, I FINALLY finished the second set. I was having a really hard time with the Benecchi thread. It wasn't spooled right, and I kept having to stop, and undo the mess, then wind it back up. The other spool I had did the same exact thing. I've never seen thread so messed up on a spool before. I decided to try Veevus, and Gordon Griffith Sheer. The Veevus was good, but not as good as Benecchi. The Gordon Griffith 14/0 was outstanding. I have several colors of Benecchi now. If another spool is messed up, I will not buy that again. I am going to get the Gordon Griffith thread in all the colors. I got a gift certificate that just about covers that. They have 12 colors. If you buy it at J Stockard, they have a group price. I like the Uni 8/0 for small flies too, but the Gordon Griffith really impressed me. I will try the colors, and it may just be, my new, go to, small fly thread. Not all the badger hen feathers were as good as this one. But I am done. I did a couple of Lil' Dorothy flies earlier today. If I can, I'd like to do that set too, if time permits, and I don't jack it up too much.

[Izaak]

Terrific looking flies Kelly! How's your cat?

[Old Hat]

Kelly this last one is superb! Very well constructed, proportioned and photographed. I've played with a lot of threads. On trout flies, I use Pearsall's silk or the Griffith's 14/0. I love the Griffith's and really like the color options they have as well, compared to other brands. I have played with Veevus in the very small sizing and it has it's purpose there but I still can't find anything I like better than the Griffith's. Griffth's makes a dun color that I really like. Not the grey but a dun color.