Ostrich and Primrose Kebari & Underwater Photos

[letumgo]

Ostrich and Primrose Kebari
Hook - Partridge Czech Nymph Hook (Size 10 - formerly 16)
Thread - 8/0 UNI-Thread (Red)
Tag/Rib - Fine Stainless Steel Wire (Silver)
Tag/Underbody - Narrow Mylar Tinsel (Gold)
Abdomen - Pearsalls Marabou Silk (Primrose)
Throrax - Four or Five Strands of Ostrich Herl (reinforced in a thread dubbing loop)
Hackle - India Hen (Black and Copper)

Here is the abbreviated collage version:


Here are way too many photos of the same fly, under water. The photos are taken in a dip tank that I have set up on my tying desk, to test out fly patterns. It has been a while since I played with the dip tank. Most of the photos are taken below the horizon of the surface film, to show the fly from a fish's perspective.

I like the way this fly looks suspended in the surface film. The ostrich herl fibers form a cool little air bubble around the throax of the fly.

















I placed a small pair of square mirrors in the the tank, which allow me to see the fly from several angles (straight up from the bottom, and also one mirror at roughly a 45° incline). This allows me to see a horizontal image and bottom-up view in the same position.

[tie2fish]

Talk about buggy!

[letumgo]

I'll take that as a compliment!

Thanks Bill.

[hankaye]

Ray, Howdy;

Always interesting to 'see' what they look like from the quarry's perspective.
Thanks for taking the time and energy to pull it all together and get it uploaded
for us.

hank

[letumgo]

My pleasure, Hank.

These tank tests are always interesting to me. One of the things I liked about this test, was the way the Herl behaved under water. The fibers at the back (bottom) edge seemed to act as gills, projecting out into the water. Further forward, the thorax fibers held onto an air bubble which helped suspend the fly in the surface film for a while. Visually, the body and thorax of the fly looked very much like an insect pupa. I look forward to fishing these.

[Smuggler]

Marvelous work Ray. The thorax on this pattern looks deadly and I'm sure it'll work in your favor.

[DOUGSDEN]

This is awesome Ray! You have given us the fishes perspective for sure and the mirrors in the tank showing the different angles is out of this world good! Sooo creative and the end results.....marvelous!
Please dip some other patterns on occasion in the near future! The Ostrich and Primrose Kebari is quite gorgeous both dry and wet!
Where is my Tenkara rod?
Dougsden

[Hankinsfly]

Awesome work here, sir.

[letumgo]

John,

Thank you for posting the video. I just sat and watched the whole thing. Very interesting perspective, and one that I will be thinking about more during the next season fishing. The video shares many good lessons, with examples to illustrate the key ideas.

As I was watching the video, I noted that much of the video material is focuses on the view towards the surface film, and beyond, which seemed somewhat focused towards dry fly fishing perspective. Subsurface flies can be viewed directly by the fish, which would change the clarity in which the fish can see the fly, and the duration of time the fly can be examined by the fish. I am left wondering if the better view and longer inspection time, makes subsurface flies more challenging.

In other words, the dry fly floats into a narrow field of view, with a brief time for the fish to decide (eat/reject), resulting in rather impulsive feeding choices. A subsurface fly is more clearly visible, for a longer period, perhaps allowing fish to be more discriminating/selective.

Anyway, fun to think about, and speculate on. Thanks for the link. Really enjoyed going below the surface.

[REE04419]

Wow! Gorgeous fly, Ray. Superb tying, as always. Is this your own pattern? Can't get over how fishy that looks.