Ke-He Squirrel Flymph

[daringduffer]

I just can't forget this fly. I wonder if somebody could suggest a good alternative to that orange z-lon tail that isn't a solid colour. I want to tie this fly and the Treacle Parkin using a rich non-solid orange yarn/wool but have no source.

dd

If I am understanding your question correctly, and I doubt I am, maybe this will help.....

Attatch a piece of Zelon to you vise (rotary really helps)


Twist the Zelon like you are making cord (I hold the other end with hackle pliers)


With a Sharpie Marker make a straight fast line along the top of the Zelon. If you hesitate the marker will turn the Zelon the color of the marker.


This is the result



This method should work for wool aswell. You will just have to figure out how fast to strike the line and how much pressure to apply.

Works well for Rubber legs on Hopper patterns and rubber legged nymphs.

Wayne,

Thank you for your suggestion and for your effort. I'm sorry for not being clear enough with my question. I'm looking for a yarn that is a mix of different colours that together look orangeish. I love to mix dubbing and hackle and such to avoid solid colours as I find them unnatural. Natural synthetics are hard to come by.

dd

[daringduffer]

DD, I would look at a mix of mohair yarn for a substitution. It is very durable and usually has a nice sheen to it. You will probably need to mix your own to get what you want. I am not at home now (tying at a show this weekend) but will see what I have at home when I get back.

For dubbing the squirrel or other difficult dubbing I have a little technic that might help. I start by making a dubbing noodle the standard way. Wax the thread and just pitch and twist on. It's ok if it looks bad. Then I place my dubbing spinner on the thread below the noodle and fold it up to create a dubbing loop, then spin tightly. Usually I will try to pinch a tight noodle near the hook and then make it messy the further I work down the thread. This gives a nicer tapered profile.

Carl,

Yes, I've been looking for mohair but not found what I want, yet. I'm not sure of which colours to mix. Yellow and red but then what? I liked your butt, I mean your tag - butt still not shown - but want more life to it.

dd

[William Anderson]

I'm so glad this thread is back up top. What a great pattern and an interesting conversation. dd, if you're digging around, it would be nice to bring up some of the older patterns...not that there is any shortage. This board has never been more prolific. Amazing.

w

[daringduffer]

it would be nice to bring up some of the older patterns...not that there is any shortage. This board has never been more prolific. Amazing.

Could not agree more. There are a host of skilled and inspired people here.

dd

[Kelly L.]

I made a few of these today. I did not have ZELON, and my antron didn't seem quite right. Played around with a few materials. That was the main catch. I used Lady Amherst tippets, in a bright orange, they just stand out better than my Golden Pheasant tippets did. I tinkered around with the recipe a little. I think this fly will be very productive for me.

[daringduffer]

This is a topic worth revisiting. Most beautiful fly.

dd

[Old Hat]

Funny, reading back through this and I now use a variegated gold poly yarn that is sold by Lee Clark for his Clark's Golden Stonefly as the tag. By the way, still one of my most productive patterns. Always have a bunch of these in my box. I also now use a green tag with pheasant tippets dyed flouro green which has been very productive as well. I've always thought the "not so hot" hotspot and the way it incorporated itself with the pattern was key. I was using this for a mayfly on my home water initially and eventually learned it was the Timpanoga mayfly. But I use it as general practitioner just about anywhere now.

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Here is a more recent photo with the variegated yarn tag.

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Here is the Timpanoga Hecuba. The body color, all least on my river was darker. These may be faded do to preservation. You can see why I liked the Ke-He style tag when you look at the tail the bright orange rear abdomen on the underside.

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picture_1715_large.jpg (112.13 KiB) Viewed 3368 times

[Mike62]

That's a beautiful fly, Carl. Does this fly use the same body dubbing as the fly shown in the first post? I love the colors you got out of it.

[Old Hat]

Yes same dubbing Mike. It is just tied a bit more rough in the first photo and the light is hitting it. Nothing special about the dubbing it is Davy Wotton's SLF Squirrel Dubbing in Dark Brown.

[fly_fischa]

That’s bloody gorgeous m8!!!
That means beautimus in proper English Carl