Blue Dun Hackle from Art of Tying the Wet Fly

[gingerdun]

This Blue dun Hackle is from THE ART OF TYING THE WET FLY AND FISHING THE FLYMPH. It has a floss rib, instead of the tinsel that Leisenring specified. It was tied by Pete Hidy, probably in the 1960s or '70s.
The rib is wrapped clockwise while the spun mole body appears to have been wrapped in the ordinary counter-clockwise direction.
I'm curious how many of you wrap the rib in the opposite direction as the body? Do you think it matters?

[RickA]

That is so cool, Lance!
Thanks for sharing that.
If I clockwise the rib it's for durability and the long haul. After a few fish, the trapped dubbing is well chewed and flowing. Waters with snags and jams I'll go with something already shaggy with a counter rib.

Flipping through the leaves of your fathers fly wallet was priceless!
Wishing you well and a Merry Christmas.

[Mike62]

Well, I had no idea. But if your father tied it that way, then I'm going to tie that way. It's a gorgeous tie, regardless of what direction the materials tend to flow. The older I get, the more important it becomes to me to advocate for those that came before me (especially the Hidy/Leisenring bits). I wander around on YouTube, but most of what we find there has no soul; only a ridiculous name to hang its hat on. Beautiful piece of history, Lance. Thank you for sharing it.

[DUBBN]

I drink Pabst Blue Ribbon and cheap bourbon. Definitely no soul here. Maybe thats why I spend too much time on YouTube.


Pretty fly Lance.

[DOUGSDEN]

Lance,
I am so much in agreement with what my brothers said above! I simply cannot say it better! I am always excited to see when you have posted a pattern like the Blue Dun Hackle! It is exceptional and I love looking at construction methods of the great ones like your dad!
Counter-winding....ribs and even hackle collars! I can see where doing this in the opposite direction of the dubbing or hurl wrapped bodies lends strength and durability to any pattern. A wire rib, wrapped in the same direction as the dubbing or hurl, almost always gets lost and makes no showing at all! One of the reasons I don't counter-wind too often is.....I forget to! Shame on me!
Syl Nemes consistently counter-wrapped hackles on his famous soft-hackled patterns. I never understood why until I realized that the tying thread (silk) did a great job in protecting the fragile hackle stems from trouty teeth. I never bought it. I like winding my hackles over the hook shank. Sorry Syl!
Dougs (getting to spend more time in the Den and it feels great) den

[Mike62]

I drink Pabst Blue Ribbon and cheap bourbon. Definitely no soul here. Maybe thats why I spend too much time on YouTube.


Pretty fly Lance.

Oh, you got soul, in spite of your choice of beverage. You can't be soulless and tie what you tie. Now, maybe we should be talking about that hat...

[Theroe]

Swell pattern and photo, Lance. Sometimes I use a counter wrapped body, other times not……it depends on the recipe.

[letumgo]

Lance,

I often counter wrap the rib on the fly. Counter wrapping keeps the rib more visible (it can't bury itself between the body wraps because it goes across each wrap, instead of being parallel to the underlying body wraps). If you want the rib to show prominently, counter wrapping is the way to go.

Beautiful photo. Such a treat to see these flies in high resolution images.

Thank you for sharing.