Tuesday 23 August 2011

Recon 2 - Grey Duster

Looking at the weather forecast for the next few days, I might have a window soon to hit the river and catch me a Trout!

What I need though, looking at the sparse contents of my dry fly box, is some suitable flies to entice these wily fish. So I've tied a few 'Grey Duster's'. Remember yesterday, walking though the grass as the sun was setting? All those small grey moths coming out of the grass made me think about tying a few of these as a likely means to catch a meal.

Those of you who don't have a clue about fly fishing or fly-tying - read on. Those that do, please excuse my ham-fisted tying attempts! (although they really do catch fish - honest)

Click a pic to enlarge as usual...


Tying flies is actually just as rewarding and relaxing as fishing itself. Many expert fly dressers turn this into an art form. This fly is quite a drab imitation of a drab coloured moth, but some flies are so colourful and so beautiful that they become art objects in their own right.

I've not included a 'rib' here as I want to keep this fly looking as simple as possible (a rib is a thin wire wrapped around in loose turns up the body of the fly to add sparkle and hold the dubbed fur / body material onto the hook shank better - I'll show a ribbed fly on a later post.)

The finished fly. Will it work?

Here fishy, fishy fish...



13 comments:

Crow said...

That is a fine art. Too technical for me. But I do appreciate the results. I need to send you some rabbit wool. I have all colors. You could make all sorts of flies and moths.

You won!
If you would like to accept, (it is not mandatory --lol) I am gifting you with "The Versatile Blogger Award". It is located here if you choose to accept:

http://willowcrow.blogspot.com/2011/08/versatile-blogger.html

John Going Gently said...

not the kind of flies that I am used to!

Chris said...

Crow - I graciously accept, thank you.

Undoing flies might be more your game Mr Gray! (Naughty man)

Molly said...

Clicked on all the pictures like you said - that was good. The finished results look impressive! I want to go fishing!

Janet said...

Tut tut -corrupting my brother will never do !
looks kind of fiddly to me and I`am not very patient- but my uncle use to fish a lot and make his own flies and some where really beautiful- works of art really !

Jacqui said...

Interesting post. I have been noticing the clouds of whitish moths fluttering up as i walked over the fields, but not being a fisher-type, I didn't think of it as fish bait.
I loved your riverside walk from yesterday. here it costs £20 for a yearly permit for the local Estate waters. We are also near the Grimersta, which I think costs a lot more than that. xxx

Tom Stephenson said...

... and you take the piss out of me with my obsessions....

Melodie said...

What a terrific skill! I enjoyed watching you make that fly,hope you get your trout!

Craig said...

I'm most impressed. Next step training for neurosurgery?

Chris said...

Molly - we'll fix up a fishin' trip!

Janet - I cannot corrupt that which is already corrupted (he's a naughty, naughty man)...

Jacqui - that's an real bargain. I imagine there's plenty of salmon up that way too. Very upsetting.

Tom - Yes!

Melodie - Me too, otherwise it's Sainsbury's fish counter again!

Craig - I have tried that but after my third patient expired I gave it up...

Texan said...

I don't know a thing about fly tying, but to watch it go from hook to your finished product. Impressive. Hope you catch some fish! Some how I missed you have this blog and not just your bee blog.

Justin said...

Chris, that should do the trick. Nothing better than catching a trout on the dry fly!

Anonymous said...

Wonderful! Is that what you caught the brown trout with in the later post? Fly fishing is also very popular here in Idaho and they even have an Idaho fly fishing expo every year. I think tying flies is an art form...a great outlet for someone with as strong a creative drive as you have.