Hello!
Nice streamer!
When I am tying that kind of bodies- I always use varnish. Very thin coat of as liquid as possible veniard varnish :)
Unfortunately then I need to wait some hours but it's worth that. Body will be as new for a long time!
Maybe that trick will be useful for someone :)
It's more a question than a comment. On picture # 12 of the tying sequence. Ken used a very funny tool to secure his hackle before spinning his deer hair. It's the first time I saw such a tool and I would be very happy if Ken or someone else can give me the name and where we can get such a tool!!! Looks very handy. Thanks
I have just come across your item on the Black Funnel midge pattern. I have been using essentially the same pattern for many years here in the UK chalkstreams, New Zealand and, in particular, in Montana on early spring fish. It's nice to see that other people have also discovered this 'little gem' for themselves. In my opinion it is unquestionably the most effective midge emerger pattern for stream fishing. And it takes seconds to tie! I have also used it to extremely good effect on stillwaters, but I don't do quite enough of this type of fishing to speak with authority.
My variant (I rather boringly call it my 'Suspender'!) is very slightly different to the featured Black Funnel in that I take the deer hair right round the hook and arrange the resulting 'shuttlecock' so that the eye sits under the surface of the water even when the fly is vertical. This makes it slightly more awkward to tie on, but helps to overcome the visible leader problem that Paul Slaney pointed out (I use fluorocarbon tippet which also helps).
As for hooks, I personally use Mustad 3399s in a #16 or #18. The #16 is way larger than the flies that I'm matching, but seems to gives slightly better surface penetration, just from being a little chunkier. The #18 can be more effective on picky fish, but usually the #16 suffices. As a matter of taste I only dub the base of the deer hair and use the dubbed thread to bring the deer hair together into the desired cone shape. I finish by wrapping a few turns of bare thread toward the bend of the hook, and then back up using the matarelli. I don't even use varnish! You might be interested to know that the best day I ever had on this fly was on the Big Hole when my fly was reduced by countless fish to just the deer hair and a tiny bit of dubbing. The rest was a bare hook - it was absolutely deadly until it was finally gorged by a large whitefish! Inspired by that experience, I go sparse and tie down short of the bend. It may be the smaller profile that's presented, or the extra penetration from a bare hook, or it maybe the added sparkle from the hook itself. Whatever it is, I find that the 'less is more' approach works well.
The only problem I have, and you may also, is visbility: it's very hard to spot the fly against some backdrops. I'm working on that! You might have some ideas.
Good luck with those midge hatches.
Tony Field
London, U.K.
I don't want to sound like a smart*beep*, but did any of you notice the link to the publisher as well as address and phone number to Mike himself in the beginning of the article?
Maybe contacting either was an a way to get more information? Just an idea...
We just reviewed the video.
Martin
I too am a big fan of Bergmans, Trout.and also like to tie and fish those old traditional wet fly ties. Some of those flies are such fish catchers, especially the version of the hares ear wet with the slate wings. early in the year you can tie it on and just leave it there until you need another. My compliments to your tying skill, I very much enjoyed the pictures. Just got done tying myh firs tomah joes. Im glad I finally found a use for the feathers I dont use on the wood duck as I dont tie salmpn flies.Keep up the good work Stan fron Ct.
where can i order mike martineks streamer fly patterns for trolling and casting ?
Linda,
Unfortunately we don't keep a record of the authors of the books be review. We actually very rarely talk to them or exchange emails with them... so we can't help you.
Contact the publisher. That's a much better idea.
Martin
February 2011
Simplicity is the second most appealing thing about this fly. The first is obvious: it should appeal to virtually any species. It's thrifty, too, a great use for hackle feathers that don't match each other as wings and tails.
What a great site for fly tying. Congratulations to all involved.Great communication & exchange to be had on this sight.
Keep it up !
Cheers,
Pat.
I'd very much like to get in touch with Donald A. Wilson. Could I please have an e-mail address and/or phone number? Thank you.
Scandinavian,
No, the video has been withdrawn from Youtube because it contained copyrighted material. We can't find an alternative version anywhere, so unfortunately we can't show you this really nice video. Damn copyright!
Martin
Hi Roman, I have been told about you from many anglers. I also tie, steelhead in British Columbia first, now any species globally. Please respond to me as I have a couple of questions for you if you do not mind... Free Canada flies for your time, if you like... Thank you, Have a great day, Cory
"This page is not accessible. If you just added a video it's simply because the video hasn't been approved by the GFF staff yet. If you didn't add anything, well, you just tried to access something, which you're not allowed to see."
Hmm... are there certain arearestrictions for this movie?
This is a fantastic recipe for making cobblers wax! works great and it makes tons, with a nice pine smell. You can make it super tacky. And touch dubbing is as good as wonder wax. Fantastic.
Witz,
It would be easier, yes, but t would also remove the function of the rib, which is to secure the hackle and keep it from breaking. And should it break (to fish' teeth), the rib will keep it in place for a while.
Martin
Wouldn't it be easier/simpler to tie in the mono ribbing before palmering the hackle, rather than afterward? If I'm wrong, why?
January 31, 2011--Hi! It may have taken me a while, but I did catch up with your page, despite the doubt of one of your commenters. Happened as I was researching a piece on Spey and Dee flies, flies I fish often but, I'm ashamed to say, am sadly lacking in background, or more specifically, who originated what patterns and for whom. I want to thank you for your interest in my little book on the hitch and your comprehensive coverage of it. I am grateful. And, yes, I think it is likely I will write a sequel "if the crick don't rise."--All very best--Art Lee
Witz,
I'm using Firefox and I also have a Flash blocker enabled, but I can't recreate what you say you are experiencing... When I click either the video title, the thumbnail or the text "View XXX in full size" I see the video as intended - I just have to enable Flash for the single video with a click.
We absolutely don't want to deceit anybody! Just deliver nice videos...
Martin
OK, I got it figured out; The apparent runaround happens only in the Firefox browser, and only because it doesn't have Adobe Flash Player. I tried it in Internet Explorer, and it works there.
Every video whose teaser I click on ("watch xxx here") just leads to another page of teasers, and again and again and again.
If there's a purpose to this deception, I can't figure out what it is..
Can the Yellows be caught in dams? If so wat bait is used? were do you look for them, close to the edge/shaw or deep in middle of dam?
Wat is the best time to fish?
I stay in the Northwes province Hartbeespoort
This reference will be a good resouce.
The Mustad 3665A is a hook many of my fishing streamers are tied on.
Thanks Alan
I'll be adding lots more over the next few months with what I have. I've still got some holes, but I think i have a decent start to a collection.
I am trying to find a source for white hen pullet capes for dry fly wings down to size #22. Any suggestions?
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