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First fly from me in quite a while! The Hempseed size 3/0 by Kelson.
Struggled with the wing here, as JC underwings are not my fav to implement, but needed som practice. Wing a touch on the high side but mostly it is the topping filling up more on the photo than in reality.
Tips up since all my Amherst is basically impossible to sit good tips down.
Happy with the outcome though!
Comment on Facebook First fly from me in...
I don't think I've seen it tied better. Just perfect!
That's a stunner Stig!!!!
Cracker
Maybe the best Hempseed I've seen π
Spectacular
so good amazing
Phenomenal job Stig π My Amherst is doing the same almost impossible to work tip down.
Happening Fly!!!!
Thanks folks!! Good to be wrapping thread again!
Nice looking fly, I like the tail/topping. May I ask what hook that is?
Great come back Stig ;0)
Ooooh. Brilliant job!
that married widgeon in the wing is absolutely superb!!
Cracking flee Stig πππ
Much better than mine! I blew out the head@
Hi Community, hope this finds you all well. Busy compiling that Classic tying book I've been working on for a while. In search of decent pics of vintage flies that represent the various different types of Classic Salmon fly: Dee's, Speys, Full dressed, Full feather wing, Built wing, Mixed wing, strip wing, grubs etc. Dave wrote some really good stuff for the book, would be nice to have decent vintage examples for people to see what he is talking about. If anyone would like to help out please just drop me an email on gordon.vanderspuy@gmail.com.
Best
G
Comment on Facebook Hi Community, hope ...
Would be honoured to have some of my collection in the book Gordon Van Der Spuyπ£
Blacker Shannon on Reinhold Noble 6.0.
Comment on Facebook Blacker Shannon on ...
Perfection π₯π―πβΌοΈπ
Really nice mate.. really nice We need to get together one weekend
Unknown pattern. I have a few winged like this way from an old Welsh army captain from 1880. I have often wondered where this style originated from as it's a bit like a Dee but not the same with the married fibre underwing. Whilst discussing the finer points of grub flies with a strange man this morning I started looking at the contribution of a Welsh tyer Fred Yates in the book by Walbran and started reading the description for his fly the Blue Pill. The winging method described ties in nicely with my vintage flies and I happened to have this on the vice at the time. What I'm trying to say is......dont be a sheep.... be a dragon π΄σ §σ ’σ ·σ ¬σ ³σ Ώπ΄σ §σ ’σ ·σ ¬σ ³σ Ώπ΄σ §σ ’σ ·σ ¬σ ³σ Ώ
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Lovely job bud!
What a wonderful piece of detective work..... and oh tying
I love it!
I’m really liking this one!
Cracking fly Richard my list of flies to tie keeps getting longer
My next fly. Going to go for a rougher more vintage look with a healthy amount of peacock herl in the underwing. Drew it out on a hook my pal Arno gifted me. Let's see how she goes. My last Nicholson was very neat and controlled. With the new one I'm going for ordered chaos.
Best
G
I decided to give a fully dressed Green Highlander a go after tying the small one. This is the result. Apart from the summer duck and teal going separate ways Iβm happy enough with my first fully dressed GH.
Comment on Facebook I decided to give a ...
Sean Kelleher, you're getting there! Much better proportions here...I know Robert Verkerk offered some suggestions earlier. Here, I might mention that overall, you're on track and need to start refining. The first items are the Wood Duck and Teal sides should be about 2/3 with length and run up the center of the married portion. The Jungle Cock should be approx half the wing length, and run up the waterfowl sides, and the IC cheeks about half the JC. Think of the sides and cheeks sort of like the "telescoping" of wearing an overcoat that allows the suit top sleeve to be a bit exposed and the suit top sleeve allowing a bit of the dress shirt cuff to be exposed.
That is a giant leap forward from your first one, sir. Well done. This is starting to look like an actual classic fly π Tony took the ball with additional comments for your next progression. I only have a small tip to add for the butt. When the herl is tied on, you can wet your fingers just a little, with saliva, and then softly brush the fibres backward. Soaking it will ruin it, so be sure to use just a little saliva, your fingers should barely feel a tiny wet spot. When you brush it backward, you get that ballerina skirt that goes with the overall flow of the fly.
Sean if you don’t mind me making a suggestion too, try get your horns to sit along the side of the wing and try to follow the curve of the wing. One of the many things Gordon thought me was to try and get the lines of the fly to flow and not fight against each other.
All great advice. Thank you all very much for taking the time to give it.
Little sz7, plain bm wings.
The Druggist.
Comment on Facebook Little sz7, plain bm...
Sweet
I hear your water is low up there! Sure you shouldn’t be tying smaller π?
so deadly
Lovely job!
Dave Carne has been advocating this book for years. Finally picked up a copy this week. It really is a great book and quite easy to follow.
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Hale is to the point. No pompous nonsense, like Francis and Kelson.
DUNKELD ( Francis/ Francis)
1/0
First flea Iβve done with a two part underwing of Capercaillie/ woody under the white tip turkey.
Wished my body hackle had a wee bit more taper to it but, we shall tie this one again .
Comments and critique welcome
Comment on Facebook DUNKELD ( Francis/ ...
BOOM! Very nice indeed.
I’m with Robert it’s a very nice fly. Good job John.
A kind of mixed up variant of a Manchester Swell on a 3/0...
Comment on Facebook A kind of mixed up ...
Much improvement! few things if I may: teal needs to be longer to do about 2/3 wing length and jc about the length you have it but a fatter nail; the sing volume dwarfs it some. Lastly, a topping that hugs a wing as tight as possible helps keep the wing profile uncheck... looks a little poofy when the topping is a “separate entity” if you will...
Great effort Gary π
Drawer 6 of 10 of the Hardy Unique cabinet with a collection of mainly unused gut eye Salmon flies with Eagles, Dee and Spey patterns.
Comment on Facebook Drawer 6 of 10 of ...
The Craven Nunn is the nicest ugly grey fly I’ve seen!
Odd ball in progress.....
Comment on Facebook Odd ball in ...
Fantastic silk and body work. Look forward to seeing end resultπ
What pattern are you doing?
Green Highlander 5/0 (Pryce-Tannatt). First fly for a while for me. First time tying on such a big hook so not sure I got the proportions right...
Comment on Facebook Green Highlander 5/0...
I must have missed this one. Lovely job, sir!
Some older flies.
Currently busy with a more Kelsonesque Queen of Spring.
Best
G
Some vintage Malloch flies. Enjoy β€
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Really like that Nicholson
Name me one person that doesn't like a proper Nicholson? and I don't mean that silly actor.
Like the moonshine..
Malloch was a genius. What a shame that the shop in Perth bearing his name has recently closed down.
Apparently EVERYTHING I tie looks like an early low water (or Dee full dressed fly) and is not appropriate. I am also influencing the group negatively with my artificial artistic swerve. I am gobsmacked, some of my other early low water and Dee flies attached.
It is this type of thing that in my opinion makes what should be a fun filled and fulfilling hobby a pain in the arse sometimes. Tyers are different, styles are different, they always have been. There are Plenty of vintage flies that have the long low look and plenty that don't yet they're all vintage. To try and promote a Standard idea of what constitutes a "period correct fly" is a difficult thing to do because although one does get some standard conventions in Classic tying one also gets deviations from them too. Essentially I think tyers tie flies that appeal to them and that's as it should be. This is also an evolving thing as your tastes will develop and evolve over time. Classic tying is as subjective now as it was back in Kelson's times.
We all have things we like and things we don't like and that's ok. I'm personally not a fan of massive 28 fibre tall wings but if you are that's cool. You need to like the flies you tie,not me.
I also think that the art of Classic tying isn't something that got frozen in time, it's something that evolved and something that continues to evolve. Also , not all vintage flies are great flies. There are plenty of cheap and nasty vintage flies around. Should we be emulating them?
My idea of what a beautiful fly is changes all the time and I go through phases. I think this is the same with most tyers . Think back to a fly you tied long ago and ask yourself what you thought of that fly then and what you think of it now. It's only natural that ones perception on things changes with time.Yes currently I'm enjoying longer leaner flies. They appeal to me as they did to some tyers over 100 years ago. Will this change, probably.
I've been accused of being a bit of a philosopher but Classic tying to me ( and it differs from person to person) is something that goes beyond mere feathers and irons. I become a child when I tie, I play, I enjoy, I learn, I get disappointed, I occasionally tie a fly that excites me. The actual journey one takes whilst tying the fly is where the fun lies with this stuff for me . Isn't it beautiful that mere feathers and irons can have that effect on a person?
Enjoy the journey
Best
G
Gordon Van Der Spuy, here are some Bill Chinn flies. These are scans of photos of flies he tied in the 80's and 90's.
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Thanks for posting those Tony. I've always been a huge fan of BC.
Excellent, thanks Tony. Appreciate that
This guy was way ahead of his time if he was tying these in the 80s and 90s.
Quick tie T&L..just needs varnishing for a swim!
Comment on Facebook Quick tie T&L..just ...
ThunderSpey. Love the JC, man. And that flow. It looks like it wants to go faster and faster.
So, my 3rd classic fly Iβve tied βKateβ Not a great photo but I really enjoyed this one. Massively lack materials and my mallard and wood duck should have been longer, which then meant my JC had to be shorter. Tried to get a bit more of a flow to this fly as I was advised on fly 2 the Greenwellβs.
Iβll look forward to all youβre advice on what to improve on
Comment on Facebook So, my 3rd classic ...
Nice flee Mark, wish to hell mine looked as good as that 3 flys in πππππ
Send it to me! π Well done mate πππ
A very good third fly . Lots of good here. Lengthen the woody( lower it slightly too) and JC for the sides . Your bronze mallard roof can extend to just past the first black bar of your tippet underwing . Take your time when you tie. Will attach a few pictures which could be of help. Best G
Someone asked me how one gets good at tying the Classics. My answer to him was, " Do the small things well, no matter how insignificant they may seem. A tag might seem insignificant but do it well and it becomes something of great beauty. Do that with every element of the fly and you'll be creating something of great beauty.Jeff Dickey takes tags to another level. By burnishing tinsel in tags you just end up with a more rounded off tag. Take your time selecting the right materials and nail each step and eventually you'll have a fly you can be proud of. Pay attention to detail.
I don't believe in the 10 000 hour rule Persay . I've seen enough bad golfers who spent years playing golf who are still crap to realise that 10 000 hours doesn't necessarily make you an expert. You can spend 10000 hours doing something badly and that doesn't help you. Tying for a long time period does help but what helps more is focusing on the quality of the tying every time you tie. Some of the best Classic tyers in the world currently ,have been tying Classics for less than 10 years. The reason they're good is because they work carefully and pay attention to the detail. Selecting the right materials for the job is paramount to success. Perseverance is important, there are days when you'll feel like nothing is working. Good tyers don't give up, they work a fly until they crack it. Subtle nuances make a huge difference. It's the little things that make a big difference.
Best
G
Comment on Facebook 1404632689769328_2695097817389469
Before......
Same tyer with one or two minor adjustments made,take note of the tag and the taper of the hackle ....
Good materials help a lot. The old saying "garbage in garbage out".
Very nice and super advice.
Since I started this insanity last year, your words always resonate loudly. It is simple but very important advice. The best advice I took from you was along the lines in this post you have made; never rush one bit in the desire to see the finished fly. The tinsel in the tag is every bit as important as the married wing. Since I started this, it is obvious when a tier has great skill, but it is equally as obvious when they have rushed their floss work. It is a long journey but, ironically, becomes shorter by taking our time. For me, I just need to get to the point where my flies have that effortless flow that hide the struggles of getting to the finish line.
This is a Dickey fly. Note how crisp and clean everything is. From the tag to the head.There is plenty of detail going on in here, look at the pattern created by the black lines in the Gp pheasant slips and the barring in the tippets. Every element is flawless and everything works harmoniously together to create a very beautiful fly. He does the simple things well.
I get the feeling you like Jeff Dickey Gordon π
He is in a class of his own......
A Matt Bagshaw fly, notice how nice the flow is in this fly. It literally looks like it is being pulled through water.
Love this guys stuff. Stig Larsson has a way of tying a fly that makes it look like it came straight from a fly wallet 100 years ago. His flies are not overly manicured, it looks like he has wrapped them more than dressed them. They have a rough feel to them which is just so appealing.
An Anthony Smith fly. Anthony tends to tie a chunkier fly, love the solid look of his flies. Particularly like the crested Guinea throat on this one.
A Stefano Tieri fly, love the vintage look he gets. Reckon the tying in hand helps . He achieves what I like to term perfect imperfection.
You have singled out some great tyers Gordon. For me I like this forum for pushing the boundaries beyond the full tippet, stiff winged methods. The true masters are applying methods that cant be explained by words alone and some of the guys you mention are really leading the way on that. If you can explain it to me that would be great as I have been watching these guys for years and still cant emulate it π€£
One needs to move beyond mere mechanics. You can only achieve brilliance once that happens . Once you move beyond tying by numbers you can decide what you want out of the fly and then set out to do it only stopping once you have achieved your goal. All the flies here are different yet they are all excellent. Each tyers style is unique and refreshing.
I could spend 100.000 hours on mathematics, and still suck balls. Talent is in the areas where you believe in yourself, realistically. I don't have a steady hand, but I would love to be able to draw.
More detailed pics of that Classic Salmon fly poster for those guys starting out. See there are a few newer tyers who have joined the family. Hopefully this is of help. Still have a few available for sale . Email me on gordon.vanderspuy@gmail.com
Best
G
CFTSalmonChallenge
With the arrival of the Scandinavian salmon season, we'll continue with the Fly Challenge again in September. Now is the time to get out and put those flies to use.
I'll pin this thread. Lets share pictures of our catches in the comment fields, preferably taken on classics, but a great fish is always welcome, if taken on a fly.
Have a great summer, all. Tight lines! My first trip is next week, wish me luck.
That said, I'll still be here every day, but still... π
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Good luck! Post some fish picsπ£
Skitt fiske! : -)
Perfect, time for some fishing! I also have my first trip next week. One whole week in Orkla, damn I'm looking forward to this. Tight lines everyone. (Skitt fiske)
Can't wait π
Enjoy the fishing gentlemen. This break will give me a chance to catch up on the flies I didn’t tie for the weekly challenge.
Best of luck! Looking forward to pics.
Day 1; Arrived Orkla 5.30 in the afternoon. Had to settle in, so took a while before I could start. Have tried several flies size 4 to 2/0, but no luck yet. Had the candlestick maker on last as I thought it would get a little dark soon, but the clock is soon 1 at night and it is almost daylight still π. I'll keep trying further into the night. TH.
My buddy Sigurd and me. Taken by him, on a Gold Riach. Just over a decent 7 kilograms. Can’t release fish, as the water temperature is too high. Fortunately, she looks delicious π
I'd like to talk about the concept of style in Classic tying. A tyers style is basically governed by the tyers preferences. Your DNA will be in every fly you tie. A technically badly dressed fly however will always bother your eye as your eye will be pulled to the elements in the fly that don't work.
It's a bit like a beautiful person with a massive nose. The nose will be hard to look past. Too many tyers start trying to establish a style long before they can tie properly. Mechanics need to be down fully before you can freely start to find your identity as a tyer.
You will find certain things that appeal to you and you will gravitate towards that in your own tying.
One of my favourite tyers is Jeff Dickey ( the Una and Popham pictured here are from him) . What he does differently to the majority of tyers out there is give his flies a very unique identity. He isn't afraid of thinking outside of the box and trying different things. He ties flies to please himself, not other people. He works with pattern and texture very well and produces flies which are extremely layered. He is not just tying patterns, he is reinventing them visually .His flies jump out at you.
Have also attached a picture of a vintage Jock Scott I saw here I think. What draws me to this fly is its unusually long profile. It's almost got a Dee like feel to it. Its just a bit different to the hoards of other Jock Scott's one will see. It reminds one a bit of a Finnish Classic.
The Queen of Spring pictured here is tied by a guy named Stigg Larson. What I love about his flies is the slight rough feel they have as if they haven't been put together too carefully. They look like they are tied with minimal effort and that adds to their charm.
The Nicholson variant is by a guy named Stefano Tieri. I love the chunky feel of his flies. They are bold and unapologetic. They are what they are, loud and proud.
All these flies are unique yet are all beautiful in their own right. Don't be afraid to take risks at the vice. Tie flies which you like. Don't just try and copy other flies you've seen. Play. Sometimes the result will be a total flop but every now and then the stars will align and a special fly will be born. Tying Classics is therapy for the soul, that's why the process of tying the fly appeals more to me than the actual fly itself.
We spend hours dressing these things, might as well tie them to be special to you.
Best
G
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Good thoughts there. Jeff Dickey has got an unmistakable style. There's so much saliva used in them, that you could DNA test them and get a 100% match to Jeff Dickey π But seriously, the reason he is so consistent, is because he meticulously selects his materials, and doesn't go on to the next step until he gets it right. That's the main difference between a hack like me and a master like Jeff.
You're such a philosopher, Gordon. Do philosophers ever find what they are looking for, or is the reward in the constant thinking and connecting? Lovely fly.
Gordon I caught your fly tying video on Amazon - and b y the way I quite enjoyed your approach and the way your acting background lifted the whole thing up : -) It was a nice change of pace from the usual fly tying videos by very proficient tyers but perhaps with room for improvement in their presentation skils..- now that you've broken the virtual ice on CSFs, any thoughts on a CSF dvd?
Great post and I’m a fan of your work in general. I’m glad you like that jock Scott, I’d posted it after it seeing it for sale by pickybanjo on eBay, it had a pleasing and overall unusual flavor π It seems that as people’s artistry progresses their work takes on a distinct personality, not unlike a musician or painter. Some of the most well known tiers work are immediately recognizable, such Schmookler, Chute, Kropiwnicki, Guidry, Lucas, Goggins, etc. It’s almost like when you hear a piece of a song and immediately know it’s a particular guitarist or vocalist. It’s a reflection not just of personality but also a very “organic origin” element of such things as source of material, personal tying technique preferences, and even things like the exact curvature of whatever surface one dries materials on. We all strive to emulate the great masters, whether creative, traditional, and the endless combinations of the two, but I think this “personality” of ones work is also an important aspect and I’m glad you made it a topic of discussion.
Another unknown 2/0 fly from my framed set. It isnt a Captain but feels like one......
I'm not a fan of flies with no underwing.
Comment on Facebook Another unknown 2/0 ...
No underwing=going commando. Nice jobbie though, I like the bodyworks with the tinsel’s and hackles.
Nice one richard
Like that alot Richard ππ