Bluegill - Big Bluegill

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Ive been reading alot about the old North England wet flies, or "spiders" and this inspired these. Im calling them, "Sucky Butt Yorkshires" - party because I like the flashy tag on the butt and.... they suck compared to the true traditional versions.
I don't have the traditional materials, though, like snipe and dotterel, so I had to make do. I also like a bit more hackle than the Olde Bligthy anglers preferred.
I've named them after the fashion common in Northern England where these originate.

1. Top, Sorta-Partridge and Orange.
2. Bottom, Sorta-Partridge and Blue
3. Left, Ginger and Sword (peacock)

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Comment by Mark Sleeper on November 29, 2013 at 5:29pm

nice flies. Sleepy

Comment by David, aka, "McScruff" on November 23, 2013 at 8:43am
Greg, your enthusiasm is encouraging.
You may be even more happy to know that I called them, "Sorta-Partridge," for a reason:
I don't have any genuine partridge!
These are actually dyed grey pheasant, to which I added "barring" stripes using a permanent Sharpie marker. The effect is muted, much like grizzled hen, and the hackle frill very soft.
I'm confident they will undulate nicely in the water.
These particular ones are size 10, and I've begun working down into #12. I probably won't go smaller, add experience has shown it isn't really needed.
But, knowing me... I'll probably do some anyway!
Thanks again for the encouraging words and perhaps we can do a trade in the future.
Comment by Greg McWilliams on November 23, 2013 at 8:29am

David, This I know is a "KILLER" , The movement of SOFT HACKLE is amazing!!! The PARTRIDGE HACKLE looks great on the FLY!!!!!! But for MOVEMENT in the water a GRIZZLY Saddle, or a GRIZZLY HEN HACKLE has similar COLORATION and more MOVEMENT in the WATER!!! I tie these on size 10, 12, and 14!!!!! Take HEMOSTAT'S when fishing this!!!! TRUST ME I have a REALLY GOOD FEELIN about this FLY!!!!!!!!!!!

OH , THEY LOOK GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Comment by David, aka, "McScruff" on November 22, 2013 at 3:09pm
Thank Joe... I appreciate your comments and encouragement.
Nice to know the gills like them!
Comment by David, aka, "McScruff" on November 22, 2013 at 3:04pm
"Killers," Greg?
I sure hope so!

PS The old Northland masters referred to a good fly, one that caught fish a'plenty, as a "killing fly"...or simply, as a killer.
Comment by David, aka, "McScruff" on November 22, 2013 at 3:00pm
Thanks, Vince.
I was fooled by their apparent simplicity. But, getting the neat and technical wraps of thread in perfect order turns out to be harder than I first imagined.
Comment by Vince Fusco on November 22, 2013 at 8:07am

Those look great, David! Congrats on some fine tying!!!

Comment by David, aka, "McScruff" on November 22, 2013 at 7:50am
I've embellished these a good bit, I might add. The originals were relatively bland, mostly in muted colors and natural tones. Names like "Snipe and Dun," or "Stewarts Black" give some idea of their rather mundane appearance. But, the proof is in the pudding and these same flies, for all their pedestrian looks, caught fish - wild trout, from stony, bare bone streams to be precise.
It has been said that of all American warm water fish, bluegill come closest to trout in their manners and habit. It is well known that they greedily take a trout fly, since most of these represent the main part of the bluegills diet: insects.
Personally, I like a bit of flash and sparkle , so I've added that to these Sucky Butts in the form of bright colors, glinting tinsel and contrasting hackle. It surely adds to the "human appeal," and I suspect the fish will also find them enticing. In fact, I've already caught gills on similar ties, before I knew of the English forms. So, I believe this is a good line to follow come next season. After these, a few deep nymph and streamer patterns should round things out.
Comment by dick tabbert on November 22, 2013 at 7:03am

Nice

Comment by Greg McWilliams on November 22, 2013 at 4:54am

KILLERS!!!!!!!!!!!

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