Messing Around and Trying to Get Creative

I have come to the conclusion that if I want to fish Muddler Minnows, I will be buying them.  What a pain in the butt. I guess it would help to take a lesson on how to tie quill wings because those just did not turn out right.  The deer hair wasn't much better. Guess I will be spending a lot of time on YouTube trying to figure those things out. Well I guess I should work on some other flies but I really didn't feel like tying up any traditional well known patterns. For some reason I felt like tying whatever came to mind with the materials on hand.

First thing though I need a little something to get my creative juices flowing. I think Son Volt's The Search will do the trick.  I have not listened to this album in a while. With this playing in the back ground, I kept thinking to myself, "Why don't I listen to this album more often". Jay Farrar is at his best on this album. 

So here is what I came up with, fly-wise. I know, not too original, but still new for me and they look like they will catch fish. Then again, you never know. Does anybody know the names of these two patterns? 

Number One: I checked it does sink when wet and the movement of the CDC should be enticing.

Hook: Mustad 3906

Thread: Uni 8/0 Tan

Body: Natural CDC Feather Wrapped along hook like the CDC and Elk

Thorax: Peacock Herl

Hackle: Hungarian Partirdge

Number Two: For some reason this is the one I really like. Just something about it. I know this is more of an old English style of wet fly. I had seen the two hackles (one in front of the other on another) fly and thought it was interesting.

Hook:  Mustad 3906

Thread: Uni 8/0 Black

Tail: Black Hen Hackle Fibers

Rib: Silver Wire

Body: Black Floss

Back Hackle: Black Hen Hackle

Front Hackle: Dun Hen Hackle

Gartside Sparrow and Son Volt

In the mood to tie something different today.  Lately all I have been tying is flies I will be using for Brooks, Browns and Rainbows.  But what about the Steelies and the Salmon runs we get here in MI?  It got me to thinking about some of the fun we used to have on the Pere Marquette river.  It seems that every fish I ever hooked was on the Gartside Sparrow.  A nice simple straight forward fly that catches fish.  I don't care if they think it is a nymph of a small bait fish, it simply works for me.

While I'm in the mood to tie something different how about a little different music?  Well I have been listening to a lot of Wilco lately but what about the other band that split off of Uncle Tupelo? If you have to ask the other band is Son Volt.  I'm not sure which band I like better.  I guess it depends if I am in the mood for a little Alt Country or some Mid-Tempo Rock.  Either way both bands are fantastic.  Tonight I felt like listening to Son Volt's Trace. In my opinion their best album hands down.  I find myself singing out loud throughout the album. Especially when "Tear Stained Eye" is on.  I just had to go back and play it again while typing this. What an amazing song!!

Well back to the tying. The Gartside Sparrow can be tied in any number of colors depending on you preference. First you will find the aftershaft feather needed for the head behind the pheasant rump feather needed for the collar.  Be careful when wrapping the aftershaft feather.  Believe me it it real easy to break this fragile feather.  Aside from that this is a very easy straight forward fly to tie.

Gartside Sparrow

Gartside Sparrow

Hook: Mustad 9671 #4-14

Thread: Uni 8/0 Color to match body of they fly

Tail: Marabou tied short approximately 1/4 of the shank length

Body: Rabbit and Antron Blend

Hackle: Pheasant rump hackle tied in as a collar, to extend at least to the tip of the tail.

Head: Pheasant aftershaft feather(s) wound around shank just in front of collar.