May Fly Tying Forum

By

Brian Garringer

The May fly tying forum at the John E. Pechmann Center, in Fayetteville NC, was lead by two of the Project Healing Water Fly Fishing volunteers, Craig Person and Terrance Straiter. 

            Craig started the session with a terrestrial pattern.  This pattern was a bee.  While the pattern itself was simple, there were some new skills required to complete it.  It started out as many craft foam pattern do by tying the foam to the top of the hook.  It then moves to using CDC as dubbing.  He split the thread and inserted the CDC fibers in the opening.  This can be even more difficult than it sounds.  First, to split the thread, spins it counterclockwise.  This loosens the individual fibers that make the thread.  A fingernail or a bodkin can be inserted between the threads to create an opening in the thread.  

            Splitting the thread is only half off the battle; you also have to get the CDC into the open in the thread.  This can be done is two way.  One way is to prep the CDC feather prior to splitting the thread.  Place a large binder clip on the edge of the CDC fibers.  Then trim the fibers off the stem of the feather.  The clip will hold the fibers in place until they are needed.  The CDC fibers can be set aside until the thread is ready.  Once the thread is split and the CDC Fibers are inserted then the thread is pulled down to place tension on the fibers.  The tension will hold the fibers and the clip can be removed. 

            The other way does not require any prepping.  The thread is split and the CDC fibers are inserted into the opening still on the stem.  The thread is pulled down with one hand to place tension on the fibers to hold them in place.  With the other hand, the stem is trimmed away the fibers.  Once the CDC Fibers are inserted in the thread, it is then spun to close the opening and turn the fibers in all directions.  Once the thread has been spun, the CDC is trapped in the thread.  It is then ready to be wrapped, as normal dubbing would be.  

            This technique creates less bulk then a standard dubbing loop.  The dubbing loop is created by doubling thread over.  The fibers are then inserted between the two pieces of thread.  It can then be spun and the fibers would be trapped in the thread   While it is easier in technique and not as time consuming to prepare.  It uses twice the thread.  In small to ultra small flies this added bulk that can be anywhere from a nuance to a disaster. 

            The second fly of the evening was a Modified Woolly Bugger taught by Terrence Straiter.  This fly was modified to all natural fibers.  Terence traded the chenille that was normally used to form the body for all natural materials.  He used two different materials to form the body.  The first was white fisherman’s wool yarn.  This was tied in and wrapped just as the chenille would be. 

            The second material was alpaca fur.  An alpaca is am animal that is similar to a lama.  Its fur is harvested and used to make wool.  For the body Terence used loosed fur it was applied to thread as a dubbing. 

            In addition to the wool and alpaca bodies, he also changed the bead.  Many manufactures of flies will place a bead to provide additional weight and flash.  He placed a glass bead to provide flash. 

            These two flies were well taught and provided a success evening if fly tying.  Fly trying forums are held on the fourth Thursday of the  month.  Check out the this programs and others at the John E. Pechmann Fishing Education Center website.  http://www.ncwildlife.org/Learning/EducationCenters/Pechmann/EventRegistration.aspx.

 

The Para Cord Flies

By

Brian Garringer

     Anyone who has served in the military knows about parachute cord.  Often referred to as 550 cord or Paracord, it has as many uses as duct tape.  It can be used for everything from securing gear in place, to securing a sunshade.  It is even used to make items such as lanyards, belts, dog leashes, and key chains.  Like duct tape, the uses of paracord is only limited by the users abilities.

     Capt. Michael Seminelli, (known as Mike to the members of the Fayetteville Project healing water) has come up with a new use for Paracord.  He uses it to tie flies.  He debuted his creations, the Tactical Para-Bugger and  Airborne Adams, at the April Fly Tying Forum hosted at the John E. Pechmann Fishing Center in Fayetteville, NC. 

The Tactical Para-Bugger

     These two flies utilize all parts of paracord to form the fly.  The Tactical Para-bugger is spin on the wooly bugger.  The Para-bugger uses the braided sheath to replace the chenille that is used to form the body and the marabou that is used to form the tail. A portion of the sheath is un breaded with a piece of Velcro.  It is then slide over the hook.  The loose threads form the Parabou tail while the braided section forms the body.  The Tactical Para Bugger does not have much a resemblance to the Woolly Bugger.  It does have a similar action in the water.

The Airborne Adams

     The Airborne Adams, a variation of the Parachute Adams, uses thread from the braided sheath to form the body and the “guts” to form the post.  The Airborne Adam is very similar to Parachute Adams in appearance and action.  Only a closer inspection shows the differences. 

     He has not completed the Para fly family yet.  He is currently working on several other patterns.  He has  tied a “Freefall Minnow.  This pattern is designed to simulate a baitfish.  There are also wet flies, and nymph patterns he is working on.  There is even a crawdad pattern in the works. 

     While Mike is the creator of the paracord flies. He did not think of it on his own.  Bert Kinkead, a member of the Fayetteville Project Healing Water,  original suggested the use of Para cord.  He suggested that a signature fly be created using paracord to represent the Airborne culture that is so closely tied to Fort Bragg.  He then began using the term Parabou, a spin on marabou, to describe the tail of the flies.

     Mike has been tying his own flies for about 2 ½ years.  It has helped him to improve his level of knowledge on fish behavior.  This in turn has improved his skills on the water. 

     His favorite fish to chase is the Wild Trout in the medium to small rivers and streams.  It does not matter which one, small brookies to the huge brown and rainbow trout.  As long as they are wild.  Wild trout are harder to catch because they are so wary and aware of the surroundings.  They also tend to fight hard to escape.  He also enjoys chasing bluegill.  To land a large bluegill on a 3 weight rod takes some skill.

     Currently he is getting ready to transition into a instructor position teaching freshman math at the US Military Academy where he graduated in 2005.