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76 jungle don variation

trico mike

trico mike

make mine wild
Here is a variation I did of a jungle don.The 76 is the number of jungle cock nails in the fly.You can click on it then click again to see the detail.The pic is a little better my digital camera started working again.GEDC0001.jpg
 
Awesome Mike, some of the finest work on the site to date. How did you get all those eyes on the body? Show some tying details.
 
I think the greatest tyers are historians, artists and local stream ecologists...


This fly was tied in Pennsylvania.


The fly perhaps succeeds as a replica of a style, developed by other tyers, for other rivers.


Most tyers do this kind of copying. These godawful flies represent the pinnacle of achievement - a fly that may be a "variation" from the original, if only some materials can't be had at the fly shop that were around in another age.


But it isn't affected with any creativity, or subtlety that inspires my imagination: what does this guy know about my local fishery that I don't!!!?


That's why my favorite tyer round these parts is Johnny Utah.


He can tell you why he tied it that way. He'll give some obscure historical fact about wet fly tying; from tyers whose flies were ugly. Not Bergman's flies. Wets from local tyers from years and years ago that nobody but Johnny cares to keep alive.


Then he'll say that he doesn't know if the pattern is better than the fly shop standards tied in Kenya. But he's gonna find out.


Johnny is a weird dude.


He doesn't sell his flies.


He thinks he has discovered a fly called the golden oldie. Not sure what the fuck it is. Only thing I've heard is that it is a golden stone nymph.


Johnny knows how to catch the fish that frustrate the average fisherman.


So there you have a great tyer.


Technically proficient, a historian and artist, connected with, limited to (and limited by), his local waters.
 
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You see where I'm coming from tho, right?


There are a few tyers that I like whose art seems totally alienated from the rivers where they were originally inspired.


These guys tie the classics on 14k gold hooks...


And lament that they can't use 24k gold, too malleable to tie upon...


They aspire to some sort of purity that I think can be a virtue, but may be more culturally connected to the Inquisition than the rivers in their back yards...


But I like these guys, and their appreciation for the tyers they're honoring.


Some of them mount the golden hook on a cork, and then seal it in a jar...
 
Salmon flies are an art form,they are fun to tie and improve your tying skills tremedously.Fishing flies are just that,fishing flies. I can show you boxes full of flies tied for the waters I fish but they are boring generic flies.I like to tie trout flies and tweek patterns to suit my needs but I have a passion for salmon flies and hope to one day get halfway decent at them. Tying salmon flies excites and inspires me.Tying trout flies bores me,tying dozens of dries or nymphs is not fun,but I need them to catch fish so the end justifies the means.I can show you flies that I have tied that may not be standard patterns but they are all based on existing patterns and techniques as most trout flies are.Tom, thanks for the kind words,I used the really small jc nails and wrapped them around the hook,nothing too hard.That fly was pretty straight foward tying.
 
trico mike said:
Salmon flies are an art form,they are fun to tie and improve your tying skills tremedously.Fishing flies are just that,fishing flies. I can show you boxes full of flies tied for the waters I fish but they are boring generic flies.I like to tie trout flies and tweek patterns to suit my needs but I have a passion for salmon flies and hope to one day get halfway decent at them. Tying salmon flies excites and inspires me.Tying trout flies bores me,tying dozens of dries or nymphs is not fun,but I need them to catch fish so the end justifies the means.I can show you flies that I have tied that may not be standard patterns but they are all based on existing patterns and techniques as most trout flies are.Tom, thanks for the kind words,I used the really small jc nails and wrapped them around the hook,nothing too hard.That fly was pretty straight foward tying.
Click to expand...

I agree that these salmon flies are an art form.

But the fly serves a practical purpose...

You wouldn't catch a Pennsylvania brookie with that salmon fly.

Now, once the tyer creates a fly that is a fish catcher, I am all for artistic expression for its own sake...

But I really don't get the idea of tying salmon flies that just have no connection at all to salmon water.

Keep tying em if you enjoy it.

But I think the best artists are connected to the land and waters that they fish.

They choose to tie flies that express that connection and appreciation.

Art has many inspirations, and you certainly can tie a beautiful fly.

But for me, the fly tyer's art expresses a connection, and a oneness, with his environment. The land he walks on and the waters he fishes...
 
John, these types of flies do have connections to salmon waters,in the old days and victorian era people used these flies to catch atlantics.Tying them is a connection to flyfishing history,and as I said before they sure are fun to tie and sometimes frustrating.After tying them any other type of fly you choose to tie is easy, they are great for improving your skills as a fly tyer,plus they sure are purdy to look at :)
 
trico mike said:
John, these types of flies do have connections to salmon waters,in the old days and victorian era people used these flies to catch atlantics.Tying them is a connection to flyfishing history,and as I said before they sure are fun to tie and sometimes frustrating.After tying them any other type of fly you choose to tie is easy, they are great for improving your skills as a fly tyer,plus they sure are purdy to look at :)
Click to expand...

Mike, you like tying these flies, so keep tying 'em.

But they suck.
 
Everybody's Friend said:
Mike, you like tying these flies, so keep tying 'em.

But they suck.
Click to expand...

Fly tying is not and should not be a stringent art form. It is as creative as painting or sculpture. It is just a preformed on a different medium. Way too many guys are so dam critical of someone’s work when it pertains to fly tying. When a painter’s student’s work takes on its own persona and transcends beyond the master teachings, the master painter knows his teaching is complete. It is completely different with a fly tier god forbid you do something different or something classic, or come up with a completely different way to tie. I know this to be true from personal experience. I may not tie Spay flies or Salmon flies or fancy Streamers. I think it is a lot of material and time just to get snagged on a log in the river and loose it. At the same time I can appreciate the beauty and artistry that goes into every fly. So GB when you say someone’s fly sucks enlighten us. In my opinion there has never been a fly that has been tied and posted on this site that sucks.
 
Fly tying is an art.

But a hook shank isn't a canvas.

the point of the hook is sharp.

designed to hook fish.

So if you choose this medium for your art, your flies best be designed to catch a fucking fish.

thats the basic connection.

Next question is where the tyer is from.

what are his home waters?

where does he fish?

what air does he breathe?

are his flies a reflection??

of what he knows?

do his flies show appreciation?

for the land he walks?

the water he wades?

And the air he breathes?

or is his work just a copy?

Of others' work?

That never will be fished?

trico mike is a big douche bag.

and his flies suck.
 
Fly tying is a craft, like knitting. There are professional flytiers who have their profession in various areas. Allen and Trico tie some really great looking flies. Flies aren't really original though.

Think Bob Ross here.
bobross.jpg


If you haven't spoken out loud and said, "Place this happy little feather" while tying... it's definitely not art.

Some flytiers are better than others but artists in this field they are not. Give me a paintbrush and I'll create a blob. Give me a guitar and i'll give you the equivalent of fingernails down a chalkboard. Give me a vice, some thread, some feathers, and a little time and I'll eventually get it.

Sorry to those of you who spend an exorbitant amount of time to create these masterpieces but let's face it, it's a crafty skillset.

TM... This is a really nice tie. I'd like to use the photo in the site header.
 
Dennis, I agree flytying is a skill set. There are some guys that tie amazing flies, but could they be considered originals? There are only so many ways to tie feathers and fur on hooks.Most of the techniques are the same it is the materials that differ. I would be honored to have my fly as the header on the site.I would like to ask the beetle one question, what is so wrong about someone enjoying tying salmon flies? Every body has hobbies one of mine happens to be tying salmon flies why does it really matter to you?
 
trico mike said:
Dennis, I agree flytying is a skill set. There are some guys that tie amazing flies, but could they be considered originals? There are only so many ways to tie feathers and fur on hooks.Most of the techniques are the same it is the materials that differ. I would be honored to have my fly as the header on the site.I would like to ask the beetle one question, what is so wrong about someone enjoying tying salmon flies? Every body has hobbies one of mine happens to be tying salmon flies why does it really matter to you?
Click to expand...

Mike, I sent you a pm last night asking to post your fly on Facebook.

You said no, and I asked why not...

You said that I was a douche bag...

Kinda came out of nowhere, Mike.

I have no problem with your fly tying.

It's being called a douche bag, after I asked respectfully to post your fly, that got me a bit irritated.
 
I agree..fly tying is a craft...like knitting, or basket weaving.....I also think cooking is a craft, but some snotty French guys call it art.....I went to art school...Parson's School of Design...I still do not know what the definition of "art" is..and I believe that is the way it is supposed to be....these days it is up to the individual, how much importance they want to place on certain endeavour...and how much time they want to spend perfecting that interest....and how much money people spend to support the endeavour......

Dennis, what do classify photography under? Is it art or craft....or both, can it be both, or just one.....

Once again, that is a beautiful fly.....a work of art perhaps.....:)
 
lightenup said:
I agree..fly tying is a craft...like knitting, or basket weaving.....I also think cooking is a craft, but some snotty French guys call it art.....I went to art school...Parson's School of Design...I still do not know what the definition of "art" is..and I believe that is the way it is supposed to be....these days it is up to the individual, how much importance they want to place on certain endeavour...and how much time they want to spend perfecting that interest....and how much money people spend to support the endeavour......

Dennis, what do classify photography under? Is it art or craft....or both, can it be both, or just one.....

Once again, that is a beautiful fly.....a work of art perhaps.....:)
Click to expand...

well said...

i had a long email exchange with a friend about this fly....

so there definitely is artistic merit here, as far as i'm concerned.
 
I think everyone of you makes a valid point to what YOU think fly tying is to YOU. And that is just it, fly tying can be whatever you want it to be. Me personally, I just like tying flies for catching fish, and I enjoy sharing the flies and tying techniques with my fellow tiers. I dont consider what i do to be artistic or crafty in anyway, I more agree to the skill set point of view, because when i finish tying a fly, I say "that will catch a fish or two". After all that is why people started to tie flies in the first place. To catch fish.
But in this day and age flies also catch people and get forever trapped in shadow boxes, never to catch fish. To me it doesnt make any sense to tie a fly to simply look at. Time I spend tying I like to have a positive and tangible result on the stream. But that's thinking of tying in way that i really never put much thought into, lol I just tie flies, and i tie what i like to tie, just like everyone else. To each their own, Nice tie Mike :)
 
lightenup said:
I agree..fly tying is a craft...like knitting, or basket weaving.....I also think cooking is a craft, but some snotty French guys call it art.....I went to art school...Parson's School of Design...I still do not know what the definition of "art" is..and I believe that is the way it is supposed to be....these days it is up to the individual, how much importance they want to place on certain endeavour...and how much time they want to spend perfecting that interest....and how much money people spend to support the endeavour......

Dennis, what do classify photography under? Is it art or craft....or both, can it be both, or just one.....

Once again, that is a beautiful fly.....a work of art perhaps.....:)
Click to expand...

On occasion you see some flies that just stick out. BHC and Trico Mike are a few of those guys that tie some amazing looking things. Now take a guy like Andy B... and not to take away from Andy B but each fly looks identical with the exception of the color scheme. He's very good at tying the same thing over and over.

So what's art? I suppose anything you do from the heart and mind would be considered art no matter how good or bad. Repeating something that someone else created time and again makes you a copy cat. There are good copy cats and bad ones.

What is photography under? Let's face it... Anyone can take a picture if you give them a camera... Just point and press the button. Artists? No. I don't consider myself an artist with my photography. I have some pretty expensive equipment and know how to use it sometimes. :) It's just something I enjoy doing. If others want to see my stuff as an art, go ahead but I'm an artist as much as a burger maker at burger king is a chef. There are people who are very artistic with a camera though. I'll also add that I think the chances of someone taking the same photograph is impossible. Something will always be different whether it's a slight change of lighting, clouds, the wind blowing a flag, a bug on a light, etc...

I took this quote from someone... may have been George Carlin.
A chef once said, "Man that's a great picture, you must have a really good camera. I replied, yes and your food is terrific too, your stove must be top of the line". :)
 
Well said, Cabarle and JU and lightenup.

There is something special about every wild trout stream.

I have a lot of respect for the guys that tie flies that are a reflection of their home waters.
 
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