Fishing Halfbacks

[jamma]

Ive, funny how we all have our go to patterns. Mine is a Carey, Steve’s is his Camo Carey, Tim’s bead head simi seal leech, and when Scott goes dark a SWW...

...and I like a Chan's Stillwater caddis in dark green or light olive.

 

[Old406Kid]

@Wayne Kohan and others, here's a couple of pics relayed from Ive.




I tried to enlarge them as much as possible, any bigger and they get blurry.
Maybe Ive could add a material list or SBS to help with the finer details.

 

[Ron McNeal]

The Doc is the first fly out of the box when searching a lake.... View attachment 216778

Hey - I've seen this photo recently............ It is a good one.

 

[IveofIone]

That's a good looking pattern Ron, any idea what the tail fibers and beard feathers are? I still fish bead heads on some stuff but am trying to get back to pre-bead patterns instead. The fly you show fills the bill, used with fast sink lines, a long leader and loop knot it seems that the flies move more naturally in the water. I could be full of crap but it seems to work for me.

 

[Bob Newman]

Pattern listings I have seen for the Doc Spratley used guinea, but grizzly hackle would look good too.

 

[Ron McNeal]

That's a good looking pattern Ron, any idea what the tail fibers and beard feathers are? I still fish bead heads on some stuff but am trying to get back to pre-bead patterns instead. The fly you show fills the bill, used with fast sink lines, a long leader and loop knot it seems that the flies move more naturally in the water. I could be full of crap but it seems to work for me.

Looks like Guinea to me. First saw this photo on the STILLWATERS Facebook feed on 10/19; posted by a Dean Chrome (?):

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=193224425049138&set=gm.1130102040516821&type=3&theater&ifg=1

 

[Richard Olmstead]

That's a good looking pattern Ron, any idea what the tail fibers and beard feathers are? I still fish bead heads on some stuff but am trying to get back to pre-bead patterns instead. The fly you show fills the bill, used with fast sink lines, a long leader and loop knot it seems that the flies move more naturally in the water. I could be full of crap but it seems to work for me.

Ive, I tie mine with Guinea, which I think was called for in the original recipe, but I'm sure hen grizzly hackle would work fine.
Dick

 

[SpeyDragon]

Dean Chrome is my FB user name.

The tail and beard are guinea, but I've used grizzly, mallard, and even pheasant tail. I'm a lazy tier, so whatever feather is laying around on the bench will get used.

A lot of folks mention using a red bodied Doc, and it's gotten me intrigued to give it a try next stillwater season.

 

[Billy McFly]

Pictures of the fly please?

 

[bimini twist]

Ive,

Do you weight your Halfbacks (with lead or lead substitute wraps)?

Thanks.

Cheers,
Bryan

 

[Jack Devlin]

You guys are talking about one of my all time favorite nymphs.

 

[IveofIone]

Ive,

Do you weight your Halfbacks (with lead or lead substitute wraps)?

Thanks.

Cheers,
Bryan

No weight on Halfbacks. Compared to the picture that Billy posted my Halfbacks have a more slender abdomen and a much fuller thorax.

 

[crazywednesday]

View attachment 265595

Is the body of this chenille?

Justin

 

[_WW_]

From another thread.

 

[Zak]

You guys are talking about one of my all time favorite nymphs. View attachment 265609

Those look really nice! Is that woodchuck hair as tail and legs in the upper three?