Blue Roller Flymph
Yes Jazz fans everywhere, for your information, there is a whole world of fly tying out there you may never have heard about. And this month we're going to delve into that world for a minute. It's called the world of the Flymph. Many of you may not know of the Flymph, but the beloved creations have been around for quite some time and represent a fascinating aspect of the fly tying universe.
In 1941James E. Leisenring wrote and published his first edition of a great little classic work on tying wet flies and fishing Flymphs. In 1971 along came the much improved and expanded second edition with Vernon S. Hidy adding his two cents. The book is now one of the most highly sought after pieces of fly literature ever written. I paid $100 for my copy around 2006 at the FFF International Conclave in Livingston, Montana when I was out there tying that year for the FFF. The fly fishing museum (now defunct), book store in Livingston always had a sale going on during Conclave to raise money for the museum, so I figured the price was well spent. Plus I had been looking for the book for a number of years.
The main reason I bring all this up is because you too can read the book as it is in the Baxter County Library where it can be checked out and appreciated by all. The classic title is, The Art of Tying The Wet Fly & Fishing The Flymph by James E. Leisenring & Vernon S. Hidy with a new introduction by Ernest Schwiebert. Misako and I had the great opportunity to know and hear Mr. Schwiebert speak on a number of occasions. What a treat and a blessing.
Flymphs are a hybrid fly of a sort; as they combine aspect of the classic soft hackle fly, originally designed to be a Caddis emerger pattern, and the nymph, usually fished deep. In general Flymphs have a distinctive separation between the abdomen and thorax portions of the body of a Mayfly Nymph, and yet still maintain the traditional collar/false hackle or beard aspects of a typical wet fly, or Caddis "soft hackle." A Flymph can be tied with or without a tail added; and typically has the hackle wound backwards through the thorax, with the thread then taken back forward to reinforce the hackle. Then the head is finished and the fly is completed with a whip finish.
Here are the classic "steps" in tying a traditional Flymph:
1. Lay down a thread base (color to match the thorax), beginning just behind the eye, and tie in your hackle (by the butt, or where the longest fibers are, right behind where you'll begin your head.
2. Take the thread down to the bend of the hook and tie in and wrap your tag if you’re going to have one.
3. Mount your tail if you so desire.
4. Tie in any ribbing material of your choice, and then dub your abdomen or wrap silk for a rear (Abdomen), body portion.
5. Rib the fly (Abdomen), if necessary, to the thorax
6. Create your thorax area, usually dubbed (often in a split thread, or doubled thread loop, depending on the denier), leaving the thread at the rear of the thorax.
7. Wrap your collar and take the hackle back through the thorax, (clipping any excess and securing it), then taking thread turns forward through the thorax, finishing your head and whip finishing the fly.
"Back in the days," when most folks had little money, and tying a fly that would last all day was important, these realities had a lot to do with ways in which flies were dressed. To tie a Flymph much more easily, simply work from the rear (bend of the hook), forward. After you have your tag, and abdomen finished, complete with or without ribbing. Tie in your hackle by the tip. Complete the thorax; and then bring the hackle forward (thru the thorax), and complete the collar.
It is not really necessary to run your thread through the thorax. It does make for a more durable fly, (which is more difficult to tie); but always remember, for every fly you lose, you gain an opportunity to tie another
Flymphs are extremely versatile flies and can be fished dead drift, partially or completely sunken, weighted or unweighted, dressed or undressed. They were originally, fundamentally thought of and fished as emergers; yet they can mimic a drowned insect, a cripple, a spinner, larva or pupa, depending on how they are fished. Typically when fished unweighted (my favorite way), they never sink more than approximately the first 6 inches of the water column, and to insure that; you may dress your tippet accordingly.
Many Flymph patterns do represent certain hatch specific insects, but they can also by tied simply as attractors, and or adapted to be good lures for panfish, Pike, and can be swung for Steelhead or Salmon with ease. All it takes is a hook and materials sized for the job, and your imagination. I've done three shows so far this year tying nothing but Steelhead Flymphs, twice in Idaho (the Eastern and Northern Idaho Fly Fishing Expos), and at the Denver Fly Fishing Show. The show of interest in such pattern design was terrific. And i sold, traded, gave away, donated and swapped dozens of patterns.
One last historical note, Cobblers wax was traditionally used to give the silk thread a grip on the hook and to alter the body color(s) for hatch matching. Today, we often tie our Flymphs sans the silk threads using nylon instead; but if you'd like to become familiar with the traditional ways of tying Flymphs, you need to locate some good Cobblers wax. Also, substituting Rayon floss for genuine silk will make a huge difference in what happens to the color(s) when they become wet. Silk and rayon react quite differently when wet, so be aware if trying to match the hatch.
Go to the library and check out the book. Learn about the history of these fascinating flies and try tying some for your fishing. They are extremely fun to tie and fish.
If you'd like to learn more about Flymphs, virtually all there is to know, go here: http://www.flymphforum.com. This website is the BEST on the planet for learning and viewing the best Flymphs tied on this or any other planet. And for viewing my flies you can go to a thread called Artistic JazzFlies on the Fly Dressings page.
Mark Romero