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Sunburst Spey

2014.12.28.dryfly.me.sunburst_speyHook: Alec Jackson #1.5
Thread: UNI 6/0 Red
Tag: UNI-Mylar Peacock #16
Body: 1/2 Red Seals fur, 1/2 Black Seals fur
Rib: UNI-French Oval Large
Wing: Red/Orange/Yellow fox
Sides: JC
Hackle: Schlappen Fire Orange, Whiting Rooster Cape Black

Davie McPhail have a great video of a Sunburst Spey on youtube that (after my sunturn spey) I had to give a go. I got some of the bronze spey hooks from Alec Jackson that fits perfectly to this pattern, the only problem is that I should have had this in #5 & #7 as well since this is a rather large fly to go fishing with!

I deviated a little bit from the original pattern: the front hackle where I only had fiery orange schlappen and a pure black front-hackle, but the overall pattern is the same.

2014.12.28.dryfly.me.sunburst_spey_frontThe vibrant colors in the wing, the hackle and the body will make this really shine up once it is in the water.

2014.12.28.dryfly.me.sunburst_spey_closeGreat mix in the wing:

2014.12.28.dryfly.me.sunburst_spey_back

 

 

 

Sunturn Spey

2014.12.21.dryfly.me.sunturn_speyHook: Alec Jackson Spey #1 1/2 Heavy Wire
Body: 1/3 Lagartun Black Silk Floss, 1/3 The Fly Co. Yellow Seals Fur, 1/3 The Fly Co. Red Seals Fur
Rib: UNI-Mylar Silver #10, UNI-French Oval Small Gold, UNI-Mylar #16 tied reverse over the hackle
Hackle: Foxtail Hen Neck Red, The Fly Co. Yellow Rooster Neck, Black Heron. Order: red, yellow and finally black in front
Wing: Veniard Mallard Duck Bronze Large

Today is winter solstice, and here in Norway this marks the coming of more daylight and the start of a journey towards the spring where we once again will get to go out and flyfish for trout and salmon. One of my favorite beer breweries here in Norway is Nøgne Ø, and they have a tradition to brew a batch of Sunturnbrew on this very day. It is dark, has lots of flavor, fits perfectly with my tastebuds and is a massive 11% alcohol!

2014.12.21.dryfly.me.sunturn_spey_bottle

Some years back I bought some bottles to see how it matures, and I open one bottle every year, on winter solstice, the very day it was created. This batch was brewed back on 2010.21.12 and is batch number #573. Today I was inspired when I saw that the brewers are at it again and are creating another batch of this great beer! I sat down and thought about the taste, the label, the winter solstice and created this spey fly that I call “Sunturn Spey”, a homage to Nøgne Ø and their Sunturnbrew.

2014.12.21.dryfly.me.sunturn_spey_back

The main idea came from the white to yellow to red writing on the label, I also wanted to convey the darkness of both the beer and the time of the year that we have.

2014.12.21.dryfly.me.sunturn_spey_frontThe flow of the hackle together with the seals fur dubbing represents the sun coming out of the darkness. I would like to get some clean Sunturnbrew labels and mount this fly in a frame together with it and send it to Grimstad to the brewers!

2014.12.21.dryfly.me.sunturn_spey_sideDetail from the body: the counter-wrap will ensure that the hackle stays in place

2014.12.21.dryfly.me.sunturn_spey_back_detailA double mallard wing on top:

2014.12.21.dryfly.me.sunturn_spey_topI’m very happy with how this fly came out, and I could frame it, but the colors and shape of this fly makes it one that I will tie up a few of to have in my salmon box for when the summer comes!

Spey – first heron

2014.12.13.dryfly.me.spey_heron

I have been searching for some good spey hooks for a while, the flow and look of a good spey pattern is something that really appeals to me. This weekend I was out shopping for something else at www.midgarflyfish.com when I found a package of good heron and then Alec Jackson’s Spey fly hooks size 1 1/2 heavy! I had to tie up a couple on this hook straight away to get a feel on how they are to work on. The hook itself is very solid and have that profile you are after when tying spey patterns, these are for fishing and looking back at them they was a bit rushed, but overall I’m very happy with getting these hooks (and knowing that I have a steady supply here in town). Now I need to swing these to see how they behave – I have a feeling they are a bit overdressed so I will tie them slimmer next time.

2014.12.16.dryfly.me.spey_two