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almost an Akroyd

3K views 12 replies 10 participants last post by  Philster 
#1 ·
Finally getting back to the vise after a long break after all my flies were stolen. This is my first attempt at the dee style so be nice Russ :chuckle: This fly is Akroyd colors but both body segments are dubbed and no hackle on the yellow. So not really an Akroyd at all but I bet it will fish. Sorry about the image quality , my camera sucks in macro mode. Also sorry about the large head on this fly. Was so focused on getting the wings right I was not working at keeping the head small. Anyway, comments appreciated.
 

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#3 ·
Ouch! Sorry to learn that your flies were stolen...I hope the person that pinched them loses every one of them to the rock Gods.

I like your fly - and IMO it's close enough to the character of an Akroyd to call it such. I wish half my first attempts (Dee or otherwise) turned out as nice as yours.

Just out of curiosity, why is Russ's opinion of your work important? Granted, he is the board Moderator, but his tying is no better or worse than your own or other members of this Forum.

It kind of bothers me when people submit their flies for public review with apologies or expecting critisism - you tied it, you posted it, be very proud of it, Sean.

Usual disclaimer...just my opinion, two cents, etc.

Igor
 
#4 ·
Igor -

I am putting the finishing touches on a special thank you collection of flies for Sean, most of which came from members from both coasts. He has (and continues to) save our butts in the webmaster department on this site for nothing more than our appreciation and this is a nice way of saying thanks.

It's not too late to get some of your flies into this :wink:
 
#6 ·
juro said:
Igor -

I am putting the finishing touches on a special thank you collection of flies for Sean, most of which came from members from both coasts. He has (and continues to) save our butts in the webmaster department on this site for nothing more than our appreciation and this is a nice way of saying thanks.

It's not too late to get some of your flies into this :wink:
I'd be happy to kick in a few of my mangy flies. Just PM me with a mailing addy and I'll accomodate.
 
#10 ·
Thanks guys for the words and sending flies (you are too kind). Yes when my truck was stolen so were my flies which sucked. Has taking me 3 months to get back to the vise. Juro has been telling me about the flies he has received and they sound awesome. I cannot thank you all enough and look forward to recieving them. Flytier and Bob Pauli have already sent an outstanding assortment of flies. They are incredible.Looking forward to seeing the others soon. Sounds like I may have to hang em on the wall, not sure if I dare fish them.

Igor I was just ribbing Russ and I do value his opinion. He does tie a mean fly and while I am proud of ties I think it is always good to solicit comments from more experienced folks like Russ and yourself. There are certain things like balance and proportion that I think we all strive for in some way or another in our ties that transcends personal tying styles. I like getting feedback from others as well, whether good or bad.

JD,

Here is what I know and I am sure others will chime in. From what I have read the Akroyd started out as a dressing but as of late it has turned into a style of tie IMHO. How the body is tied is what I think makes it unique.

They are dee flies and the original was yellow and black but it can be done in any color combo.

As for defining characterics they are as follow:

Dee Style on long shanked salmon hook.
Body is 50/50 with the rear half being dubbed and palmered with saddle hackle
Front half done in silk, tinsel ribbed and palmered with spey hackle.

Traditional cinnamon turkey was used for the strip wing but white goose is used a lot as well.

Anyway , some will probably disagree with me saying it is now a style of tie but that is how I view it.

-sean
 
#11 ·
Sean,

The head looks fine because it is well formed and has the "Hersey Kiss" shape nearly every antique classic featherwing or dee fly had that I've seen. To my eye, the G.P. crest tail is a little long, but there is nothing wrong with yours; it is simply my preference to have a tail only slightly longer than the bend of the hook on dees.

Your understanding of the Akroyd is right on. It was tied with a light orange body and cinnamon turkey or Argus pheasant wing and with a yellow body and white turkey wing. Although I've not seen any antique Akroyds with an orange body and white wing, there is every reason to believe they were tied this way too. Likewise, the front body needing to be floss is another one of those things that ain't necessarily so. I've seen antique Arkroyds tied with dubbed front bodies instead of floss.

As far as the Akroyd being a style of fly, I think not because they were other dee flies that used floss and dubbing body sections (the Jock O'Dee for instance with both body sections made of floss), and many dee flies had hackle on the rear body section and a spey feather on the front body section. Even the use of teal as a face hackle was not a universal on the antique dees. Teal or European widgon was the most commonly used feather for the face hackle; however, guinea body feathers was used very often.

Personally, I don't see how a specific dee fly pattern (such as the Akroyd) can be considered to be a style of fly because any of the old dee flies can have a body segment color changed to a modern "bright, florescent" color, like some have done with the Akroyd. However, simply tying a modern dee fly using florescent materials doesn't make the fly no longer a dee, not doesn it make the fly into a "style of fly". I strongly suspect most folks who are calling the Akroyd a style of fly are nor very knowledgeable about the old styes of salmon featherwing, like the dee; therefore, when they see a fly like the Akroyd and not having seen other dee flies, there is a strong tendency to pronounce the Akroyd is a style of fly and not a specific pattern.
 
#12 ·
Sean

Very nice!!!!Hard to believe thats your first attempt, the proportions are very good. I agree on your comment of these flies becoming more of a style of tying, for me thats always been the case. Dee style flies lend them selves to so many cool variations it would be hard not to experiment a little :smokin:
 
#13 ·
juro said:
Igor -

I am putting the finishing touches on a special thank you collection of flies for Sean, most of which came from members from both coasts. He has (and continues to) save our butts in the webmaster department on this site for nothing more than our appreciation and this is a nice way of saying thanks.

It's not too late to get some of your flies into this :wink:
Juro or Sean, Email or PM me with Sean's address and I'll send him some flies to get him through the winter. The sooner the better, cause I ain't goin near a postoffice after december 10th. Or Sean, if you frequent aarons shop, let me know and I'll drop a care package off there.

Phil
 
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