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Some Ray's Flies

6K views 22 replies 12 participants last post by  Castaway 
#1 ·
Ok I wanted sparse. Here's some Ray's flies. Top one is standard. Then I had to fool around with the recipe. It has less white, some grey bucktail, some blue in the body wrap and a red gill effect.

TerryW

 
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#5 ·
I've used that pattern a lot this past season - the hurl holds up pretty well for the abuse/use I've given mine. It's an easy fix too, if you want to repair/replace damaged stuff.

good looking bugs BTW

Be sparce with the yellow - it can overpower the fly quickly. I've used fluorescent green & blue in some of my variants, they too can overpower. I like to top it off with olive & hurl no matter what colors I use on the rest.

good luck with 'em
 
#6 ·
Rays Fly

I use this pattern quite a bit in the early spring. They say sparse is better, so... I have tied up a dozen full. In the spring I'll report back on the success. I've had very good luck with a gold wrap on the shank and gold thread. Perhaps Lefty could advise how the red gill worked.
 
#7 · (Edited)
I have no results yet on the red gill effect. Last season went pretty much like this:

Sparse Chart clousers in the spring
Deep Eel (AKA:Real Eel: Olive sand eel patterns) June and July
Regular Rays pattern to grab a few finnicky schoolies on the flats during the dog days,
then the wide Juvis to finish the fall blitzes.

So I didn't get enough time in with the "Red Rays". Oh well, spring is coming.

Lefty
 
#9 ·
Small World

Hi
I came across this thread and was very interested in the fly design and discussion. I have been experimenting tying Temple Dogs.
The dressing is
Hook 1.5" tube. I make mine from cotton swabs.
Equip with a piece of silicone tubing and single or treble tube fly hook according to taste or rules.
Thread Black
Butt Yellow wool (I use the underfur from the icelandic sheep used for the wing)
Body Silver tinsel
Rib Oval silver tinsel
Body hackle Brown cocks hackle
Wing Polar bear, icelandic sheep (yellow and orange), peacock herl
Front hackle Furnace hen hackle
Cheeks (optional) Jungle cock
Head Black.

If I can attach a photo you should see the similarity. I to wondered how the peacock hearl would stand to long casting so I am relieved to hear it lasts well.
 

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#10 ·
Lefty,

Your pictures inspired me to tie up some Ray's flies this morning. Thanks.

As for the red gill - I like it. For those who are speed tying consider using a white or a pale yellow thread to tie the tapered head on your fly and then use a fine tip, red magic marker for a red gill effect. If I am going to use white or yellow thread I also put a black stripe on the top of the head. This makes the peacock herl look like it continues to the eye of the hook.

Using markers is an obvious way to add the red gill and I like it because it is quick.

Later.

Mike
 
#15 ·
Castaway

What I do on those is to wrap the head of the fly with HT Rib from Gudebrod. It is wire inside a silver mylar material and gives a nice weight to the head. Then I stick the bugged out eyes on and coat with epoxy. Good albie fly. Only one I used this past year for all my charters.
 
#16 ·
A question that keeps poping up in my mind is, How many changes can be made to a fly and still call it by it`s original name? I remember an article I read in the Fisherman that once described a Rays fly as black bucktail over white over a silver body, if I had come up with the design I`d be mighty pissed ! The only change that I put into my Rays fly is the addition of small stick on eyes, which I think enhances the productivity. even this small variation begs the question, Is it still a Rays or is it a variant?
 
#17 ·
Great question Slinger!

When Lineus came up with his classification system he was obviously considering this same issue;)

Unfortunately, we only have one name to put on a fly but there are countless variations that can be created out of a generic pattern by chosing a different color or material for individual components - this is particularly true with traditional patterns of trout and salmon flies.

Coming up with a fly and attributing or naming it incorrectly is not quite as bad as making a minor modification to an innovative new pattern and then claiming it as your own without reference to the idea it was based on.

Kenney Abrames gives a number of variations on Rays fly, each with different names in his books, but always acknowledges the originator:)
 
#20 ·
Castaway

For a bigger picture of the fly go to my website and look for the "Capt Gordon's Custom Flies" link. I would give you a straight referral link but my webserver would tell you that the page doesn't exist. Go to my homepage and then click away. You will find it. There are more flies there that you may find interesting too.
 
#21 ·
Capt Gordon - nice fly. Albies in Pamlico Sound or around Harker's - now that's a a thought for next November...

I've tied up a Ray's variant that was an absolute bluefish slayer last year. Epoxy head w/ Olive over Yellow over White bucktail w/ a strand or 2 of flash. Throw in a red gill and small prismatic eye and there you have it.

Re the red gill effect, I've become fond of taking a second bobbin & tying in some red floss just behind the fly head, then epoxying over the eyes & 'gills'. Floss resists running like a marker & the epoxy is bluefish-proof. Assuming fly doesn't get bit off, after a day of bluefish mauling, I apply a bit of Sally Hanson clear Hard as Nails and it's a good as new - save for some chewed up bucktail.
 
#22 · (Edited)
a Ray's fly by any other name

call em what you will, but if you vary the recipe, it ain't no Ray's fly! :tsk_tsk: he has a set method and even suggests counting the bucktail!!! the deceiver is a style of fly, as is the clouser. Ray's is a recipe of a hairwing streamer. I'm not trying to be a picky pain in the a## , but in his book he has other hairwings flies, and has other names... the razzle-dazzle for one. besides, if they're not Ray's, they can be the "Castaway Clouser", the "Tod's Tornado", Lefty's Lombada", "Striblue's Stealth","Deadly Doogue" etc... :eyecrazy: Tom D
 
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