Red Francis

[drpatrickt]

Hi All,

Found some wool - if anyone needs some tips on getting some wool then PM me - I know a place that does it online. The ladies at the shop I went to were brilliant, think they liked the fact that some random bloke had come in for some wool that wasn't for a jumper.

Anyway, here is a first attempt at a skinny Red Francis:




Thread: Black Uni 8/0
Tube: Brass 1 inch
Tail(s) 1 : 2 stripped white cock hackles, 4 stripped natural cock
Tail 2 - Natural squirrel - should be ginger calf or equivalent - but got none
Back body: Red RICO Creative Sport dk - 3 -ply wool
Mid-hackle - Veniard Natural short hackle cock
Front body - Wool as above
Rib - Medium Gold

I'm open to feed-back. Interested to know if fat versus thin carrot makes a difference for people - also, I quite like leaving a bit of hackle at the ends of the stripped stems for a webby style - but if you think I should make sure it is stripped clean then me know.


Cheers,

Patrick

[madkeen]

Very nice Patrick I prefer the hackles stripped clean but think it makes no difference to the fish.
Have you done any black versions?

[perthshirefisher]

Looks the part , well tied the last time i used one of these two fish came leaping right out the water one after the other both roughly were my fly would have been.

Then i lost it up a tree

[ballingall512]

Looks pretty nice Dr.P

Personally I prefer the carrot shaped body, over the thin one as I think it helps push the water outwards at the rear of the fly, which puts more action/vibration onto the hackle stems..

your fly is very nicely tied though

Dave.

[drpatrickt]

I'm going to try some 'fatter' ones next. Also will try rib and hackle all the way up (this was following Davie McPhail's pattern).

I forgot to say that you helped me out alot Dave B - so thanks for the help. It's all a learning process. But pleased at first attempt. I'd be happy using it, if I can get to some bloomin'water!!!

Thanks for feedback.

Regards,

Patrick

[drpatrickt]

Sept 8, 2011 20:00:01 GMT madkeen said:

Very nice Patrick I prefer the hackles stripped clean but think it makes no difference to the fish.
Have you done any black versions?

Just experimenting at the mo - but yes, also got some black wool. Will probably do some snaeldas as well - one I work out a good pattern and appropriate form.

Just depressed that I am in Sept and tying some fleas for Spring.

Cheers,

Patrick

[madkeen]

Sept 8, 2011 20:47:04 GMT drpatrickt said:

Sept 8, 2011 20:00:01 GMT madkeen said:

Very nice Patrick I prefer the hackles stripped clean but think it makes no difference to the fish.
Have you done any black versions?

Just experimenting at the mo - but yes, also got some black wool. Will probably do some snaeldas as well - one I work out a good pattern and appropriate form.

Just depressed that I am in Sept and tying some fleas for Spring.

Cheers,

Patrick

Try a black version with a lime green head Patrick is that your season over? I'm already thinking of spring myself ;D

[ade]

DrP

I wondered how long it would take for you to tie a Red Francis and a black one and then some Snaeldas.

You're obviously snowed under with work right now. Decent looking effort mind

I asked the question about the wool a while back and got the same answer, simple wool! I loved the one CB tied for one of the comps a while back on the other forum

Never tied a Francis because all the ones I've used have fallen apart before I've ever managed to catch on it, maybe my bad casting I don't know, but somehow I find the wool slips so thought I'd add here that I bought some Merino wool (big bag from eBay cheap) that is not woven into thread. My idea is to dub it onto the tying thread and build the body up that way, perhaps try shredding your wool to dubbing and dub it on?

Alternatively, have some way (fine wire) of securing the wool as you build up the body? Then once you have the profile wind on your final rib? I would imagine that using anything to secure the wool layers would work by winding on counterclockwise would help, even the final rib.

I wonder if dubbing the wool on instead of winding wool thread on adds to bouyancy with trapped air. I'd fish the francis mid/deep as a rule so if using wire/cones/heavy tubes etc would add weight in various situations to get the right balance in prevailing conditions?

I'm also very interested in any other opinions/advice on this one.

Also find your feelers interesting, more like paddles? Any boar bristle in there?

Good post :cool:

"red or black" :confused: :rolleyes::rolleyes:

Ade

[drpatrickt]

Thanks Ade,

Dubbing the wool in will be hard work - so suggest you try (knowing you) - but you won't like it. And to make a decent carrot will be a pain in the arse - it's quite a lot of wool - so that'll take some time..

I spent last night stripping natural and white cock hackles - I kind of like the webby-ness (not a word - but it will do) by leaving a few fibres on the ends. Easy to remedy - just strip them off! So no - not Boar Bristle - but on a smaller flea, i'd probably drop onto some BB.

As for slippage - on a none 'fat carrot' - i don't see a problem. On a fatter version, I'll prob add a drop of varnish to the wire. In this variant, it's a 'skinny' version - so don't think it'll be a prob. When I try a full length rib/hackle - i'll let you know. Just have to make sure I wind it like that Roman geezer - Titus F**k .

Anyway, i'm overcome by fumes from dying artic fox ....

Snaelda, Black and Fattie Franci will be attempted shortly.

Regards,

Patrick

[ade]

I'm thinking of building up the body with something to get the shape before the wool.

Some of those materials they use on trout flies might be the answer

I'll have a go

Ade

[drpatrickt]

Sept 8, 2011 23:16:07 GMT ade said:

I'm thinking of building up the body with something to get the shape before the wool.

Some of those materials they use on trout flies might be the answer

I'll have a go

Ade

Aye - that stuff is called wool, believe me, I've tried ;D ;D ;D

[madkeen]

A wee tip to stop slippage is run your tying thread over the wool once you have your carrot shape and if you use red or black thread you wont notice the thread, then run your rib down and tie in.

[drpatrickt]

Sept 9, 2011 6:23:21 GMT madkeen said:

A wee tip to stop slippage is run your tying thread over the wool once you have your carrot shape and if you use red or black thread you wont notice the thread, then run your rib down and tie in.

Cheers mk, will give it a go.

I've also put my wool onto a bobbin, so that has helped me to tie it in tighter than perhaps if I was wrapping using my fingers.

[ballingall512]

This is one I tied a wee while back using utc 140 red thread for the body.

[ade]

is that on a bottle tube Dave? where's the wool from?

Ade