Psychedelic Critter

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Chalk
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Psychedelic Critter

Post by Chalk »

What do you do when the weather is bad, you've read Socrates (he died :roll: ) and there's nothing to do but get busy on the vice :-D

I guess I have a thing for crab and shrimp flies cause that is about all I like to tie. I was thinking about the mangrove critter fly and what I could do to make it my own. I spend alot of time looking at other tiers flies and came up with this concoction, the Psychedelic Critter.

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It's basically a mangrove critter with one difference, the body is wrapped with Estaz Grande vice yarn.

Materials Used
Hook: Mustad 34007 size 2 or 4.
Thread: Olive Ultra Thread 140
Tail: Copper Crystal Flash, select tan craft fur and burnt mono eyes
Egg Sac: Ice chenille large orange
Body: Estaz Grande Root Beer
Head: 1/8 eyes
Weed Guard: 20-pound hard mason mono

Tying:
Wrap hook shank with thread to just past the barb
Tie in flash twice the length of the hook
Then do two wraps with the Ice chenille large orange
Next add the burnt mono eyes
Now tie in the craft fur tail, length is twice the hook
Now bar the tail with a brown magic marker
Tie in the Estaz Grande.
Wrap thread forward and tie in the dumb bell eyes
Tie in the weed guard
Now palmer the estaz forward, stroking it as you wrap it to the dumb bell eyes
Tie off the estaz
Wrap thread forward and whip finish and head cement.

I did not just think this up, I spent some time on the vice playing with the idea, here is an evolution shot (for those on the free fly list, your looking at yours :lol: ). The one on the far left is the final product. I wanted to do the craft fur in a overwing/clouser fashion, but it was just to cumbersome and it didn't look right.

I suspect that this will be a better summer fly being that it is kinda sparkly, but I am going to give it a try hopefully this weekend.

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birddog
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Re: Psychedelic Critter

Post by birddog »

Are you trying to tell me I'm getting all your culls? :lol:
GULP! free since 1970.
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Chalk
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Re: Psychedelic Critter

Post by Chalk »

birddog wrote:Are you trying to tell me I'm getting all your culls? :lol:
:smt045 :smt043
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NoleFear
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Re: Psychedelic Critter

Post by NoleFear »

Looks good :thumbup: You can send some my way. Do you have a place in PC for fly tying supplies or are you ordering online? I've been having a hard time finding quality materials.
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Chalk
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Re: Psychedelic Critter

Post by Chalk »

I have a small selection to pick through at Half Hitch...then I have Bass Pro about an hour from the house...that's about all I have to choose from...I try to visit local shops when I'm traveling around too. Not a real good selection to choose from though...mail order offers more choices...I can't find EP Shrimp brush no where locally
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fishfeeder
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Re: Psychedelic Critter

Post by fishfeeder »

:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:
If you release them they will grow!!!!
birddog
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Re: Psychedelic Critter

Post by birddog »

:lol: :thumbup:
GULP! free since 1970.
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noleflyfisher
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Re: Psychedelic Critter

Post by noleflyfisher »

Very nice. Sheepies will eat that. :thumbup:
Chalk wrote:What do you do when the weather is bad
I had a feeling I wasn't the only one at the vise. These are going to the Biloxi Marsh with me next month.

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Chalk
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Re: Psychedelic Critter

Post by Chalk »

noleflyfisher wrote:I had a feeling I wasn't the only one at the vise. These are going to the Biloxi Marsh with me next month.

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Nice looking bugs :thumbup: :thumbup: I'm excited about that trip now :lol:
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jsuber
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Re: Psychedelic Critter

Post by jsuber »

I tied one of these on this weekend. Worked real good.
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Barhopr
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Re: Psychedelic Critter

Post by Barhopr »

nice chalk :thumbup:
VIVA la BT

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Eerman
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Re: Psychedelic Critter

Post by Eerman »

Those look awesome Chalk. Somebody really needs to open a shop close by. Visited J Penrod today...topnotch :thumbup:
"Why does Sea World have a seafood restaurant?? I'm halfway through my fish burger and I realize, Oh man....I could be eating a slow learner."
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Chalk
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Re: Psychedelic Critter

Post by Chalk »

Eerman wrote:Visited J Penrod today...topnotch :thumbup:
What did you learn...how bad you are in an eloquent manner :wink: :lol:

That's they way I feel sometimes :lol:
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Barhopr
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Re: Psychedelic Critter

Post by Barhopr »

E> you ready to start pigeonholing money away from the wife for fly gear :smt007
VIVA la BT

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Eerman
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Re: Psychedelic Critter

Post by Eerman »

He said I was the bomb diggity (he put it just like that :lol: )...I think it was b/c it was almost dark and he couldn't see my line. He was great. Had me shooting 60ft in 15 minutes. Worth the $$. Overall, he was very complimentary. Just pointed out some minor bugs and showed me some good practice pointers. Amazing what a difference one or two little things, pointed out from someone who knows what they're doing, can make. He mentioned a class he was trying to line up a class through city of Tallahassee for the end of Feb but didn't know the details yet.

BH, what do you mean "start" :-D
"Why does Sea World have a seafood restaurant?? I'm halfway through my fish burger and I realize, Oh man....I could be eating a slow learner."
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