55 on the fly

Wire Heads - try 'em you'll like 'em. I've been making these "Wire Heads" here in NY for many years.  A friend asked me to share them with you, so here they are.  I'm sure others have made similar heads in the past, but if so, I've never seen them. Please check out my "how to" video's below, enjoy. These videos are a bit rough and unedited.  I hope you find them "good enough" for this demo... Doug. Part 1: "How to" make wire heads on hooks instead of using beads:  Part 2: features two flies tied with "Wire Heads":  Note: I also tie; PT, GRHE, RS2's and several other nymphs like my version of the Copper John with wire heads.  Korn"s Wire Head Scud Hook: Allen, size 14 scud hook Thread: Danville 6/0 dark olive Scud Back: Uni-Mylar #13 3/64" Pearl Rib and Wire Head: copper wire - med. Body: Red Fox Squirrel dubbing  Korn's Wire Head Stone Fly Nymph Ho...

Here are a couple of photos of the Wire Heads using UV resin to coat the head after it has been formed by the wire.  This makes an extremely durable and shinny head. Here I 'm using a UV light for curing the resin on this Wire Head. Finished Wire Heads and a Korn's WH Stone Fly Nymph.

Korn's Wire Head Scud tied and photographed by Doug Korn Materials List: Hook: Vintage Mustad 9548A size 12 scud hook (equivalent to a size ~ #16 in today's sizing) Thread: Danville 6/0 dark olive Scud Back: Uni-Mylar  #13 3/64" Pearl Rib and Head: copper wire - med. Body: Red Fox Squirrel dubbing This is a simple scud pattern that I developed back when I first stared tying.  I used wire wraps to form the heads of flies instead of beads. At the time, I didn't have any beads and it was too expensive to have a wide assortment of different size beads.  So, I just used heavy wire on my larger flies and medium wire on the smaller ones.  Being able to vary the size of the wire and the number of wraps used to form the head gave me infinite adjustment on head size as-well-as the weight of my flies.  I still tie my scuds this way today in; pink, orange, gray and olive as well. Note: I also tie; PT, GRHE, RS2's and several other nymphs lik...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parks'_Fly_Shop Parks Salmon Fly:   Created in 1954 by Merton Parks, this is the original version of the Improved Sofa Pillow.  Fish it damp as often as floating high, especially at the tail end of the salmonfly hatch.  Richard Parks, Merton's son is the owner of Parks Fly Shop located in Gardiner, MT at the north entrance of Yellowstone National Park.   http://www.parksflyshop.com/ This is my favorite Salmon fly   pattern, highly effective and a Yellowstone area classic. See Richard tying the Parks Salmon Fly here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HkEP8eub-o Hook : Mustad 9671 2xl nymph, #2-8 with 6 most common Thread : Heavy and black: Gudebrod G, flat waxed mono, Kevlar or 3/0 Uni Tail: natural brown bucktail, long length of body Body: tangerine orange Red Heart Acrylic yarn wound over Duco cement for durability  Palmer hackle:  Brown or furnace saddle, clipped even with the ga...

On a recent hike in Maine with my wife Michelle, I found a small piece of Chaga (a fungus, mushroom) growing on a birch tree.  When this fungus starts growing on a tree, the tree is doomed and will die... Removing the chaga does no harm to the tree nor does it save it, but non-the-less it makes a wonderful tea.  Or so I've been told.  Chaga has been used for century's by our native americans for brewing an herbal tea rich in anti-oxidants.  So, today I thought I'd make some and give it a try. my chunk of Chaga... I cut the Chaga into some small pieces and added it to two cups of water. I put it on my small "minibulldesign" stove and fired it up. Here's the tea after boiling for about 5 minutes and steeping for about 5 minutes more, strained and ready to drink. How was it?  Great, very nice, tastes like a green tea...  Anybody that knows me, knows that I'm not a fungus or mushroom fan but from now on I will keep my eyes open...

Maine 2012 L to R - Lori and Bruce, myself and Michelle atop Cadillac Mtn. ANP we did lots of hiking... Michelle and Stella - Yeah, she's a hiker too! Bruce Bruce with dinner - he looks happy about the menu... Oh yeah! Does it get any better?  Good friends and good food! Somebody's gotta do it! Whoopie Pie!  A Maine classic...