Has anyone created a fly that has been productive?
YES!
I copy productive flies with zeal.
I have too.
One of the reasons why I asked the question was that as I practice tying I find that I get carried away improvising on the fly lesson of the day. Partly due to a limited supply of various materials. Once this heat wave is over in a month or so am going to give my strange collection of new flies a bath. Wonder if the trout also go to school learning what flies are really suspose to look like.** [;)]
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Good luck on the new creations. Feel like Dr. Frankenstien?
Be sure and post pictures of what works, k?
Some of my most memorable fly fishing trips involved a vomit inhibiting fly i created. It never hurts to mix it up or add a tail or different color thread.[;)] I tie a hares ear without the tinsel and use a hi-viz flouro orange floss to build up a neck(i say this because it is lower than the head) and i tear up the whities and browns on it. I’ll put up a pic on this thread in a bit.
I, like many or all, get ideas out of magazines a lot. Fly Tyer is one of my favorite. In the summer 2006 issue, there is an article about off set bead heads. I can see where this could work, so I tied up a few all purpose PT soft hackles. I will be giving them a try hopefully this weekend, then I will let you know if I have found a new favorite:
FG:
No that looks very interesting.
I am anxious to hear your thoughts on how it fishes.
I used a tungsten bead on a straight pin, cut to little short of hook length. I fished it with a sinking line. It worked fantastic. Watch it in the water and it floated more natural (straight). I only ties Pheasant Tails, but will tie several more patterns like this. I do think the sof hackle collar helps.