R.L.S. Dame Mary (Herring. It's what's for dinner.)

[The Fisherman]

I was looking for another big herring pattern to add to the arsenal, and Ken's R.L.S. Dame Mary seemed like a good one to try. (It helped to have most of the materials on hand, too.)

This is a nine-feather flatwing, and this tie is just over 11". I really like the way this one came out. :-)

R.L.S. Dame Mary
http://www.flyaddict.com/gallery/data/519/medium/DameMary1.JPG

Hook: Eagle Claw L253 3/0 (I'd have used bigger if I had it)
Thread: White
Platform: Fluorescent white bucktail
Pillow: Fluorescent white dubbing
Support: Fluorescent white neck hackle (had to go with plain old white here)
Tail: Three fluorescent white saddles under 2 strands pearl flash under a ginger saddle (I used light green here) under 2 strands silver flash under a ginger saddle (ditto light green here) under two strands light green flash under a yellow saddle under a fluorescent yellow saddle (I used a brighter yellow here) under two strands red flash under a charteuse saddle under an olive saddle.
Body: Silver braid
Collar: Fluorescent white bucktail on bottom, ginger bucktail on sides
Wing: Light olive bucktail
Cheeks: 3 strands each turquoise, pink, violet, emerald green and fluorescent yellow bucktail
Topping: Seven strands peacock herl
Eyes: Jungle cock

Now, I just need to find some diners.

[Andrew]

Nice fly. There's definitely something about fishing a fly that big that gets the pulse racing, even before you know if there are fish around.

I remember two years ago fishing a fly so huge I could basically just sort of heave it over the side of my friend's boat. I figured I wouldn't catch much, but if I did, it would be big...and then I caught a 23 inch bass on it. The fly was over 50% of the length of the bass. So much for my theory!

[Riffle]

Fisherman -- As always, very nice tie.

It seems like a lot of the patterns I've seen lately are really large (i.e. large for me as I'm adding salt water to my repertoire). With this said, regarding salt water flies, all I've tied so far are Clousers and Decievers on 1/0 and 2/0 hooks (basically in blue and white and chartuese and white color schemes, none of which are over 4").

While it's likely this questions been posted before, can anybody provide a short list of go-to striper flies for the early season? And perhaps indicate how long I should make them? (This salt water stuff still makes me giggle sometimes in that the "size" of the fly is measured in inches rather than hook size)

Thanks!

[The Fisherman]

My experience is that most of the early season stripers I come across aren't fussy when it comes to fly selection. You should be able to catch to your heart's content if you fish what you mentioned in those sizes. Here's what you might find on the end of my leader this spring:

Ray's Fly (and variants like the Herr Blue, Magog Smelt) from 2-5"
Orange Ruthless clamworm (to worm size or 2.5" long)
Soft Hackled streamers in different colors (like pink/chartreuse, olive/yellow, etc.) 3-5" long
Deer hair headed flies like the Snake Fly
Medium sized flatwings (5-7" long)
Big herring flatwings

And, since I don't tie weight into any of my flies, a bag of 3/0 shot, should it be needed.

[Jon]

ANY of your flies? My dearest friend is telling porkies!!

http://www.flyaddict.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=2350&title=bhpt-soft&cat=507

Teasing ya big fella ;-) Beau-ti-ful fly as ever.

[The Fisherman]

Yup, busted.

In fact, I just tied some more new nymphs that I underweighted. They'll be showing up soon.

[The Fisherman]

Fished a tidal area tonight that was loaded with herring and I landed a striper in the low 30's on this fly. Fat, fat, fat, striper...Miss Piggy...I'm sure she had plenty of the real thing in her tummy. I fished the fly with a floating line and a wet fly swing...she came up for it at the end of the swing, and I missed her. Next cast, thud! and we were off to the races. Great fight in the current. :-)