Gray Ghost,
Nice links! Thanks. A couple weeks ago I tried some larger flies that I tied with 3 or 4 strands of flashabou on each side and was surprized at how much flash that created in water that had about 30" visibility. That same day I found a fly on the beach that my partner told me was a Prom Dress. I don't think I'd noticed that pattern before. With so much flashabou tied on the shank, I wonder how well it would sink were it not for the dumbells also tied on the shank.
Watching the first link and article where the recovering gear angler created the PD to simulate a metalic plug or spoon gets me to thinking about this whole craze among so many newer converts to fly fishing who basically seem to want to gear fish with fly rods. First came the bobber and jig nymphing technique and now plugs and spoons are added to the mix. It does cause me to wonder why they pick up a fly rod.
Coley,
The best way to get pre-ban, legal, polar bear is to find someone selling an old rug. They come up in estate sales. I saw an ad for one a year ago, but it was too far away to go see it in person. The ones to get are wall hangers that haven't been walked on. This one was only 2 or $3,000, but that would be easy to recover by selling off most of it and still having a lifetime supply left over.
I'm getting low and would be interested in going in on a purchase if anyone finds one for sale.
Sg