1.ols, Hooks and Materials

1.1.Objectives

• Identify hooks and the types of fly for which they are used.

• Identify tools and their uses, their suitability for styles of dressing.

• Identify materials and their quality.

• Identify different hackles and their uses.

1.2.Tools

• Fly dressing vices - Lever operated, rotating jaw, clamp mounted, free-standing

• Scissors - For cutting materials – serrated edge, curved blade, spring.

• Scissors - for cutting wires and tinsels.

• Bobbin holders - Ceramic lined.Metal tube

• Hackle pliers - English, pear-drop, Ezee, rubber jaw,

• Whip finishing tools - Conventional, revolving handle

• Dubbing needles

• Dubbing spinners

• Bobbin threader

• Material springs

• Scalpels

• Wing formers-Cutters, burners.

• Hair stackers-

• Dubbing rake-

1.3.Hooks

• Sizes – Redditch scale and new scale.

• Types – up-eyed, down-eyed, wet, dry, buzzer or shrimp, lure, mayfly, salmon hooks, doubles and triples.

• Bend types – Round bend, sproat.

• Meaning of the X-rating applied to wire gauge and shank length

1.4.Materials

• Tying threads – Silk, synthetics, waxed and unwaxed, gauge.

• Flosses – Silk, rayon, single strand, acetate, multi-strand.

• Wool – natural, polypropylene body wool

• Chenille – Normal, suede.

• Tinsels – Colour variations, widths, metal, mylar, flat, embossed, holographic, oval.

• Wires – Colours, thicknesses.

• Hackles – Cock hackles, hen hackles, game bird hackles (e.g. partridge, pheasant, snipe) , neck capes, saddle capes, Indian cock and hen capes, Chinese cock capes, genetic cock and hen capes.

• Feathers for winging – Starling, hen pheasant tail, Summer duck, Mallard flank, Mallard breast, Bronze mallard, Teal, Widgeon, Jungle cock, Jay.

• Feathers for tails – Golden pheasant tippet, Coq de Leon, Cock pheasant tail.

• Feathers for bodies (herl) – Bronze peacock, Peacock sword, Stripped peacock, Heron, Condor.

• Furs and hair – Hare’s mask, mole, rabbit body, Buck tail, Squirrel tail, Deer hair (for spinning and/or winging), Bear, Arctic fox, Seal fur.

• Synthetic substitutes for fur – Antron, SLF (Synthetic living fibre), Flyrite

• Synthetic winging materials – Poly yarn, Krystal Flash.

• Other man-made materials - Bead heads, bead chain, mylar tubing, lead (round, square, adhesive), tungsten, ethafoam.

• Suppliers of materials.

 

 

2.Basic Techniques

2.1.Objectives

• Tying simple hackled flies, e.g. Williams’ Favourite, Black Pennell, Partridge and Orange.

2.2.Techniques

• Starting a fly.

• Whip finish by hand, the conventional whip-finish tool, the rotating handle whip-finishing tool and the half-hitch tool.

• Tying thread body, floss body.

• Ribbing – Fine silver wire.

• Tails – Cock hackle fibres, Golden pheasant tippets.

• Hackling – Cock hackles, game bird hackles.

2.3.Fly Patterns

Partridge and Orange (Wet)

Hook – Down-eyed 14

Body – Orange thread (traditionally Pearsell’s)

Rib – Fine gold wire (optional)

 

Williams’ Favourite (Wet or dry)

Hook – Down-eyed 8 – 14

Thread – Black

Tail – Black cock

Body – Tying thread

Rib – Fine silver wire

Hackle – Black cock, long in fibre.  Black hen may be used for the wet fly.

Head - Black

 

This pattern is often tied without tails and sometimes with a floss body, instead of tying thread.  It may be fished wet or dry, although it is normally considered a wet fly.

 

Black Pennell (Wet)

Hook – Down-eyed 10 -14

Thread – Black

Tail – Golden pheasant tippets

Body – Black floss

Rib – Oval silver tinsel

Hackle – Black cock, tied sparsely

Head – Black

 

 

3.Further Basic Techniques

3.1.Objectives

• Tying nymphs and lures, mainly for use on stillwaters

3.2.Techniques

• Beard hackles

• Winging and tailing with marabou

• Chenille bodies

3.3.Fly Patterns

Y Diawl Bach

Hook – 10-12 down-eye

Thread – Black

Tail – Red game hen or cock hackle fibres

Body – Peacock herl

Hackle – Red game cock or hen tied as a beard hackle.

 

Buzzer

Hook – Down-eye or shrimp 10-14

Thread – Black

Body – Black floss

Rib – Fine flat silver tinsel

Thorax –Bronze peacock herl, three strands twisted

Breathing filaments – White floss or stands of fine wool tied in at head.

 

Alternative colours for the body floss are orange, red, green, olive or brown.

 

Viva

Hook – 6-10 Long shank

Thread – Black

Tail – Fluorescent green tag (antron, poly yarn or floss)

Body – Black chenille

Rib – Flat fine silver tinsel

Wing – Black marabou and squirrel mixed (marabou with squirrel over and marabou over the squirrel)

 

4.Deep Fishing Flies

4.1.Objectives

• Tying weighted nymphs and lures, mainly for use on stillwaters

4.2.Techniques

• Weighting with beads, bead chains and lead

• Wing cases

4.3.Fly Patterns

Gold Head Damsel Nymph

Hook – Long shank 8-10

Thread – Olive

Head – Gold bead

Tail – Olive marabou

Body – Marabou wound around the thread

Rib – Fine gold wire, oval or flat tinsel

Hackle – Olive hen

 

Bead Chain Eyed Damsel Nymph

Hook – Long shank 8-10

Thread – Olive

Eyes – Bead chain

Tail – Olive marabou

Body – Marabou wound around the thread

Rib – Fine gold wire, oval or flat tinsel

Hackle – Olive hen

Wing case – Olive goose

 

Green-butt Tadpole

Hook – Long shank 6-10

Thread – Black

Under body – Lead wire

Tail – Black marabou

Butt – Fluorescent green chenille

Body – Black chenille

Rib – Fine oval silver

 

Can also be tied using white marabou and chenille.

 

 

 

5.Nymphs

5.1.Objectives

• Tying nymphs mainly for use in rivers

5.2.Techniques

• Dubbed bodies

• Herl bodies

• Wing cases

5.3.Fly Patterns

Collyer’s Green Nymph

Hook – 10 – 12 wet fly

Thread – Olive

Body and tail – Olive dyed goose herl

Rib – Fine oval gold tinsel

Wing case – Olive dyed goose

Thorax – Olive dyed ostrich herl

 

Collyer’s Brown Nymph

Hook – 10 – 12 wet fly

Thread – Brown

Body and tail – Cock pheasant tail herl

Rib – Fine oval gold tinsel

Wing case – Cock pheasant tail herl

Thorax – Chestnut dyed ostrich herl

 

Gold-ribbed Hare’s Ear Nymph

Hook – 10 – 14 long shank

Thread – Brown

Tail – Hare’s fur (Body fur is longer and easier to use for tailing)

Body – Dubbed hare’s mask

Rib – Fine gold wire or oval tinsel

Wing case – Black herl, e.g. dyed black turkey or crow

Thorax – Hare’s mask or body, picked out.

 

Gold Head Hare’s Ear

Hook – 10 – 14 round bend

Thread – Brown

Head – Gold bead

Tail – Hare’s fur (Body fur is longer and easier to use for tailing)

Body – Dubbed hare’s mask

Rib – Fine gold wire or oval tinsel

 

 

6.Wet Flies, Simple Flies for Salmon and Sea Trout

6.1.Objectives

• Tying more complex wet flies for trout

• Tying hairwinged flies for salmon and sea trout

6.2.Techniques

• Hair winging

• Feather fibre winging

• Feather slip winging

• Palmered hackles

• Pheasant crest tailing

• Dubbed bodies

6.3.Fly Patterns

Blue Charm (Hairwing)

Hook 6 – 10 Salmon single hook

Thread – Black

Tag – Fine oval silver tinsel

Tail – Golden pheasant crest

Body – Black floss

Rib – Fine oval silver tinsel

Hackle – Blue cock or hen beard hackle

Wing – Grey squirrel tail

 

Connemara Black

Hook – 10 – 14 wet fly.  8 for sea trout

Thread – Black

Tail – Golden pheasant crest

Body – Black seal’s fur dubbing

Rib – Fine oval silver tinsel

Hackle – Black cock with blue jay outside, tied as beard hackle

Wing – Bronze mallard

 

Soldier Palmer

Hook – 10 – 16 wet fly

Tread – Black

Tail – Scarlet wool

Body – Scarlet wool

Rib – Fine oval gold

Hackle – Red game cock, palmered

 

Butcher

Hook – 10 – 16 wet fly, 8 for sea trout

Thread – Black

Tail – Red ibis substitute

Body – Flat silver tinsel

Rib – Fine oval silver tinsel

Hackle – Black cock or hen, tied as a beard

Wing – Blue mallard feather slips.  The feathers are often described as “Butcher Blues

Cheltenham and Gloucester Fly Dressers’ Guild

Fly dressing syllabus

3

2. Basic Techniques

2.1.Objectives

· Tying simple hackled flies, e.g. Williams’ Favourite, Black Pennell, Partridge and Orange.

2.2.Techniques

· Starting a fly.

· Whip finish by hand, the conventional whip-finish tool, the rotating handle whip-finishing tool

and the half-hitch tool.

· Tying thread body, floss body.

· Ribbing – Fine silver wire.

· Tails – Cock hackle fibres, Golden pheasant tippets.

· Hackling – Cock hackles, game bird hackles.

2.3.Fly Patterns

Partridge and Orange (Wet)

Hook – Down-eyed 14

Body – Orange thread (traditionally Pearsell’s)

Rib – Fine gold wire (optional)

Williams’ Favourite (Wet or dry)

Hook – Down-eyed 8 – 14

Thread – Black

Tail – Black cock

Body – Tying thread

Rib – Fine silver wire

Hackle – Black cock, long in fibre. Black hen may be used for the wet fly.

Head - Black

This pattern is often tied without tails and sometimes with a floss body, instead of tying thread. It

may be fished wet or dry, although it is normally considered a wet fly.

Black Pennell (Wet)

Hook – Down-eyed 10 -14

Thread – Black

Tail – Golden pheasant tippets

Body – Black floss

Rib – Oval silver tinsel

Hackle – Black cock, tied sparsely

Head – Black

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Cheltenham and Gloucester Fly Dressers’ Guild

Fly dressing syllabus

4

3. Further Basic Techniques

3.1.Objectives

· Tying nymphs and lures, mainly for use on stillwaters

3.2.Techniques

· Beard hackles

· Winging and tailing with marabou

· Chenille bodies

· Weighting with beads, bead chains and lead

3.3.Fly Patterns

Y Daiwl Bach

Hook – 10-12 down-eye

Thread – Black

Tail – Red game hen or cock hackle fibres

Body – Peacock herl

Hackle – Red game cock or hen tied as a beard hackle.

Buzzer

Hook – Down-eye or shrimp 10-14

Thread – Black

Body – Black floss

Rib – Fine flat silver tinsel

Thorax –Bronze peacock herl, three strands twisted

Breathing filaments – White floss or stands of fine wool tied in at head.

Alternative colours for the body floss are orange, red, green, olive or brown.

Gold Head Damsel Nymph

Hook – Long shank 8-10

Thread – Olive

Head – Gold bead

Tail – Olive marabou

Body – Marabou wound around the thread

Rib – Fine gold wire, oval or flat tinsel

Hackle – Olive hen

Bead Chain Eyed Damsel Nymph

Hook – Long shank 8-10

Thread – Olive

Eyes – Bead chain

Tail – Olive marabou

Body – Marabou wound around the thread

Rib – Fine gold wire, oval or flat tinsel

Hackle – Olive hen

Wing case – Olive goose

Cheltenham and Gloucester Fly Dressers’ Guild

Fly dressing syllabus

5

Green-butt Tadpole

Hook – Long shank 6-10

Thread – Black

Under body – Lead wire

Tail – Black marabou

Butt – Fluorescent green chenille

Body – Black chenille

Rib – Fine oval silver

Can also be tied using white marabou and chennile

Viva

Hook – 6-10 Long shank

Thread – Black

Tail – Fluorescent green tag

Body – Black chenille

Rib – Flat fine silver tinsel

Wing – Black marabou and squirrel mixed (marabou with squirrel over and marabou over the

squirrel)

Fly dressing syllabus

6

4. Nymphs

4.1.Objectives

· Tying nymphs mainly for use in rivers

4.2.Techniques

· Dubbed bodies

· Herl bodies

· Wing cases

4.3.Fly Patterns

Collyer’s Green Nymph

Hook – 10 – 12 wet fly

Thread – Olive

Body and tail – Olive dyed goose herl

Rib – Fine oval gold tinsel

Wing case – Olive dyed goose

Thorax – Olive dyed ostrich herl

Collyer’s Brown Nymph

Hook – 10 – 12 wet fly

Thread – Brown

Body and tail – Cock pheasant tail herl

Rib – Fine oval gold tinsel

Wing case – Cock pheasant tail herl

Thorax – Chestnut dyed ostrich herl

Gold-ribbed Hare’s Ear Nymph

Hook – 10 – 14 long shank

Thread – Brown

Tail – Hare’s fur (Body fur is longer and easier to use for tailing)

Body – Dubbed hare’s mask

Rib – Fine gold wire or oval tinsel

Wing case – Black herl, e.g. dyed black turkey or crow

Thorax – Hare’s mask or body, picked out.

Gold Head Hare’s Ear

Hook – 10 – 14 round bend

Thread – Brown

Head – Gold bead

Tail – Hare’s fur (Body fur is longer and easier to use for tailing)

Body – Dubbed hare’s mask

Rib – Fine gold wire or oval tinsel

Cheltenham and Gloucester Fly Dressers’ Guild

Fly dressing syllabus

7

5. Wet Flies, Simple Flies for Salmon and Sea Trout

5.1.Objectives

· Tying more complex wet flies for trout

· Tying hairwinged flies for salmon and sea trout

5.2.Techniques

· Hair winging

· Feather fibre winging

· Feather slip winging

· Palmered hackles

· Pheasant crest tailing

· Dubbed bodies

5.3.Fly Patterns

Blue Charm (Hairwing)

Hook 6 – 10 Salmon single hook

Thread – Black

Tag – Fine oval silver tinsel

Tail – Golden pheasant crest

Body – Black floss

Rib – Fine oval silver tinsel

Hackle – Blue cock or hen beard hackle

Wing – Grey squirrel tail

Connemara Black

Hook – 10 – 14 wet fly. 8 for sea trout

Thread – Black

Tail – Golden pheasant crest

Body – Black seal’s fur dubbing

Rib – Fine oval silver tinsel

Hackle – Black cock with blue jay outside, tied as beard hackle

Wing – Bronze mallard

Soldier Palmer

Hook – 10 – 16 wet fly

Tread – Black

Tail – Scarlet wool

Body – Scarlet wool

Rib – Fine oval gold

Hackle – Red game cock, palmered

Fly dressing syllabus

8

Butcher

Hook – 10 – 16 wet fly, 8 for sea trout

Thread – Black

Tail – Red ibis substitute

Body – Flat silver tinsel

Rib – Fine oval silver tinsel

Hackle – Black cock or hen, tied as a beard

Wing – Blue mallard feather slips. The feathers are often described as “Butcher Blues”