The Matuka Tobis
This is a pattern I designed for sea trout fishing in the early 90s. Initially as a sand eel imitation but over the years its proven itself as a general streamer that has worked well for most trout fishing. You can substitute the Vulturine guinea fowl will regular blue dyed cock hackles if you wish.
Wally wing hatch matcher
A very simple, but semi realistic pattern that has only two materials, natural mallard flank feathers and a single blue dun CDC hackle. Although the technique requires a little dexterity, take your time and you’ll soon master it!
Flytying Techniques…
After a whole load of work, I am pleased to announce that you can use the link below for UK orders. I will be posting a link for US, Canada and the French publication orders in the next few weeks, as and when they become available.
276 x 216 mm, 256 pages, over 30 patterns step by step beautifully photographed, each and every pattern with a QR code video link to the author tying every fly featured, all for only £25. The book can also be ordered from: Amazon
http://www.merlinunwin.co.uk/bookDetails.asp?bookId=210&categoryId=
Copper John pheasant tail
This slender little pheasant tail with a copper wire abdomen is a combination of two classics. A great pattern for a generic nymph, that is easy to tie, in even the smallest sizes. A must for all fly boxes.
Flytying Techniques
Dear Feather Bender subscribers and viewers,
I wanted to personally thank you all for your continuing support.
Your interest in my site has kept me motivated in producing new content and videos. I am also pleased to say, and as you can probably see above, the new book, “The Feather Bender’s Flytying Techniques” is due for publication at the end of this month!
Although the book focuses on techniques and materials, it has 28 patterns all illustrated with detailed step by step images. This will be the first flytying book to pair up every featured pattern with its own bespoke matching YouTube video: you’ll get the best of both worlds!
The book will be available in the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Europe in both English & French languages.
I will be posting order details for the book when the shops have it in stock at the end of the month.
I will also be doing signings in:
England, Scotland, Ireland & France. I’ll post the location and dates as and when they are confirmed.
Meanwhile, I really appreciate your on-going support by continuing to watch and share my videos, revisiting my YouTube channel and blog, and posting creative and constructive comments.
I would not have been able to keep going or produce the book without your enthusiasm, so thank you all!
Yours truly,
Barry Ord Clarke, aka – The Feather Bender.
Slim Jim Stone fly
A quick and easy sparsely dressed, adult stone fly that works well for both the early and late season hatches of needle fly. For a lower profile try trimming away the hackle fibres on the underside of the hook.
Ultra quick mayfly nymph
Something for the weekend! A quick semi realistic generic mayfly nymph, that can be tied in various colours and sizes to match the hatch.
Burn after fishing muddler
If you are out after attracting bigger trout the BAF is a good ‘go-to’ pattern for searching water. Not a challenging pattern to tie, and if you have done Zonkers & Muddlers before, you’ll find it easy! I Like the natural colours but mix and match your own, in everything from all black to more vivid combos.
Quill Cul midge emerger
This is a quick and simple midge emerger that works well all year round. Use 3 or 4 CDC hackles for the wing, this in combination with the oversized hook makes the pattern hang vertically in the surface film for perfect presentation.
Tying the Troth Super Skater
This skater pattern from Al Troth is a simple pattern but demands a little practice. Only two small clumps of elk rump hair tied back to back make this almost unsinkable. Not only a great attractor when fished as a skater, but also a formidable Daddy long-legs imitation for late summer.
Tying a free swimming blood worm
These small hemoglobin filled midge larvae are high on the list of the most important trout foods globally. This is a very realistic, almost soft bait imitation, that is not only extremely effective and robust but also very quick to tie.
Tying a Sulphur Dun mayfly
This is a low riding pattern that works well when the sulphur mayfly (Heptagenia sulphuria) duns are on the water. The close clipped underside of the hackle makes for a very natural footprint.
Tying the double bubble
One of my “secret” patterns that has worked really well for me over the years, it almost makes fishing easy! Not representing anything in particular but just one of those flies that bring fish up.
Large mayfly nymph
A mixed media nymph that is a real easy tie but still ticks all the boxes for a good large burrowing mayfly nymph imitation. The main trigger features of the nymph are accentuated to give it a higher attractor factor.
Tying the Jassid
The little Jassid is from Vince Marinaro’s book A Modern Dry Fly Code and was an extremely popular pattern until Jungle cock became more difficult to obtain. The jungle cock nail feather can be substituted with any small dark feather and highlighted with a drop of white varnish or UV resin.
Egg laying caddis
This egg depositing caddis is a great pattern when the egg laying females are on the water. A simple tie that can be a game changer.
Tying the double decker
This is a simple technique for a double wing comparadun, that can be tied in various sizes and shades to imitate a whole load of low riding mayfly duns.
SIM Fly Festival 2019
The coming weekend 22-23 June I will be tying deer hair flies at the Sim fly festival in Italy. The event takes place at the home of the Italian Fly Fishing Museum in the Convento della Maddalena. If you haven’t visited this show and you have chance its amazing! The show is located on the banks of the famous Sangro trout river in the beautiful mountain village of Castel di Sangro. This is not a commercial affair, this is a show for fly tying and fly fishing enthusiasts where you can meet and talk to some of the worlds finest fly tyers and single hand casters. If you find yourself in our part of the world, please, please don’t miss this show, you will be made welcome with open arms.
I hope to see you there…. Ciao
Tying the Great Grey Caddis
A large adult caddis fly for the mid summer hatch. With a wonder wing and a mixed hackle / over wing, of partridge and medium grey dun Herbert Miner rooster. Skated over the surface with short pulls, this is a great attractor pattern.
Blue winged olive nymph
This little blue winged olive nymph normally tied in sizes 16-20 is a quick and easy tie that works well as a generic pattern for most small mayfly nymphs.
Lightning Bug
One of the best selling nymphs in North America and rated by many as one of the top ten must have trout flies! A quick and easy pattern that can be tied in just about any colour wished, with a nice tail and leg technique.
A small black thing…
The SBT or ‘small black thing’ is a pattern that I would not go trout fishing without. This nondescript pattern works well all year round when there are small black flies on the water or when the fish won’t take anything else. With a white foam cylinder post that doubles as a great sight indicator for smaller flies.
MP 2404 mayfly nymph
This heavy up side down CDC mayfly nymph is a variant of Marc Petitjean’s MP 2404, that incorporates an off bead used as a keel to keep the nymph fishing the correct way.
Green drake emerger
This green drake emerger is an effective pattern when there are prolific hatches and the fish are playing hard to get. Tie it in different sizes and colours and it works well for many species of emerging mayfly.
