Fly tying materials and tying tools reviews by Barry Ord Clarke
THE SPOOL TOWER There are constantly new tools, gadgets and other fly tying paraphernalia being launched as a must have for your fly tying bench. The truth be known, most of them are re-invented copies of existing tools or just … Continue reading The Spool Tower review
Hackle traditionally arouses the greatest passion amongst fly tyers. Cock (rooster) capes of particularly good or rare colour and those with sufficiently short barb length to enable small dry flies to be tied have always been prized. In the 60s … Continue reading Fly tying hackle guide by Barry Ord Clarke
Its not often that I recommend tools but every now and again you come across one thats just worth knowing about. Over the years I have accumulated a good deal of fly tying tools, some bought and many received as … Continue reading Stonfo Pettine comb brush review
My good friend Espen has teamed up with Marc Petitjean to produce his 25th anniversary – Limited Edition vise and it looks fantastic! Continue reading Petitjean 25th anniversary vise
Right now I am at the cottage by the sea busy writing the new book on ‘Patterns for salt water sea trout’ Heres one of the Hoodlum images. All 50 patterns in the book will be presented like this with full stage by stage tying instructions. The book is due for publication in March next year. Over the past few weeks I have had many questions regarding the tying thread I use and where it can be obtained heres the details. I will also re post the piece I did on tying with Dyneema. Veevus GSP Thread (Dyneema) A superb … Continue reading Dyneema tying thread
Ragworm The ragworms wedding as it is known, is called the springs most exciting adventure for the sea trout fishing. And if you are lucky enough to be at the right place at the right time, there is no danger … Continue reading Ragworm sea trout streamer
Since I posted the video of the Veniard 120 challenge, I have been bombarded with questions about the head gear David Edwards and myself are using! They come with three separate lenses x 2. x 2.5 and x 3 that just clip on and off. The head band is adjustable and fits all. If you wish to improve your tying these will do it overnight!! You can see the slightest mistake and the rest. Best Fly Tying Magnifying Glasses They are available from: Sandra or Dave at: The Anglers Lodge Jubilee Lakes Redworth Darlington Co Durham DL2 2UH Email:- info@anglers-lodge.co.uk … Continue reading Head gear for tying!
After much response regarding my Mutantz pattern I published last year, here is the new and improved Flying Mutant that has fished extremely well for me this year, with a few new techniques that can be applied to other patterns. … Continue reading Flying Mutantz ants
Fly tying, in most cases, begins with a fly tying kit. Unfortunately most fly tying kits can result in the same frustration as starting to tie too difficult patterns. When you open a fly tying kit for the very first … Continue reading Fly tying kit – Build your own
For all my German friends. In 2014, I will have deliverd fly tying step by step articles for the the top German Magazine ‘Rute und Rolle’ every month for the past twenty years! In december this year they will publish a whole special fly tying issue, with over 40 of my step by step patterns and a free pack of five of my favorit Mustad hooks. Danke Rute und Rolle! Continue reading Rute und Rolle
Throughout my many years tying flies, I quickly understood that one of the most important tools are the scissors you use. During this time I have accumulated several dozen pairs of scissors, in all forms, shapes and sizes, but if I am honest, I have only four scissors that are constantly in use. 1. A pair of small extra fine pointed cuticle scissors for all the small detailed work and thread. 2. A General purpose serrated scissors for cutting tinsel, wire and heavier gauge materials. 3. A pair of long bladed straight scissors for larger jobs like preparing … Continue reading Running with scissors.
The ultimate UV tool is now available! If you use Bug Bond, the new professional curing light is now available! One of the main advantages with this new mains operated foot pedal adapter is that you have full power constantly for optimal curing. You can order your Bug Bond mains adapter now from: It will also be available from all Veniard stockist soon! So what’s new… For those of you that have seen me tie at any of the shows this year, you may have seen me using, the Professional UV light. A new attachment for the Bug Bond light, that … Continue reading Pedal power for Bug Bond is now available!
Being no stranger to stripping and tying with quills, I was eager to try these new hand stripped peacock herl from Polish quills. At first sight I must say I was a little disappointed with the short length of the quills, they are approximately 6 cm in length, from end to end and have a usable area of about 5 cm. But I gave them a go and was pleasantly surprised that you could actually get quite a good length of body out of each quill. No doubt the shortness of the quill is reflected in where the herl is … Continue reading Playing with Polish Quills
Keeping on the theme of melt glue I thought I would show you this pattern that has a little different technique than the Mutant. Here I combine the material into the melt glue. It does take a little practice and time to master these melt glue techniques but the results are worth it! For more general info on caddis pupa take a look at the Bee Cee caddis in the archive. Melt Glue Caddis Pupa: Hook: Mustad C49SNP-BR # 12-8 Thread: Dyneema Body: Melt Glue Gills/rib: Olive Ostrich herl Thorax/Head: Black and brown Antron dubbing and CdC Continue reading Melt Glue Caddis Pupa
This is a tutorial I made with my good friend Marc Petitjean to demonstrate how he uses the magic tool and a few other CdC techniques he has up his sleeve. If you are not familiar with Marc’s tools and … Continue reading CdC tutorial with Marc Petitjean part 1
The reverse foil Gammarus I cant really say much about this pattern as I only designed it and tied it up a couple of hours ago while playing with the new Shrimp Foils. But I could see right away when I started messing around with them that if I tied the foil onto the hook in reverse it could possibly bee a decent gammarus shell back! Hook: Mustad C49SNP # 8 Tying thread: Dyneema Feelers: Partridge hackle Underbody: Seals fur Shell back: Shrimp foil small with Bug Bond Rib: Clear mono 1 Secure your Mustad C49SNP hook in … Continue reading How to tie reverse foil Gammarus
Deer hair is normally described as hollow, This doesn´t mean that it´s hollow like a drinking straw, but that each hair is built up of hundreds of small air filled cells. This type of hair structure is most defined in deer from areas with an extreme winter climate. The result, the colder it is, the better the spinning qualities, with some exceptions. The hair from our own reindeer and the north american caribou. In order to achieve optimal insulation, these hairs hold so many air cells that they have a tendency to be brittle, and break under the pressure of … Continue reading European Roe Deer hair tying material
If you are after a realistic sand eel, these are the way to go! This is the first time I have used the Deer Creek Fish Headz and I have to say they are the best self adhesive heads I have used to date. Available in a great selection of colours and sizes, I am glad to say even extra small which are the perfect size for salt water sea trout patterns. Unlike some of the other self adhesive heads these are already coated and are flexible, almost rubber like and adhere extremely well to the materials I have used … Continue reading Deer Creek Fish Headz
My first attempt with some of the great Virtual Nymph products I received at the weekend and Bug Bond. Not 100% happy with the results, but when I have played a little more, I will be making the full step by step for this Stone fly nymph. Hook: Mustad Slow death 33862NP-BR Thread: Dyneema Tail: Porcupine guard hairs Underbody: Natural seal fur Dubbing Body: Natural nymph skin Wing cases Virtual nymph stone clinger wing-buds and heads coated with Bug Bond Legs: Turkey biots coated with Bug Bond Antenna: Porcupine guard hairs Continue reading Virtual Nymph
The Dyna King fly tying vise review: It all started with the thought of purchasing a new vise for the photography of salt water flies for my new book. I needed one that had full rotation in all directions, horizontally, … Continue reading Dyna King Ultimate Indexer review
Confessions of a glue user… For over two decades I have been a serious user of various types and brands of two component bonding agents and epoxy in my fly tying and rod building, all of which have their (highs … Continue reading Bug Bond UV cure resin Multi LED Kit
The Midas nymph is my rendition on a more common pattern called the copper John, which uses copper wire instead of gold oval tinsel amongst other things. The interesting thing about the copper John, according to Bruce Olsen sales manager … Continue reading The Midas touch, confessions of a nymph-omaniac.
Presentation is alfa and omega when fishing emergers. This incredibly simple pattern, truly, it only takes a few minutes to tie! makes emergers into immergers. This technique places your pattern right below the surface film (immersed) as if the insect … Continue reading Deer Hair Immerger
This is a quick and simple parachute technique that requires only deer hair and Bug Bond. Hook: Mustad C49 Tying thread: Dyneema Body: Moose mane hair Hackle: Roe deer hair and Bug Bond Thorax: Underfur from deer or moose winter … Continue reading How to tie Fender Parachute fly
To find a simpler dun mayfly imitation will be difficult. All you need in the way of materials is one long fibered CdC feather and a short foam cylinder and a hook. I named the fly “All In One” as the whole fly is tied with the same one CdC feather. You need to practice a little if the techniques I us are unfamiliar too you, but with a little practice or after you have tied a half dozen or so, it only takes about two minutes to tie this simple but effective pattern. All in one floats fantastic as … Continue reading All in one… a three minute dun mayfly pattern.
Tying with melt glue does require a little more practice and patience than most regular materials. But the results can be rewarding! Melt glue is a material that one has to get used to using. Once its mastered, it can … Continue reading Tying flies with a gun
The original Thunder creek streamer series came from the vice of American, Keith Fulsher. In the early sixties, not satisfied with the regular head and eye size of streamers, he began experimenting and chose the reverse buck tail technique for his Thunder creek patterns. This technique involves tying the buck tail, as the technique suggests, the opposite way and then folding it back over the hook shank and tying down to form the head. The simplicity of this pattern and the minimal materials needed to tie it, is fly design at its very best! He achieved his goal, a slim … Continue reading Bug Bond Thunder Creek streamer
Apparently trout roe patterns have been working well for they Grayling guys in the UK recently. This ones for you. Continue reading Grayling Heroe-Trout egg
From late autumn until early spring the majority of bait fish around our coastline leave the shallows and head out for deeper water where they will be protected from the bitter cold of winter. Many of the species of shrimp that can be found on the other hand move into deeper tidal pools and onto shelves were the coastline is steeper. Therefor shrimps are on the coastal sea trout’s menu the whole year round, and are found in great numbers all over Northern Europe’s coastline. These are particularly important to fly fishermen because they mature in the shallows where we … Continue reading How to tie Shrimp for all seasons
The original pattern this is based on is form the vice of my late, old friend Jack Gartside. This is not only an extremely effective pattern but also requires the minimum materials and once you have mastered the technique is … Continue reading E-Z Sand Eel – step by step
The summer coat of the European Roe has fine tapered hair, is ideal for wings and tails for many traditional dry fly patterns. Continue reading Summer coat European Roe deer hair
The dense buoyant hair from the winter coat of the European Roe. Continue reading Winter coat
This is one of my most popular posts, that I made when I first started blogging, but here it is again in three parts, updated with new techniques and images. Deer hair is normally described as hollow, This doesn´t mean that it´s hollow like a drinking straw, but that each hair is built up of hundreds of small air filled cells. This type of hair structure is most defined in deer from areas with an extreme winter climate. The result, the colder it is, the better the spinning qualities, with some exceptions. The hair from our own reindeer and the … Continue reading European Roe Deer Hair, tools and top tying tips part 1
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