A little jig with a couple of nice techniques for breathing gills and a shell back. Hook: Barbless jig # 12 Bead: 4mm silver slotted Tungsten Tying thread: Sheer 14/0 Olive Tag: Red Floss Rib: Fine silver wire Shell back: … Continue reading How to tie the bottom crawler jig nymph
One of John Goddard’s lesser known but extremely effective patterns. The original JG emerger used a brown and grizzle hackle mixed for the parachute here I use only a brown dyed grizzle along with a special technique for splitting the … Continue reading How to tie the JG emerger variant
The smallest of the up-winged may flies. Although ideally matched on a # 20-26 hook it is possible to get away with a # 18. A couple of interesting techniques here for the tails and wing. Just change the colour … Continue reading How to tie a Ceanis / Trico spinner dry fly
A little cased caddis fly larva that is extremely simple to tie. You can mix and match the hook size and colour of hackles used to match the debris that the larva use in your your local waters. Hook: Mustad … Continue reading How to tie a stick fly larva
Take a well known pattern and fish catcher and turn it into a Jig that has a couple of nice techniques and is super fast to tie. What more could you ask for ? Hook: Veniard Osprey Barbless Jig # … Continue reading How to tie the Brassie Jig nymph
Heres one of my moose mane nymphs, that can be fished wet or dry. Although it may look a little challenging, it’s a relatively straight forward tie that includes a few good techniques that can be put to use in … Continue reading How to tie the moose mane nymph
A quick and super easy wire body midge pupa that is almost indestructible. Tie it in whatever colour and size you like. Hook: Mustad C49S # 14 or smaller Tying thread: Sheer 14/0 Black Body: UTC Ultra wire, colour of … Continue reading How to tie the Ultra midge
A great pattern when the trout are selective. Only basic materials are needed for this ‘ must have’ pattern for the caddis specialist, that can be fished static or as a skater. An easy tie with a couple of interesting … Continue reading How to tie the Poly wing caddis
A nice pattern for most of the larger mayfly nymphs. Not only an easy but semi realistic tie but an extremely effective pattern with some good techniques that can be used for other nymphs. Hook: Mustad R74 # 10 Tying … Continue reading How to tie a large mayfly nymph
This extremely popular attractor started life as a parachute Adams with a purple body. There are many interpretations of the purple haze, this is just one of them. Why it works, we don’t know but the fish just love it! … Continue reading How to tie the Purple Haze parachute
A superb little CDC generic mayfly emerger that ticks all the boxes when the hatch is on. Tied in most sizes and colour combinations this is one of my top trout flies. Hook: Mustad C49S # 10 Tying thread: Sheer … Continue reading How to tie a CDC mayfly emerger
One of the legacy patterns from the late Andre Puyans. An ultra simple may fly emerger that only requires basic skill and materials. Tied correctly it will take fish just about all year round on both river and still waters. … Continue reading How to tie the AP Pontoon emerger
Although this nymph is approaching 70 years old, it’s originator, Artist & illustrator John Atherton used European kingfisher for the original wing case. Perhaps using its iridescent blue to imitate the gas filled wing case of an emerging nymph, or … Continue reading How to tie the Atherton Medium nymph
A simple yet extremely effective pattern that is easy to tie, but commands a little technique. A Deer hair drake with a parachute hackle that will float all day long and fool the most selective trout. Hook: Mustad R43 #8 … Continue reading How to tie a deer hair drake
Heres an older pattern for a wet mayfly that can still hold its own today. Although not fished so much any longer this elegant style of mayfly is a pure pleasure to tie with its simple materials on a small … Continue reading How to tie a mayfly wet
A cracking little nymph with lots of bling. Three great materials, copper wire, Pheasant tail and peacock herl make this a great pocket water pattern that gets down deep quick. Hook: Mustad R73 # 10 Tying thread: Black 6/0 Tail: … Continue reading How to tie the Copper Nymph
One of the most highly regarded Irish wet flies tied here for both trout and sea trout. Not only a killer pattern but a great fly for the new beginner to tie and have success with. Hook: Mustad S70 # 8 … Continue reading How to tie a Bibio & Jungle Bibio
One fly to match them all. A simple but extremely effective cripple mayfly pattern that with a little adjustment to size and colour will produce fish in most hatches. Hook: Mustad C49S # 10 Tying thread: Sheer 14/0 grey Trailing … Continue reading How to tie a cripple mayfly emerger
Another good simple pattern that is quick & easy to tie. This generic caddis pupa has a couple of nice techniques and can be tied in a number of sizes, colours and weight to match your hatch or favourite pocket … Continue reading How to tie a simple Caddis pupa
A very quick and easy but realistic little stonefly that can be fished as an egg layer or spent. Tied on sizes 14-18 its perfect for the late summer – autumn hatch of needle flies. Hook: Mustad R43 # 14 … Continue reading How to tie a fluttering stonefly dry fly
One of the most popular patterns in the UK in recent years. When using marabou, the key to getting it right, is to get as much animation in the pattern as possible, it helps using the right marabou in combination … Continue reading How to tie the blue flash damsel
The most popular dry fly in the world with a spun deer hair body! Could it get any better? The full tutorial on tying the Adams irresistible. Hook: Mustad R30 # 10 Tying thread: Dyneema or GSP and Sheer black … Continue reading How to tie Adams irresistible dry fly
During late summer & autumn large numbers of crane flies begin to hatch and loose the battle against the elements and end their life on the water as trout food. This daddy long legs pattern has quick & easy detached … Continue reading Deer hair daddy long legs dry fly
This one feather flat-wing is a cracking pattern not only for the salt, but when tied in black or olive is a great fresh water big fish pattern. If you haven’t tied flat wings before this is probably the best … Continue reading How to tie Orange Ruthless flatwing streamer
One of the early British still water patterns created by Ken Sinfoil for catching ‘fry bashing’ trout. Fry bashing is the equivalent of a hatch but with newly hatched coarse fish fry. In August these large shoals of fry gather … Continue reading Sinfoil’s Fry, a bait fish streamer
A very quick and easy, effective dry fly pattern for plant eating carp. The Mustad C67S super strong, egg, caddis hook, is kept afloat beautifully with this combination of CDC and marabou. Hook: Mustad C67S # 8 … Continue reading Grass Carp Salad dry fly
Marc Petitjean CDC Emerger MP 2100 A very simple but yet effective, all CDC emerger that uses a few nice CDC techniques for a super buoyant Hi-Vis emerger. Marc Petitjean pattern MP 2100 Fly tying materials for Petitjean MP 2100 … Continue reading CDC Emerger MP 2100 – Petitjean
One of the true classic trout flies and without doubt the best known from the Wulff series, first tied by Lee Wulff in the early 1930’s. This version is a little unusual as its tied with a parachute hackle. Hook: … Continue reading Parachute Royal Wulff dry fly
One of the first nymphs I ever tied and fished with. Although this has the appearance of a modern nymph it was first tied back in the early 1930’s by Don Martinez from California. A great generic nymph that has … Continue reading How to tie Black Martinez nymph
An extremely quick and easy tie for an extremely effective midge pattern. A great fishing pattern that only requires the most basic of tying skills. Hook: Mustad C49S # 16-26 Tying thread: Sheer brown 14/0 Rib: Cobweb 8/0 white tying … Continue reading How to tie Top secret midge fly