Skip to content
thefeatherbender fly tying logo

HOW TO TIE FLIES | THEFEATHERBENDER

  • HOME
  • Dry flies
    • Daddy long legs fly
    • Ant fly
  • Emerger flies
  • Nymph flies
    • Caddis pupa flies
  • Fly fishing Streamers
    • Sea trout flies
    • Saltwater flies
    • Salmon flies
  • Wet Flies
  • Midge fly
  • Foam daddy
  • Stonefly patterns
  • Larvae
  • Shrimp
  • Tying Techniques
  • Tying for Beginners
  • Step by Step
  • Materials-tools Reviews
    • Best fly tying bobbins
    • Petitjean Magic tool
  • Deer Hair techniques
  • Fly Fair
  • Fly Fishing
    • Top 10 Trout Fly Patterns
    • Chironomid fly patterns
  • Book Reviews
    • Best Fly Tying Books
    • Best Fly Fishing Books
    • Fly Tying for Beginners Book
  • About Barry Ord Clarke

Tag: Mayfly patterns

Mayfly patterns Tying Instructions by Barry Ord Clarke

Emerger flies
A great little Ginger Quill emerger tied by Barry Ord Clarke

Ginger Quill emerger

May 15, 2025May 15, 2025 barryoc

A great little emerger that is very quick to tie. An effective midge or small mayfly emerger that works all year round. Tie it in whatever colour you require, using the best colour para post for you too see at … Continue reading Ginger Quill emerger

Emerger fliesLeave a comment
Tactical Emerger fly by Barry Ord Clarke

Tactical Emerger

March 15, 2025March 15, 2025 barryoc

Another fishy pattern that uses deer hair, moose mane and CDC for a great emerger that can be used for both caddis and mayfly hatches. A cheeky segmented quill body made from 3 Moose mane hairs, a wing of deer … Continue reading Tactical Emerger

Dry fliesLeave a comment
Snow shoe dun dry fly by Barry Ord Clarke

Snow shoe dun

February 18, 2025March 7, 2025 barryoc

This follow up video from the snow shoe rabbit foot prep video, shows how to position and measure the wing and tail for a mayfly dun. Also using the snow shoe underfur for dubbing the body. This pattern can be … Continue reading Snow shoe dun

Dry flies
Adams hair wing dun tied by Barry Ord Clarke.

Adams hair wing dun

January 29, 2025January 29, 2025 barryoc

If you are looking for a superb all round mayfly dun pattern, that is easy to tie and will work for just about any mayfly hatch, if you match the correct hook size and colour – you need look no … Continue reading Adams hair wing dun

Dry flies
Sparkle Mayfly Dun tied by Barry Ord Clarke

Sparkle Mayfly Dun

January 28, 2025January 28, 2025 barryoc

This is probably the most important and universal mayfly dun that you can have in your box! The Craig Mathews sparkle dun is a no hackle pattern that can be tied in just about any size and colour to match … Continue reading Sparkle Mayfly Dun

Dry flies
Para weld Mayfly dry fly tied by barry ord clarke

Para weld Mayfly

January 22, 2025January 22, 2025 barryoc

An absolute must pattern if you are fishing mayfly hatches! Some very different and interesting techniques for this unusual parachute pattern, including my Para weld parachute technique. Once this technique is mastered, it can be used for any size or … Continue reading Para weld Mayfly

Dry flies
The Emaciated Mayfly tied by Barry Ord Clarke

The Emaciated Mayfly

October 31, 2023October 31, 2023 barryoc

A relatively new pattern that I have only fished with this season, that has proven extremely effective, especially in the smaller sizes. Consisting of a CDC detached body and a comparadun wing of CDL and CDC, this extremely simple pattern … Continue reading The Emaciated Mayfly

Dry fliesLeave a comment
Luis Meana Baeza PM14GAfl mayfly

Luis Meana Baeza Fly PM14GAFL mayfly

November 21, 2022November 21, 2022 barryoc

This extraordinary style of mayfly dun from Spanish fly tyer Luis Means Baeza is a very interesting pattern, with several unique and innovative, techniques and uses of materials well worth watching to the very end. PM14GAFL mayfly pattern How to … Continue reading Luis Meana Baeza Fly PM14GAFL mayfly

Dry fliesLeave a comment
Detached body mayfly dry fly

Detached body mayfly dry fly

August 16, 2022August 16, 2022 barryoc

Another great pattern with a simple tool. If you enjoyed the detached body crane fly you’ll love this mayfly.  Heres the full video on how to prepare the material and weld the body. Followed by the full tying sequence for … Continue reading Detached body mayfly dry fly

Dry fliesLeave a comment
Devaux style CDL Mayfly tied by Barry Ord Clarke

Devaux style CDL Mayfly

June 2, 2022June 2, 2022 barryoc

One of the classic patterns. This Devaux style Coq de Leon Mayfly creates a very attractive footprint or silhouette and floats extremely well. I use this style of fly when fishing the larger mayfly hatches for Danica and Vulgate. With … Continue reading Devaux style CDL Mayfly

Dry flies1 Comment
Regan’s Mayfly Spinner dry fly tied by Barry Ord Clarke

Regan’s Mayfly Spinner

March 16, 2022March 16, 2022 barryoc

A very interesting pattern that puts deer hair to good use for both the body and the wing post. Often used on a # 6 XL hook for the great Hex hatch, but tied on smaller sizes it works well … Continue reading Regan’s Mayfly Spinner

Dry fliesLeave a comment
CDC Mayfly Dun tied by Barry Ord Clarke

CDC Mayfly Dun dry fly

February 25, 2022March 1, 2022 barryoc

An extremely effective Hi-Viz, Hi floating mayfly dun. This little pattern has a few interesting techniques that help make this a deadly choice on the end of your line during mayfly time.  CDC Mayfly Dun fly pattern Hook: Mustad R30 … Continue reading CDC Mayfly Dun dry fly

Dry fliesLeave a comment
Mayfly Stillborn - Cripple tied by Barry Ord Clarke

Mayfly Stillborn – Cripple

January 5, 2022January 5, 2022 barryoc

A very useful general purpose pattern, especially during prolific hatches, that you can easily match to the hatch by changing the colour combination of the moose mane body hairs. Mayfly Stillborn – Cripple pattern Hook: Mustad R30 # 14 Tying … Continue reading Mayfly Stillborn – Cripple

Deer Hair techniques, Dry fliesLeave a comment
Deer hair mayfly dun tied by Barry Ord Clarke

Deer hair mayfly dun

October 1, 2021October 6, 2021 barryoc

With a little preparation and practice of the special techniques, my all deer hair mayfly, can be tied in just a few minutes with a single dubbing loop. Resulting in a extremely buoyant pattern with a super dense deer hair … Continue reading Deer hair mayfly dun

Dry flies, Tying TechniquesLeave a comment
Fur hackle mayfly tied by Barry Ord Clarke

Fur hackle mayfly

June 11, 2021September 20, 2021 barryoc

Although it requires a little practice, this fur hackle technique produces a much softer presentation that floats extremely well. Here I use natural hare crosscut strip but any fur or hair can be adopted to this method. Fur hackle mayfly … Continue reading Fur hackle mayfly

Nymph fliesLeave a comment
WD 40 fly, tying by Barry Ord Clarke

WD 40 fly

March 9, 2021November 6, 2022 barryoc

WD 40 fly one of the simplest but most effective mayfly midge larva that you can have in your box. An absolute must for early season fishing! Tie it in sizes from 16 – 22 and in the most popular … Continue reading WD 40 fly

Tying Course, Tying TechniquesLeave a comment

Video from LIVE fly tying session on Orvis UK

December 10, 2020September 28, 2021 barryoc

Today I was live on Orvis UK facebook.I showed How to tie wally wing mayfly dun. One of my most popular dry fly patterns. I also answered general questions about fly tying.If you missed live watch the video! Continue reading Video from LIVE fly tying session on Orvis UK

Nymph fliesLeave a comment
large mayfly nymph tied by Barry Ord Clarke

Large mayfly nymph

September 14, 2020March 19, 2023 barryoc

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. Large mayfly nymph pattern: How to … Continue reading Large mayfly nymph

Emerger fliesLeave a comment
How to tie CDC mayfly emerger

CDC mayfly emerger

September 9, 2020September 26, 2021 barryoc

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. CDC mayfly emerger pattern recipe Hook: Mustad C49S … Continue reading CDC mayfly emerger

Wet FliesLeave a comment

Mayfly wet fly

August 31, 2020September 25, 2021 barryoc

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 Mayfly wet fly

Emerger fliesLeave a comment

Mayfly Cripple emerger

August 13, 2020September 26, 2021 barryoc

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. Mayfly Cripple emerger pattern recipe Hook: Mustad C49S # 10 Tying … Continue reading Mayfly Cripple emerger

Dry flies, Step by Step2 Comments
Yellow mayfly tied by Barry Ord Clarke

Yellow mayfly

July 24, 2020June 5, 2024 barryoc

Yellow mayfly   This is one of those technique that has recently become extremely popular again, after being more or less shelved, for over four decades. The original Wally wing was created by Canadian tyer Wally Lutz in the early … Continue reading Yellow mayfly

Dry flies, Tying TechniquesLeave a comment
fly tying Ugly May dry fly

Ugly Mayfly dun pattern

June 15, 2020September 19, 2021 barryoc

An extremely quick and easy, yet effective pattern that can be mastered by tyers of all levels. This Ugly or scruffy mayfly dun includes a few interesting techniques for making dubbing and applying it. Don’t be fooled by it’s simplicity, … Continue reading Ugly Mayfly dun pattern

Emerger fliesLeave a comment
Clarkes No Hackle Emerger tied by Barry Ord Clarke

Clarke’s No Hackle Emerger

June 5, 2020August 28, 2021 barryoc

A no hackle emerger that gives a very nice presentation of a hatching mayfly. An interesting technique that uses Para post yarn for the emerging wing and hackle. If you don’t have the Booby eyes, you can also use a … Continue reading Clarke’s No Hackle Emerger

Nymph fliesLeave a comment
fly tying Ultra Lace Mayfly nymph

Ultra Lace Mayfly nymph

May 29, 2020April 18, 2021 barryoc

  Another easy nymph technique for a long slender nymph body style that with a little adjusting will work for most larger mayfly nymphs. Hook: Mustad R75 # 10 Tying thread: UTC 70 Flou Green & Sheer 14/0 Brown Tail: … Continue reading Ultra Lace Mayfly nymph

Nymph flies3 Comments
fly tying Gill Abdomen nymph

How to tie Gill Abdomen nymph

May 26, 2020March 19, 2023 barryoc

A nice technique for making realistic mayfly nymph abdomen with simple materials. Continue reading How to tie Gill Abdomen nymph

Dry fliesLeave a comment
fly tying Muddler mayfly dry fly

How to tie Muddler mayfly dry fly

April 28, 2020September 19, 2021 barryoc

A little variant of an Al Beatty pattern with quite a few good techniques for larger Dun mayflies. A good pattern that floats well, gives a natural footprint and can be twitched to stimulate takes. Continue reading How to tie Muddler mayfly dry fly

Dry fliesLeave a comment
Hair wing Adams dry fly tied by Barry Ord Clarke

Hair wing Adams dry fly

April 10, 2020September 19, 2021 barryoc

This is a very interesting variant of one of the most popular dry flies in the world. Surprisingly this great pattern, that doubles just as well for a caddis fly as it does a mayfly is very little used, especially … Continue reading Hair wing Adams dry fly

Nymph fliesLeave a comment

Muskrat Nymph

March 30, 2020September 23, 2021 barryoc

A little variant of Andre Puyan’s famous Muskrat mayfly nymph. Muskrat Nymph pattern recipe Hook: Mustad S60 nymph hook # 8-14 Tying thread: Sheer 14/0 Brown Tail: Moose body hair Rib: Copper wire Abdomen: Muskrat fur Wing case: Moose body … Continue reading Muskrat Nymph

Dry fliesLeave a comment
fly tying Vulgata mayfly emerger by Barry Ord Clarke

Vulgata mayfly emerger

March 4, 2020September 19, 2021 barryoc

This is my take on a great pattern that my friend Svein from Vak, showed me for an emerging mayfly. Here I use a daddy long legs needle to make the detached body. The abdomen hangs and pulsates in the … Continue reading Vulgata mayfly emerger

Dry fliesLeave a comment
green drake fly - tied by Barry ord clarke

Green drake fly

February 26, 2020March 17, 2023 barryoc

The Green Drake Fly is one of the most effective dry flies for catching trout, especially in the early summer months. The fly is typically fished during the late afternoon and early evening when the Green Drake mayflies start to … Continue reading Green drake fly

Emerger fliesLeave a comment

Loop wing emerger fly Mayfly

February 24, 2020September 26, 2021 barryoc

A real quick and effective mayfly emerger that is a great pattern to have when the hatch is on. Just adjust the hook size and colour to match your hatch. How to tie loop wing emerger fly Continue reading Loop wing emerger fly Mayfly

Step by Step, Tying TechniquesLeave a comment

Origami super realistic mayfly wings – How to tie

February 18, 2020October 10, 2021 barryoc

Another tutorial on wings. This time the realistic origami wings that when coated with UV resin look like the real thing. Although not really for fishing but a nice technique if you are going to tie up some super realistic … Continue reading Origami super realistic mayfly wings – How to tie

Tying TechniquesLeave a comment
Foam body mayfly technique tied by barry ord clarke

Foam body mayfly technique

February 12, 2020October 14, 2021 barryoc

A foam extended body mayfly with a parachute hackle that will float all day long and then some. Don’t be fooled by this simple pattern that is not as challenging to tie as it looks, it just takes a little … Continue reading Foam body mayfly technique

Dry fliesLeave a comment

Reversed Parachute mayfly pattern

December 6, 2019September 18, 2021 barryoc

A reversed parachute mayfly tied on a swimming nymph hook, that will give a very natural presentation. It can be fished as a dun or cripple and includes a few interesting techniques. Buy MUSTAD signature hooks Buy VENIARD product on … Continue reading Reversed Parachute mayfly pattern

Dry fliesLeave a comment

How to tie Thorax Dun pattern

December 4, 2019September 18, 2021 barryoc

This easy but neat mayfly dun pattern has a couple of nice techniques and a wonderful finished footprint and profile, perfect for fooling even the most selective trout. Buy MUSTAD signature hooks Buy VENIARD product on AMAZON:Fly tying tools and … Continue reading How to tie Thorax Dun pattern

Emerger fliesLeave a comment

Pheasant tail shuttlecock

November 26, 2019March 19, 2023 barryoc

A pheasant tail shuttlecock that works well, both as an emerger and a cripple mayfly. A little nymph that floats vertically in the surface film. Can be fished static or tweaked ever so slightly. How to tie Pheasant tail shuttlecock … Continue reading Pheasant tail shuttlecock

Nymph fliesLeave a comment

Ultra quick mayfly nymph

August 2, 2019September 23, 2021 barryoc

Something for the weekend! A quick semi realistic generic mayfly nymph, that can be tied in various colours and sizes to match the hatch. Buy MUSTAD signature hooks Buy VENIARD product on AMAZON:Fly tying tools and materials shop TRIDENT FREE … Continue reading Ultra quick mayfly nymph

Dry fliesLeave a comment

Tying a Sulphur Dun mayfly dry fly

July 8, 2019September 18, 2021 barryoc

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. Continue reading Tying a Sulphur Dun mayfly dry fly

Nymph fliesLeave a comment

Large mayfly nymph

July 2, 2019September 19, 2022 barryoc

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. Continue reading Large mayfly nymph

Posts navigation

Older posts

Top Posts & Pages

  • Best fly tying bobbins
    Best fly tying bobbins
  • Diving caddis/sedge pattern
    Diving caddis/sedge pattern
  • Best Fly Tying Books my recommendation
    Best Fly Tying Books my recommendation

simms g4z

thefeatherbender fly tying logo
Barry Ord Clarke
Skien, Norway

Privacy Policy
© 2025 Barry Ord Clarke
 

Loading Comments...
 

You must be logged in to post a comment.

    We use cookies to personalize content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyze our traffic. You consent to our cookies if you continue to use our website