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
Tandems or flies tied with a flying treble or double like Hugh Falkus’s famous Sunk Lure, have been used for sea trout fishing for decades. There are many ways of connecting the trailing hook to the leading hook but my … Continue reading Sunk Lure for sea trout
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
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 How to tie the yellow mayfly step by step
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
One of the beautiful Bergman wet flies that is a treat to tie. There is something I find very therapeutic about tying these classic wets, but if I am doing a dozen or so, in one sitting, I become totally … Continue reading The Colonel Fuller wet fly
A very simple but yet effective, all CDC emerger that uses a few nice CDC techniques for a super buoyant Hi-Vis emerger. Petitjean pattern MP 2100 Hook: Mustad C49S # 10 Tying thread: Sheer 14/0 Olive Post: 2 Light Mallow … Continue reading CDC Emerger MP 2100 – Petitjean
Streamers and lures that have a ‘black’ base colour probably catch more fish than any other colour! The Ace of spades was designed by UK still water angler Dave Collyer in the early 1970’s. Normally fished deep and slow on … Continue reading Ace of Spades streamer
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
This is my portrait of the late great Norwegian fly tyer, Erling Sand at his tying bench in his fly shop. He spent many hours each day tying flies to order, and building up his shop stock, if you look … Continue reading Verre enn minken – Worse than a mink!
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
As a little project I’m going to tie up a set of old Norwegian dry fly patterns that have almost been forgotten, but I’m having problems with finding the original recipes. As with the featured image above of ‘The Kaktus’ … Continue reading Traditional Norwegian trout patterns
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
When the egg layers are active your waders can be a popular place to deposit the eggs! Its that time of year when an egg laying caddis is an essential addition to your fly box! Heres an easy pattern that … Continue reading How to tie Egg laying caddis dry fly
The scruffy squirrel nymph is a great all rounder and a good alternative to a hares ear. The combination of squirrel dubbing and a rib of Ultra lace tubing makes a very buggy morsel that ticks all the boxes for … Continue reading How to tie Scruffy Squirrel nymph
A great little caddis pattern that has a few nice techniques. The super buoyant combination of CDC and deer hair make this pattern almost un-sinkable. Hook: Mustad R43 # 12 Tying thread: Petitjean SS Olive Abdomen: Fluorescent Green CDC hackle … Continue reading How to tie Midsummer Caddis dry fly
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 How to tie the Ugly May dry fly
Yet another quick and simple, but effective pattern, that requires only basic skills and materials. Fish it not only as a generic Coleoptera but also as something thats just buggy! Hook: Mustad R30 # 12 Tying thread: Sheer 14/0 Claret … Continue reading Brown & Peacock Beetle dry fly
A very quick and easy variant of the classic pheasant tail nymph, using only a sparse amount of materials. One for the box in various sizes and colours. Hook: Mustad R 74 # 10 Tying thread: Sheer 14/0 Tail: Pheasant … Continue reading Magic Glass Pheasant tail
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 How to tie Clarke’s No Hackle Emerger
A damsel nymph tied in the Montana nymph style. A great pattern, especially for still waters and as a stalking bug. Tie it in your favorite colours and the more weight you add at the head the more aggressive the … Continue reading How to tie Montana Damsel nymph