Month: November 2020

What’s In My Fly Box week #7 – Hot Ribbed Hares Ear Jig!
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What’s In My Fly Box week #7 – Hot Ribbed Hares Ear Jig!

This weeks fly is taken from the Fulling Mill Tactical River Range and is called the KJ hot ribbed hares ear.

A little bit about this fly – It’s a simple fly to tie and A “modern” take on the classic hares ear nymph, which might I add is still a widely used pattern used with confidence all over the world! With the added hot orange rib this variation of the hares ear stands out and looks super fishy! I know if I was a fish on the hunt I wouldn’t be able to resist this coming past! I use this fly when I’m targeting both trout and grayling, see the materials I’m using below and have a go and tie some up your self!

Hook – Fulling Mill Jig Force #16

Thread – Semperfli Waxed thread 12/0 black

Tail – Coq De Leon

Rib – Glo Brite no°5

Body – hares ear dubbing

Thorax – hares ear

Bead – Get Slotted Black Matt Slotted Tungsten Bead 3.0mm

Step 1 – place the bead on the hook and fix the hook in your vice.

Hook in the vice

Step 2 – start your thread off and secure the bead in place so it doesn’t move. trim away the waste piece of thread

Secure the bead

Step 3 – take your thread down toward the bend of the hook and prepare your tail material. I tend to use 6-7 Coq De Leon fibres. The tail you want to aim it to be the same length as the hook. When you’re happy, trim away the waste pieces of coq de Leon.

Adding the tail

Step 4 – take a length of Glo-Brite, here I’m using shade number 5, tie in and cover over any remaining pieces of tail and the rubbing materials.

Tie in the rib

Step 5 – take a pinch of hares ear and dub on to your thread. In this fly I’ve opted for fox squirrel to achieve a much more buggy effect to the fly.

Getting the body material ready

Step 6 – dub all the way up to just behind the bead. Aiming for a slim but tapered body.

Dubbing the body

Step 7 – take the glo brite and take open even turns up to the bead. Tie off and trim away the waste piece.

Rib the body
Trim away the waste piece

Step 8 – take another pinch of hares ear or Fox squirrel, as I’m using in this fly. this is to make the thorax of the fly.

Step 9 – take wraps to make the thorax. Whip finish and add a dab of varnish to finish the fly off

Finish the fly with a whip finish and a dab of varnish
The finished fly!

Be sure to have a go and tie your self this pattern up for your fly box!

Recent fishing outings!

Over this last weekend I’ve had the opportunity to get out and tempt some of the local grayling to my net. On Saturday I ventured out quite early before the rain set in and was rewarded with some fine looking grayling.

Sunday saw a trip to a different stretch of water I dont fish much but I know holds some great fish and sport. The river was up a little compared to Saturday but still running quite clear.

Without a doubt the fly of the weekend was a red tag Jig on the point which the majority of the fish fell victim too! See some pics below!

Fly of the weekend for me! The red tag jig 
What’s In My Fly Box week #6, Super Simple Midge!
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What’s In My Fly Box week #6, Super Simple Midge!

This weeks fly tying step by step I’m tying you a super simple midge emerger pattern. Minimal materials are required for this fly and in terms of hook sizes it’s a fly I’ll tie right down to #24

This fly is an excellent choice when the trout are feeding on midges and gnats. It’s a great fly when targeting the more spooky and wary fish in the river. With only a few materials it’s quick and easy to tie. See below the materials I’m using for this fly.

Hook – Light grub/Buzzer hook size 16

Thread – Semperfli waxed thread black 12/0

Flash – Semperfli flat mirage tinsel

Thorax – Pine squirrel

Wing – 2 CDC plumes

Step 1 – Place your hook in the vice and start off your tying thread, cut away the tag end when secure.

Hook in vice
Start thread

Step 2 – taking your thread part way down the hook, just enough to tie in the small body and thorax. take the thread back towards the eye and select 2 CDC plumes. Marrying them up so the tips are the same.

Marry up the Cdc

Step 3 – offer up the cdc to the hook to make the wing, on flies like these I like to make the wing around the same length of the hook. To tie it in I take 2 tight turns then lift the tips up and take 2/3 turns in front of the wing to make it puff up.

Tying in the wing

Step 4 – like in the other step by steps where I’ve tied in a cdc wing trim the waste pieces away at an angle, this gives the fly a lovely tapered look!

Step 5 – cover over any bits of waste pieces and prepare the flash body material.

Adding the flat mirage tinsel

Step 6 – to make the body take the flat mirage and wind up toward the eye, making touching turns I usually get around 3/4 make 2 tight turns to lock in place.

Step 7 – take a pinch of pine squirrel, you don’t need lots of this, just to add a tiny little bit of scruffy ness to the fly! Dub it on to your thread and make the thorax. Finishing in front of the CDC.

Step 8 – whip finish and add a dab of varnish or super glue to finish the fly off.

The finished fly

This really is one of the most simple flies you’ll ever tie. Minimal materials and you can whip them up in a couple of minutes! The perfect fly for picky fish! Be sure to tie a few up and like I said above I tie these in sizes down to #24 and up to #18 for the rivers. They have brought me many fish to the net so make sure you tie some up for your river box in anticipation for the coming trout season!

What’s In My Fly Box – Week #5, Purple & CDC Jig Nymph
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What’s In My Fly Box – Week #5, Purple & CDC Jig Nymph

Week 5 of my step by steps of some of my favourite and most productive river flies, this week I’ll be tying you a Purple & CDC jig fly. With just a hint of purple UV dubbing on the thorax the Grayling go mad for it! this fly has brought me great success on them days when your stood scratching your head wondering what you’re doing wrong!

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What’s In My Fly Box week #4 Pearly Butt Dry Fly
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What’s In My Fly Box week #4 Pearly Butt Dry Fly

This weeks fly tying step by step is a Pearly Butt dry fly. its a fly that is super easy to tie. I generally fish this fly to represent all manner of upwing dry flies when out fishing the river for trout. However, its also a fly I’ve had tremendous days fishing in the colder months for grayling. the pearly but can be added to many different fly patterns such as the F Fly or the Water Hen Bloa. with the pearly butt added to the fish is not only a glimmer of attraction to them but also represents a part of the shuck of the real fly. more often than not, fooling them into taking the fly!

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What’s In My Fly Box Week #3 Perdigon Nymph

With a new lockdown due to take place from Thursday in England I think many fly anglers will turn their attentions to fly tying if they are stuck for things to do for the next month!

This weeks step by step is a Perdigon nymph and it was a fly that was requested I do a blog on! They aren’t my strong point and in all honesty it’s not a fly that I tend to use very often or have many of, although to many anglers they do have their time and place whilst out fishing!

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