Recent comments

It has been tested

Pierre,

That's not quite true... the flies have been tested in water and do land and float as intended.

And they will stay in shape like other deer hair flies such as EHC's, CDC&Elks, Comparaduns, Funnel Duns and even muddlers, which do not collapse in water in spite of using flared deer hair much the same way as these flies. This will especially be the case if the flies are prepared with a little floatant such as Muceline or CDC oil, which is recommended for many deer hair dry flies anyway, and also mentioned in the article.

Sure enough, these flies aren't "proven classics", which have taken thousands of fish, but the concept will work as intended, we're sure.

Martin

A curiosity... nothing more

...in practice, att the river will not work. Why? Because the deer hair fiber does not have the elasticity of the fiber from the hackel normally used in parachutes. After a few casts it will be gathered as a comma ... I'm sorry I have to be a negativist. Sincere! It looks fantastic only in pictures and in dry condition. :)

True... and yet

Luka,

It does indeed have a similarity to Fran Betters' fly - and to the Comparadun as mentioned in the article - but there's still a major difference in technique. While Fabien's wing/hackle is made by wrapping horizontally around the deer hair, the wing on the Haystack fly is lifted and spread out by wrapping around the hook shank behind and in front of the wing, creating "dams" and forcing it to rise vertically and spread out.
With Fabien's technique, you can tie a very skinny fly and still get a nicely spread out hackle/wing, while the Haystack style will require a rather beefy thorax and create a fan shaped rather than a dome shaped wing.

But admitted, nothing is really new in fly tying, and all new and contemporary techniques are often based on methods that have been tried before and used in many variations.

We still thought this was sufficiently novel to earn some coverage.

Martin

Haystack fly

This is almost identical to the Haystack and variations of it which were all tied by the great Fran Betters for the (real) Au Sable River in New York. The Comparadun and Sparkle Dun are simply shameless near-copies of it, with the only changed thing being the tail.

Ask Paul Morgan

Eric,

Contact Paul Morgan from Coch-y-Bonddu Books.

Contact form: https://www.anglebooks.com/contacts/
Telephone: 01654 702837 (+441654702837 from outside the UK)
Email: orders@anglebooks.com

He should be able to help you.

Martin

You forgot something important

Sorry, but is not a Thunder & Lightning.

perfect hackle

the “perfect hackle” ... great video example and explanation.... many thanks

Book Availability

I would live to add this book to my collection, but I cannot find a retailer! Ug! Can anyone help?

Most of them are

David,

Most of the scissors covered in the article are very widely available, and should be particularly easy to get a hold of in the US! It's mostly us in Europe and Asia who have a hard time getting stuff... Sure, the ones from Romania are far away from the US (but unfortunately also discontinued now), but the ones from the UK should offer no problems. The rest should be available online or in shops in the US.

In the case of all of the brand name scissors there are links to either manufacturers or distributors, and I'm sure they can all supply names of resellers - brick and mortar or online - which you can use.

Regarding the points, there are several options. The razor scissors are basically all very thin in the points, but not all cut equally well close to the tips. It's best to test before buying if possible. The Squizzers are made for really fine work, and Loon's Ergo Arrow Point Scissors as well as the Renomed scissors are all very good in the tips.

Also remember that you can improve the tips your existing scissors by using the method shown by Wayne Luallen in the video Tool Tip: Sharpening Scissor Tips in our Tying Tips series.

I hope this helps.

Martin

access in usa

What a great article but I wish some of them were available in USA. I tried some of the anvils and loons but the tips are surprisingly thick for delicate work. Any suggestions on a thin tipped (and pointy) pair that might be available in the states? I'm back to using a pair of MFC razors I picked up at a show until I can find something for my small ties.

Danika Flytying

Excellent presentation. If I was a trout I would not be able to resist this offering. Thanks from down-under in NZ

Lots and lots of different

Lots and lots of different ways and variations to this fly. I chose the two most popular. As this version you suggest is a great option, it’s not the most common kind.

woolly bugger

Good evening,

And why not trying that one, with no chenille:

1- fix the brass/copper wire at the bend;
2- fix the marabou;
3- secure the strands of the crystal flash;
4- twist the marabou feather and wrap it around the shank;
5- fix the hackle at the head like in the video and then turn it around the body (they must cross at 45°);
6- finish as in the video, ie, secure the hackle withe the wire.

This will create a more lively streamer than with the chenille, and you do not waste your marabou.

All the best,

Raphael

fave flies

Got to love these old streamer patterns, many from Maine! Like Cain's and all are nicely tied.

Bargain bins

Mark,

I have found most of what I have used in bargain bins or sold as mill end (discards) from flyshops. One place that still has stuff like this online, is First Tackle in the UK https://www.firsttackle.co.uk/acatalog/Prostream-Mill-End-Fly-Line---WF…
An intermediate WF line can be had for £6.-, which will form the base for a very fine shooting head at a really low price.

Surprisingly few of the well known manufacturers actually make intermediate DT-lines. Some have neutral or "hover" lines, which just barely sink, but most are WF-lines.

It's probably roaming the web and flyshop's bins that will unearth useful lines.

Martin

Intermediate DT line

Any suggestions in where to find intermediate DT lines?

IKEA Fly Tying Board

Brilliant! I love it!

I've been working on a flat top table and constantly have beads and "stuff" roll or slip off the edge (I tend to be messy). Your board with wells to keep hooks, beads or whatever contained is the perfect solution. I like the minimalist approach... readily available, inexpensive, simple, effective. Very nice!

I will go shopping for a cutting board and "steal" your idea. Thank you for sharing.

Kent Smith

Fly patterns

Do you have the recipe for those braided rubber flies? What materials are the made of? Thanks!

March brown Czec nymph style.

Many years ago Jiri Klima (the river god) invited me to fish with him in the Czech Republic and he showed me March browns with brass beads and how they fish it down stream in a combination of wet fly and Czech nymph style.

The African Fly Connection

I choose to comment on this post to at least guide the readers here considering that I am from the region and the industry under scrutiny. Fishing flies are produced in Kenya and exported to the west but not without its challenges posed by both buyers and sellers. They include quality issues, duration of delivery as well as payment issues. Before buying large quantities, first request a sample of an assortment of flies for quality assessment, duration of delivery will in most cases be affected by the availability of the materials locally as well as the complexity or simplicity of the patterns requested. Payment issues also arise as buyers sometimes remit payment to just tiers who have no registered company, no website and no production capacity. In such a case money is lost. Some buyers don't pay for delivered orders and again money is lost.

Tying Stations

While this comment is for the more seasoned tiers, a good tying area is very helpful. Once you find yourself immersed in the art, you will be up to your ears in material. Having a place to store your material close at hand with a good surface is priceless. I've seen a lot of good options but personally, I love my TieCraft Desk. Integrated bobbin storage, built in waste baskets and storage close by is great. Plus, my wife isn't yelling at me about my messy desk 😄

Yes

Brady,

That's absolutely right, and it also says in the article in one of the captions: "A finished Trailing Shuck Comparadun or commonly called a Sparkle Dun.", so you are quite right.

Martin

Comparadun or Sparkle Dun

Wouldn't this variation using the Antron tail be a Sparkle Dun rather than a Comparadun?

Watercolors

Mr. Bob Witzel's paintings are very beautiful, he is seen to be a great fisherman and a good fan of watercolors. This is also something that happens to me, fishing and drawing ... thanks for sharing a hug to everyone.