The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

Good evening all.
I posted in My First fly post just over a week ago...first time I had tried fly tying.
So with the help of a fellow TFF member who kindly sent me some fur and feather and a few tips from other members I have been having a go.
Since my first fly I have tried to get to grips with soft hackles and handling feathers.
That has been interesting!
I think the problem was watching clips YouTube on my big screen ...I lost a bit of prospective ... I was using feathers far to big at first and getting in a right old fluff!
I settled down just using Pheasant tails, Peacock hurls a bit of ribbing And Partridge hackles and scaled down the giant size on TV.
So far I have tied ( to a fashion, did my best)
Buzzers, Diawel Bach, Gold Ribbed Hares ear, Pheasant tailed nymph, Partridge and yellow, Partridge and purple ( didn’t have any snipe) and a sort of made up hackled fly with a pheasants tail.
I must say it’s been really enjoyable..
I should have done it years ago but I don’t think I would have had the patients, that’s one of the good things, as I’ve got older I seem to have bundles of that!
Anyway... there they are...
you will see I am just starting but I think I have a chance of a catch!
Mr B.

The fly sticking in the cork, right side, with French Partridge hackle looks like a very good mayfly imitation, it will catch trout.

Your tails are a little too long, about half that length would be better. Otherwise you will get lots of nips and no hookups.

Keep them coming, it'll motivate me to tie some :-)

Well done Josh, you are doing really well, and you will not only improve, you will find it becomes easier.

I agree with Nigel, you need shorter tails, no longer than from the hook point to the start of the bend.

You will really take pleasure catching on your own flies

Thanks for your input... I thought they were a bit long.. I’ll get the Scissors out..
Been really enjoying it.
Made three Red Tags tonight despite not having the right wool.. all good though, twisting hackles I need plenty of practise, getting there though.
Mr B

Mr. B, I think you are doing very well as a beginner. I do agree with the other members that your tails are just a bit too long. Make them half to 3/4 length of the hook shank. The bodies look great and the buzzers are brilliant. Well done my friend, well done.

Your hackle looks good.
Here's a short video on how to tie with oversized hackle.
https://youtu.be/2Ys6zTeTT68

https://youtu.be/6QctuPHGWj0

Great progress MrB and excellent advice above! If I may add further and entirely constructive critique then its to make your tails not only shorter but sparser by using around a third less material. Yout can pinch out any excess after you've finished tying, to reach this end, but it's wasteful and just not as neat Unless tying "lures" (a strange term as all flies can be called lures really, but I hope you understand my meaning ) lI ook for a tapering off to any representation of a living insect and indeed fish, tadpole etc. 'Carrot like' as opposed to 'wedge shaped" would be a good general rule of thumb - though there are of course always exceptions remember! Keep up the good work as you are advancing very well indeed

My first flies were nothing like that good !! They will all take fish.

Troutbeck

Thanks again all
Good advise, can’t beat a bit of constructive criticism.
I’m’ looking forward to tying patterns of fly’s I have had success with over the years and perhaps make a few up of my own... Got one rattling around in my head at the moment... “The Lord Nelson” and a few others!
Had a go at a few Red Tags... ( one I did with hackles on the body to) I only had some thin wool but had a go..it should fluff up, and I might not have used the right type of hackle but the practice is good, and more importantly having fun!
“There is more to fishing than catching fish”

Those Red Tags will catch fish. You did a great job on them. The body length is spot on, the red tags are perfect and the eyes look clean, meaning you didn't cover them with varnish. But I would clip the hackle fibers away from the eyes.

They look fantastic and you should be very proud of them. I'm glad to see you getting lots of practice but most of all it seems you're having fun and that's the best part. I'd be happy to fish with those.

Iasgair wrote: ↑Fri Feb 12, 2021 3:11 am Those Red Tags will catch fish. You did a great job on them. The body length is spot on, the red tags are perfect and the eyes look clean, meaning you didn't cover them with varnish. But I would clip the hackle fibers away from the eyes.

They look fantastic and you should be very proud of them. I'm glad to see you getting lots of practice but most of all it seems you're having fun and that's the best part. I'd be happy to fish with those.

Thanks for that,
Yes they were ok, not difficult to the and a good fly.
I have caught some nice Grayling on them( shop fly’s) last time on The Dovey around six years ago.
The wool was a bit thin so I doubled it up.
Thanks for your input and the helpful video links you sent me.
Going to be tying a Renigade and a March brown next.. with the hackles I have..