Tweaked Watson's Fancy

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After some comments yesterday claiming that the Watson's Fancy isn't a complete dead duck I thought I'd have a little play around with it. The things I don't like about the original are it's a bit too clean looking, especially with a crow wing which is a big slab of solid colour and beard hackles look a bit rubbish.

I've added a red holo butt, chopped the red seals fur down to a 'hotspot' at the tail end, slimmed the wing down a bit and mounted it a bit lower . I've added a few bronze mallard fibres in a Scratch stylee to soften the lines a bit, and the most obvious change is that I wound the hackle as a proper head hackle rather than a beard, again to soften things up a bit.

One things I would change again is that I'd put the jungle cock on before the mallard, and line it up with the wings better!!!! I'm not convinced with the GP topping either but changing to tippet would be a step to far removed from the original.

In general though I like it and would be more confident with it than the original - it's got to catch surely!

Any comments greatfully received.







Cheers for looking - Steve

[maharg]

Very nice Steve. I think Rob will like this!
I would add a touch more red seals, but what the feckkk do I know.
ATB
Graham

p.s. this is what makes this forum great. A discussion and debate, a tweak here and there and a better fly produced, Brilliant!
And you are bang on about beard hackles, on their own they are rubbish.

[stuartpengs]

Very nice Steve, I like that.

[dabhoy]

Cracker Steve now go catch some fish with it
What kind of light do you use as I can see the multiple lights on the head of the fly ?

[savage take]

that,s a winner steve. only thing i would change,think it needs a muddler head.

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Thanks for the comments lads, much appreciated.

Dabhoy - I think it's more to do with the lumpy head than anything else but I use this light. I also put my tying light above.

ST - you're obsessed you are, I was looking around for more local source for bits and bobs and found this place; muddler.nl It reminded me of you for some reason

[jemo]

Brill Steve, how did ya put on the bronze mallard, did you roll it or what , it looks great

[shpeil]

I always tie my traditional flies with a full hackle. Beards? Can't stand them. Even have doubts about the one on my chin. So that flee looks much better to my eye than its previous incarnation. (I also tie mine with a blae wing). Funnily enough, it's a fly that's never made it onto my leader (I don't get out often enough) though the Watson's bumble did once and caught for me. Think it was in Fly Fishing & Fly Tying - basically as per the Watson's Fancy but no wing and blue jay at the head, a la bumble.

Let us know how you get on with it.

Neil

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Jemo, the bronze mallard was tied in a two strips either side of the wing. It flared out nicely as I tightened down.

[seanie]

Nice twist on that Steve