Killer Bug Yarn

[sniperuk]

Hi everyone. Some of you may know that I am new to tying but I tell you what I LOVE IT. I want to tye some of the famous Sayers killer bugs but the origanal Chadwick 477 yarn is really hard to find. Well I cant find any and I have been told its expensive when you do find it. Does anyone know of a good like for like substitute mending yarn and where I can get it. Also does it have to have the same properties as the origanal ie 85% wool & 15% Nylon? Thats all for now but I'll be back lol

[maharg]

Use one of the subs.
Sawyer had the eyes of a hawk, and a river full of naive grayling.
He was a master in his element. Dont think for one minute that if you had a fly tied with original wool, from his personal stock, it would mean you would catch loads and loads of grayling.
So many things are different now than from his time, not the least the predation by cormorants making every grayling a lot more jumpy.
Sorry to say there is no majic bullet here mate. Get in there with what you have and try to surpass the master.
All the best,
Graham

[wobbly face]

There has been a thread just recently about Chadwicks 477. It is darning/mending yarn. There is some wool on offer but this is not the Chadwicks 477 and it's too thick.

[r ian]

Originally Posted by sniperuk

Hi everyone. Some of you may know that I am new to tying but I tell you what I LOVE IT. I want to tye some of the famous Sayers killer bugs but the origanal Chadwick 477 yarn is really hard to find. Well I cant find any and I have been told its expensive when you do find it. Does anyone know of a good like for like substitute mending yarn and where I can get it. Also does it have to have the same properties as the origanal ie 85% wool & 15% Nylon? Thats all for now but I'll be back lol

Try Lathkills! they sell a yarn that works a treat! and cheap too, atb, ian

[falsecast]

Forum member Toby has it Chadwicks 477 Genuine Original Wool :: Funky Fly Tying

[guest21]

I can assure you that none of the fish in your river will have ever heard of Frank Sawyer or be aware of his Killer Bug pattern and I'm pretty sure that there's nothing 'magical' about Chadwick's 477 either.

If you get some faunish wool and copper wire and tie a pattern of appropriate size, profile and weight ... it'll be fine.

I know it's tempting to try and be faithfull to original patterns but it all gets a little silly and you can end up in lots of trouble if you attempt authenticity with patterns like the Tups Indispensible or the Orange Otter!

[darwin]

Originally Posted by maharg

He was a master in his element. Dont think for one minute that if you had a fly tied with original wool, from his personal stock, it would mean you would catch loads and loads of grayling.

I am with you on this one, Mr. Sawyer was a very competent angler and that is the reason for his success. Not knocking his flies as they have been proven to work, but I think the hype around 477 catches more people than fish. Then again it may have magical properties....

[arkle]

The most likely place to find it on cards is ebay. they tend to go for all sorts of prices around £35 ish to over £100..... Having said that, Frank Sawyer's son runs a tying operation & he uses a substitute material.

[dabhoy]

These threads always amuse me
The thing I always think is did Chadwick only ever make one batch of this stuff as I dont believe that each batch would be identical to the pack that Sawyer used ,similar yes but not identical.

[richardw]

Too late now but...

Next winter....

I will tie up some more bugs using the 477 I have already AND I will do some others exactly the same but of different shades and try them out. I've always used the 477 as it was the material listed in the original dressing. It works very well, for me, and over the years I have made different shapes and styles of bug but they have always been of the 477. Naturally, if I'm only using 477 then it is bound to work. It seems daft that I've never tried other shades, but there has been no need to. So... I will pretend I have used it all up and have a go next winter with other shades and report back.

richard