Is Backwards really Forwards?

[flyinghigh]

Right so heres the thing I have seen more and more patterns being tied backwars for increased hook up and all the rest but is this;
A Easy to tie, where do you tie off.
B Is this a new idea have never seen it before

Thanks
Flyinghigh

A yes its easy to tie unless you want to do a full hackle when it becomes a bit of a pain, Parachute hackles are a doddle!

B No its not new, but we discussed recently that flys drifting down stream, do so by facing up stream. (there wings at the front and tail down stream). It also helps in theory for getting hooked up in stream side vegetation , it tugs out with less chance of snagging.


I'm sure Jonnied will talk you through step by step of his parachute flies!

[flyinghigh]

W.P.
Thanks haven't been on for a while and must have missed that disscussion. So you tie the fly the same way but you treat the eye of the hook as the tail and the bend as the head where you tie off.

Flyinghigh

That about the long and the short of it. If you start your silk at the bend its a bit tricky at first doing the reverse direction on the tuck,, but once you have done it and get confident its second nature.

[dun09]

jonnied,s got some crackin reverse patterns and the logic behind it is well worth a lookin.
tight lines

jay

[guest21]

Originally Posted by flyinghigh

B Is this a new idea have never seen it before

Thanks
Flyinghigh

In the 1930s, Hardy's were listing the Hardy-Barrett Special Improved Dry Flies in their catalogue.

These were reversed hackled flies and the work of Cosmo (yes, that was his name!) Barrett of Presteigne. His most well known patterns are Barrett's Bane and Barrett's Professor and they were very successful patterns on the border streams. A very interesting little book - if you can find it and are prepared to pay () - is Trout Flies of Shropshire and the Welsh Borderlands by Michael Leighton, a small publication of 1000 copies in 1987 -

ISBN 0 9513 129 01

So no, it's not a new idea!: