I’ve been getting into the bugging for grayling recently. I’ve been using fairly simple hare’s ear patterns tied on Kamasan B110s, using rubbery shell-back material to give an overall shrimpy look. Any attempts in the past to do proper woven Polish/Czech nymphs have been iffy to say the least. I was using a technique that tied a series of overhand knots in the 2 strands. The effect was never very satisfactory. I remembered I had a DVD somewhere of Oliver Edwards demonstrating the “Parallel or Shuttle Weave.” I managed to put my hands on it – it originally fell out of a copy of Fly Fishing and Fly Tying magazine.
I watched Oliver demonstate it. It looked very simple and totally impossible at the same time! I watched it again. Simple. Sat down and tried to do it. Impossible. Watched it again… simple. Sat down and tried it. Impossible without cutting your hands off at the wrist and re-attaching them on the other side. Watched it again. Simple. Tried it again. Aaaaaa-Ha-hahh! Got it. Got it!
Then, as Oliver points out, it is a case of keeping an eye on where the change-over points align themselves and keeping enough tension on to keep everything tight. Had to unpick the first one and do it again 4 or 5 times until it looked half-way presentable.
By the time I finished the first, and put a second hook in the vice, my brain had defaulted back to where it was and I had to watch the video again before I could get my head round the hand movements. But it is very very simple.
Here’s my first couple of finished attempts. Change-over points not perfect, but not bad for a first attempt, I thought. Dressing was made up out my head, but I’m going to give it a swim next time I’m out.
Good exercise, but I suspect the first time it goes under a rock or up a tree it’s going to be back to the hare’s ear shellbacks for me!
Hook: TMC 200R size 12, loaded with 2 x black 2.4 mm beads
Underbody: one strip of square lead wire strapped along each side of the hook to give the body width.
Body: woven brown and yellow floss
Rib: gold wire
Wing cases: single jungle cock, split
Head: blend of hare’s mask – natural, yellow, dark red, olive
Col
Woven nymph exercise
Not to mention half a dozen hare's ears 
Back to Oliver's DVD, 'appen as like as.
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