What to tye, river newbie

[x dave x]

Hi all,

Advice please on what I should be tying (and buying) for my forthcoming ventures onto small streams and medium sized rivers. Very much a newbie on the whole subject of river life and river fishing.

Regards

Dave

[arkle]

Hi Dave, there are numerous flies you can start with, that's all part of the beauty of fly fishing, Perhaps it might be worth your while looking at The FDG & see if there's a branch near you, for local knowledge that's a brilliant way to start.

If not then take a look at the videos on Gwent Angling Society these are by top fly angler/teacher Mark Roberts & will stand you in excellent stead.

[Brennan]

I have initially selected 5 flies to start tying river flies. I have selected these flies for their worth and some materials are interlinked. This will reduce the cost. The materials listed will also combine to tie other flies which are listed below. The tools you will need are a vice, bobbin holder, dubbing needle and some varnish.

Please excuse the photo's. They are of old stock and I will try and get better up as soon as possible.

PTN
Hare’s Ear Nymph
Griffiths Gnat
Black Pennell
CDC Olive

PTN



Hook: 12 – 16 wet fly
Bead (optional): tungsten (3mm for 12, 2.3mm for 14, 2mm for 16)
Thread: brown 8/0
Tail: 3 cock pheasant centre fibres
Rib: fine copper wire
Thorax: hare’s ear dubbing or peacock herl

Hare’s Ear Nymph


(No thorax cover in picture)

Hook: 12 – 16 wet fly
Bead (optional): tungsten (3mm for 12, 2.3mm for 14, 2mm for 16)
Thread: brown 8/0
Tail: brown partridge feather fibres
Body: hare’s ear dubbing
Rib: fine copper wire
Thorax: hare’s ear dubbing (picked out or tied in with a dubbing loop)
Thorax Cover: cock pheasant centre

Griffiths Gnat



Hook: 14 – 18 fine wire dry
Thread: black 8/0 or 14/0
Body: peacock herl
Rib: fine monofilament
Hackle: grizzly feather from cock neck

Black Pennell
Hook: 12 – 14 wet fly
Thread: black 8/0
Tail: pheasant tippets
Body: black thread
Rib: medium silver wire
Hackle: black hen neck hackle

CDC Olive
Hook: 14 – 18 fine wire dry
Thread: olive 8/0 or 14/0
Tail: 3 grizzly fibres
Body: olive dubbing (use a suitable colour to match hatch)
Rib: fine monofilament
Wing: CDC feathers (3 for 12-14, 2 for 16-18, 1 for smaller)

Materials List:

Hooks
wet fly 12 – 16 (Kamasan B170 or B175)
dry fly 14 – 18 (I use Tiemco 103BL)

Thread & Wires
brown 8/0 (Uni or Benecchi)
black 8/0, 12/0 (Uni or Benecchi)
olive 8/0, 12/0 (Uni or Benecchi)
fine copper wire
medium silver wire
fine monofilament (you may have this already)
tungsten beads (3mm, 2.3mm, 2mm)

Feathers
cock pheasant centre tail
partridge (a whole skin is worth the investment)
CDC (natural bulk bag from Cookshill Fly Tying)
peacock herl
grizzly cock neck (use Whiting Pro Grade, initially expensive but worth it)
black hen neck
pheasant tippets

Dubbing
hare’s ear (buy face and mix or dubbing packet)
olive (I use SLF)

Other flies you can tie:
Black Spider
Black Snail
Klinkhammer
CDC Spinner
Partridge & Hare’s Ear
F-Fly
Williams Favourite
the list goes on... (and suggestions welcome)

Brennan

PS, can anyone supply better photo's, would save me the bother of tying them up.

[x dave x]

Thank you to the above posters....Brennan cheers mate. Lots of good info

Dave

[x dave x]

Note to self...buy more fly boxes