The Blae and Black, another great traditional Scottish wet fly. Fish with confidence anytime, but especially when black buzzers are on the menu. In larger sizes it is also more than useful as a Seatrout fly. Blae is a Scottish word to describe the colour Blue Grey, the colour of the wing.

HOOK – Traditional Wet Fly #12
THREAD – Black 8/0
TAIL – Red Ibis Substitute
RIB – Fine Flat Silver Tinsel or Oval
BODY – Black Floss
HACKLE –Black Hen
WING –Any “Blae” coloured wing, I’ve used Jay

STEP 1
Attach the thread and mount the hackle at the point shown. If you prefer you can tie the hackle in after the body is completed.



STEP 2
Tie the rib in under the hook shank.



STEP 3
Tie the tail in on top of the hook shank.



STEP 4
Tie the floss in at the tail then wrap the thread to the shoulder tying down the butts and tag ends as you go. You should have noticed that when I tied in all the materials I left the butts/tags the same length as the body. By doing this you will have a smooth underbody with no bumps. Also when you tie in the floss wet it first. If you tie it in dry, when it gets wet it will expand and weaken/ loosen the underbody, by wetting it first you are in effect building expansion into the fly.



STEP 5
Wrap the body to the shoulder and tie off. Follow with the rib and tie off.



STEP 6
Wrap the hackle, tie off and trim the waste.



Then grip the fibres gently and pull down the sides and take a couple of wraps to hold them there and also to form the base for the wings.



STEP 7
Tie in your prepared wing slips using the “pinch and loop” See here for tying in wings… Wings



Don’t forget to check the alignment of the wings.



Before whip finishing and varnishing for the completed fly.

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ukflydressing A UK based fly tying site packed full of flyting tips and photographic step by steps. Now with added fly fishing section.

Very nice to see a golden oldie on here. Smashin' wee fly on the right day, and can be a blank saver, when all else fails.

doonicus

A great flee Scotfly. I've never seen it with red ibis before though, always with golden pheasant tippets, do you think the ibis is better?

Cheers

Ardbeg

what a great tip scotfly .thank you.

jim

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The Fishermans Friend is the Flirty Fly,Fickle Food for Fleeting Fish.

To be honest Ardbeg, I don't know. That is the pattern I've always used. From Tom Stewart's book.

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ukflydressing A UK based fly tying site packed full of flyting tips and photographic step by steps. Now with added fly fishing section.

Thats a smashing little flee. I seem to have some sort of "obsession" with tying wet flies

I,m not sure what it is about tying them but i get a sense of achievment when i sit back and look at a well tied wet. Just beautiful flies i guess.

Thanks for the step through.

Darren

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Better to be thought of a fool than to open your mouth and remove all reasonable doubt

Tom Stewart of 50 Popular Flies fame had a thing about adding red tail to some of his wet flies & this one is no different. On checking a few of my old reference books the Blae & Black indeed had a few fibres of GP tippits for tail.
Still red tail or not usefull wee wet in late Spring.
Tight Lines

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"The Future's Bright The Future's Wet Fly"

thanks scotfly
another great description again and great photos thanks

I've always known the Blae & Black to have the two variations, one with a tippets tail and one with a red tail.
Rather than ibis sub for the red tail I've used red floss for a number years and it has worked well for wild brown trout.