“.......Pleasure is spread through the earth, In stray gifts to be claimed by whoever shall find”
William Wordsworth
“ We fish for pleasure; I for Mine, you for yours” Leisenring’s Notebooks
Swarbrick, John: 1807: 22 patterns
List of Warfedale Flies by John Swarbrick (of Austby) 1807: 30 Patterns: 22 Soft-hackles.
Leslie Magee: Fly Fishing, The North Country Tradition. (pg. 44)
NOTE: all of the punctuation and capitalization is mine. Some very minor phrasing changes have been
added to make the text more accessible. This was done very judiciously however, leaving the oddity of
the presentation of the patterns by Swarbrick intact.
No. 1: Winter Brown:
About the 26 of Feb you may begin fly fishing.
Make the winter brown. It is made from underneath the Woodcock wing one of the large feathers which
covers the quill feathers. You must make this a hackle fly. You must make the body with red silk and a
little peacock hurl in the head.
No. 2: Little Black:
This is a small black fly, either winged or hackled. It is winged from a quill feather of a Black Bird and leg
it with a Starling feather. Take this feather from the neck. It must be made with purple silk. Hurled at the
head with a Magpie tail feather only two turns or the feather and lapped down the body with black Ostrich
feather only one turn. When a hackle it does without wings.
No. 3: Large Bloo: (Large Blue)
This is a larger fly resembling a clock take the feather from a hen moor game neck. The feather must be
mixed well with black and orange hurled at the head with peacock feather only one turn the body with
orange silk.
No. 4: Blo Fly:
This is the blo fly made from under wing on a water hen. Sometimes make it of a large feather.
sometimes of the small. Not hurled at the head. It is a hackle made with yellow silk and not very large.
Fish these four last mentioned flies till about the 15 or 20 of March when you will see the large march
brown come out.
No. 5: March Brown:
The large March Brown she is a large fly winged form a Partridge tail feather. Use one of the freckled
feathers and not the dun. Leg this fly with a Tomtit tail feather or you may make it of the knuckle of
Woodcock wing. Made with orange and yellow silk twisted together and a little of the brown dawn of a fox
ear. Always fish it at the end, the Moor Game next, and no 6 above and no 12 the hackle fly.
No. 6: Large Blo:
This is a Large Blo that comes on with the March Brown. It is winged of a Phelper (Fieldfare) take a
feather out of the middle of the wing and make your wings and leg it with a gray Plover feather taken of
the neck much the same color as the winged. You must make this fly with yellow silk.
No. 7: The Snipe Blo:
Take a feather from under the Snipe wing. It is a small feather not to put the white part of the feather into
the wings yellow silk and a little Water Rat** dawn (down) in the body.
No. 8: Wood Owl:
This fly is called the Wood Owl. Take a small feather out of its wing about the middle part. Use orange
silk and hurled at the head with Peacock hurl.
No. 9:
This fly resembles a Little Gray Clock. It is a hackle fly taken from the Partridge back. Drab-colored silk at
the head with Peacock hurl.
Now it is about the 12 of April look for the Swallows coming and the few days after you must take
particular notice if the dark day and you will see no 10.
No 10: Watchet:
This is a very small fly a dark iron color and blo which cocks up her wings. The feather is taken form
between a Jackdaw’s shoulders. Made very small with orange and purple silk twisted together Water
Rat** down in the body. This fly is called the Watchet.
No. 11: Partridge:
This fly is called the Partridge. The feather is taken from between the shoulders of a Partridge hurled at
the head with Peacock feather and orange silk a little hair face for the legs.
No. 12:
This resembles a Clock. The feather is taken from a Pheasant back cut the black ends of the best
feathers is upon the top of the neck a Cock Pheasant orange silk hurled at the head with a Peacock
feather.
No. 13: Spanish Needle:
This fly should be called the Spanish needle. The feather is taken from the Wood Owl. Wing the darkest
feather next to the body made very small orange silk waxed well hurled at the head with peacock feather
and fished at the end.
No. 14:
This fly is very small light colored blo winged of a Jay wing, using the bottom part of the quill feather. Leg
with a gray Plover feather. Use straw colored silk. When a hackle, its feather is taken from under a Jud
Cock wing very small. A Jud Cock is the smaller kind of a Snipe.
No. 15:
This fly is made very small as a hackle fly. The feather is taken from a black hen. Any other color if the
feather suits the body. The feather must be a good black and tipped with orange at the end. Sometimes
I have found a blue hen with the best feather upon her neck. This fly is fished one bright day as it
resembles a Clock as the Clocks are flying most on such days. It is hurled at the head with Peacock hurl
the body is dressed with orange silk some times down the body with black Ostrich hurl.
Sir as soon as you see the Willows begin to leaf you must take note and you will see No. 17 flying in great
abundance. She flutters very much when she flies. She will be out about the first of May or sooner if the
weather be fine and warm.
No. 16: Green Tail:
This fly is made rather larger than most of the flies at this time of the season. Its feather is taken from
under the wing of the Woodcock wing it is hurled at the head with Peacock hurl light drab colored silk and
a little of the down of a hair face in the body cut the bottom part of the down off and then it will resemble
the legs.
No. 17: The Sand Fly:
Sir if you take notice upon the sand beds about the 10 of May you will see these flies in great abundance
as they bred in the sand. She is a winged fly, the feather is taken of Mallard what we call a Drake. The
feather must be of a sandy brown, much the same color as a feather of a Partridge feather, some times of
a Silver Pheasant wing. Sir, it must be made very small. When I say small, I mean hurled at the head
with a Magpie hurl and purple silk wrapped down the body with one turn of the feather of a Hearing Saw
(Heron Sheugh – a name still used in Yorkshire for the Grey Heron). The feather comes black legged
with a black hen neck feather. Sir, fish this fly at the end.
No 18: Knotted midge:
This fly is very small as a hackle. The feather is taken from a Tuit’s (Lapwing or Teewit) wing. The
feather lays near the body. It is hurled at the head with Magpie feather with drab colored silk. The dark
down of a Hair Skut in the body.
No 19: The Stone Midge:
This is a very small fly as a hackle. The feather is taken from a Green Plover breast, what we call a Tuit.
Purple silk hurled at the head with Magpie feather and the body wrapped with Crane feather. Fish this no
?? with the sand fly.
No. 20: The Grey Midge:
This fly is a small a hackle the feather is taken from the wood cock breast or one of the small feathers
from under the wood cock wing hurled at the head with magpie tail feather orange silk.
No 21: Orange Black:
This fly is very small as a hackle. The feather is taken from a Starling neck and hurled at the head with
Magpie feather using orange silk.
No. 22: The Aunt Fly:
This fly is winged very small. The feather is taken from the quill feather of a Piper (Redwing). This bird
flies with the Phelper (Fieldfares) in the winter nearly resembling the Throsal (Thrush). The quill feathers
have a dun color in them. This fly is hurled at the head and tail with Peacock hurl with the feather of a
Tomtit tail. It is made a hackle using the feather of a Tomtit wing, both sides of the feather. One side
answers for the wings and the other for the legs. Use the same colored silk.
Taylor, Samuel: 1809: 25 patterns; 2 soft-hackles
Leslie Magee: A North Country Tradition. 1994 (pg 34)
Name of Fly: Type of Feather Used:
3. Grouse Hackle Reddish – brown game feather
8. Spider Fly Woodcock
Bainbridge, George C.: 1816: 42 patterns; 12 soft-hackles DONE
Leslie Magee: A North Country Tradition. 1994 (Leslie Magee pg. 34)
Name of Fly: Type of Feather:
2. Black Gnat Pale dun hackle
8. Blue Dun Pale blue dun cock hackle
13. The Cream Colored Fly Cream Hen hackle
17. Grannom or Greentail Under Woodcock’s wing
22. Orl Fly Grizzled hackle
29. No Name Green Woodpecker’s back
28. Blue Blow Bluish-white hackle
29. Black Midge Blue cock hackle
34. Sand Fly Under Throstle’s wing (Thrush)
35. Great Red Spinner Coch-y-bondhu hackle
37. Blue Gnat Blue dun hackle
38. Oak Fly (Downlooker) Bittern hackle
Salter, Robert: 1823: The Modern Angler: 29 patterns DONE
From: Lawrie: English Trout Flies. 1967 (pg 312)
Hooks on rapid streams: 9 or 10
Hooks on slow deep streams: 5 or 6
1. Blue Dun:
Wings: Starling (upright)
Body: Blue Fox fur mixed with a little yellow camlet.
Note: this fly is often made with a light dun hackle instead of a wing.
2. Marlow Buzz: (Great Red Spinner)
Hackle: pale red cock, black at the root.
Body: Peacock hurl or black Ostrich hurl, ribbed with silver twist
3. Camlet Fly:
Wings: pale blue feather from under a Woodpigeon’s wing
Body: yellow camlet
4. Stone Fly:
Wings: Peahen’s feather (four wings)
Body: brown hare’s ear fur with nearly the same quantity of yellow camlet
Ribbing: yellow silk
Legs: a grizzle hackle, twice under the wings
Note: often tied without wings.
5. March Brown:
Wings: (upright) shaded part of a Partridge tail, or brown hen’s neck
Body: brown Hare’s ear fur mixed with a small proportion of lemon mohair
Legs: partridge hackle wrapped thrice around the wings
Note: on small streams, tie as a dropper with a Partridge back hackle without wings.
6. Cowdung Fly:
Wings: Partridge wing (flat) or small ginger hackle
Body: orange mohair, short and thick
7. Peacock Fly:
Wings: Peahen’s feather (upright), or brown hen feather
Body: Peacock hurl
Legs: three turns of a small dark dun hackle
8. Sandfly:
Wings: Landrail
Body: brightest part of a hare’s neck
Ribbing: orange silk.
Note: may be tied hackle wise with a ginger hackle or Wren’s tail
9. Gravel Fly (a small fly)
Wings: Peahen or brown hen’s feather
Body: lead-colored silk, a little waxed
Legs: three turns of Plover’s topping
10. Down Fly:
Wings: any soft white feather
Body: white rabbit fur
Legs: two turns of a small white hackle
11. Orange Fly:
Wings: Fieldfare’s tail, or hacklewise with a dark dun hackle
Body: orange silk
12. Black Gnat:
Wings: lightest Starling
Body: Ostrich hurl (black) short and thick
Legs: a small light dun hackle
13. Hawthorn Fly:
Wings: palest Starling
Body: black Ostrich hurl, long and slender
Legs: three turns of Plover’s top
14. Iron Blue:
Wings: hen Blackbird tail
Body: mole’s fur Legs: a short dark dun hackle, three turns
15. Willow Fly:
Wings: hacklewise, yellow
Body: yellow camlet
Legs: hacklewise yellow
Ribbing: green silk
16. Orl Fly:
Wings and legs: hacklewise a dark grizzle hackle
Body: bronze Peacock hurl
17. Oak Fly:
Wings: Woodcock’s back
Body: Bittern hackle
Legs: a ginger hackle
19. Green Gnat:
Wings and Legs: hacklewise, a small black cock’s hackle
Body: (very small) green silk
21. Woodpecker Fly:
Wings: pale green feather of a Woodpecker’s back
Body: green silk
Legs: a black cock’s hackle
22a. Brown Lady Fly:
Body: brown hare’s ear fur mixed with darkest otter fur
Legs: a grizzle hackle
22b. Black Lady Fly:
Body: black Ostrich hurl
Legs: a small bright red hackle (cock?)
23. Yellow Palmer Fly:
Wings and legs: hackle-wise, a ginger hackle
Body: yellow camlet
Ribbing: in larger patterns use a gold twist
24. Squirrel Fly:
Wings: Peahen
Body: red squirrel fur
Ribbing: fine primrose silk
Legs: three turns of grizzly hackle
Note: on clear streams the hackle may be omitted
25. Blue Gnat:
Wings and legs: hackle-wise, a dark dun hackle
Body: slender, Water-rat ** or mole’s fur
26. Red Fly:
Wings: red feather from a Partridge tail
Body: red squirrel’s fur
Legs: two turns of a ginger hackle
27. Miscellaneous Unnamed Flies for Salmon-Fly Fishing:
Hook: 10
a. wings and legs: mealy grey cock’s hackle
Body: Peacock hurl
b. wings and legs: a small dun hackle
Body: silver twist
c. wings and legs: a ginger hackle
Body: yellow camlet
Ribbing: gold twist
d. wings and legs: Grouse back hackle
Body: hare’s neck fur and orange mohair mixed in equal quantities
e. wings and legs: dark red cock hackle
Body: gold twist
f. wings and legs: a bright red stained hackle
Body: Peacock hurl
28. Brown Night Fly:
Wings: brown hen feather
Body: same color (fur or mohair)
29. White Night Fly:
Hook: medium worm hook
Wings: White Owl
Body: same color, as a big as a wheaten straw
Turton, John: 1836: 30 of 69 patterns DONE
From: Lawrie: English Trout Flies. 1967
1. March Brown:
Wings: wing feather of Partridge, red mottled, top of tail or rump feather
Legs: Wren’s tail feather
Body: brown down from fox’s ear, twisted on orange silk
Silk: orange
And in summer:
Wings and Legs: feather from the outside of a Woodcock’s wing, which is grey mottled and grey at the end.
Body: dark brown tammy * dubbing spun on Devonshire brown silk
3. Brown Watchet or Orange Brown: (all season)
Wings and Legs: Wren tail feather (hacklewise)
Body: bright, light orange silk
Head: green Peacock feather
Silk: light orange
Note: a little brown bear’s down is used at the spring of the year, twisted round the silk. In
dark waters, a little green Peacock’s feather under wing.
8. Red Spider Fly:
Wings and Legs: red mottled Partridge rump feather
Body: hare’s ear, dark colored at bottom and grey at top
Silk: yellow
Note: in summer, for dark water, yellow dubbing is used. a very good fly, and
often wanted.
9. Brown Spider Fly:
Wings: large brown feather outside Woodcock’s wing
Body: bright lead-colored silk
Legs: black hen’s feather from neck.
Note: a good fly, called the Sand Fly by some.
12. Down Looker:
Wings and Legs: brown feather from outside Woodcock’s wing (hacklewise)
Body: light, bright orange silk, ribbed with a thick black horse-hair; made small at
tail, dark brown down from fox’s ear under wing.
Silk: orange
Note: in discolored waters, this is a good killer as can be used, and takes the largest fish.
14. Black Gnat:
Wings and Legs: the small light Starling’s under-wing feather
Body: black Ostrich and pewit’s cap feather
Silk: black
15. Yellow Spider:
Wings and Legs: light brown mottled Moor-Game’s feather
Body: light yellow silk and yellow Marten’s fur from the throat
Silk: yellow
Note: good in clear water
21. Brown Shiner:
Wings and Legs: light brown mottled Moor-Game’s (Red Grouse) feather from bottom of neck
Body: light orange silk at tail, and green Peacock’s feather close under wing, headed with
green Peacock
Silk: light orange
Note: at particular times, especially after rains, it is made with mulberry-colored silk, and
dark brown tammy ** twisted upon the silk; wing, a Grouse feather, nearly black
This is a great killer after rains and in black waters; by some anglers called Old Joan
23. Purple Midge: (September and October)
Wings and Legs: the blue feather, shaded with green at edge, out of an old cock
Pheasant’s neck
Body: black down, twisted on purple silk
Silk: purple.
27. Whirling Blue: (March and April)
Wings: feather from under Waterhen’s wing, hacklewise
Body: mole’s fur spun thinly on yellow silk
Silk: yellow
28. Black and Red: (all season)
Wings and Legs: black hen’s feather from neck
Body: black silk at tail, and black down close under the wing
Silk: red
29. Green Tail: (April)
Wings and Legs: light brown mottled Woodcock’s feather from bottom of neck
Body: hare’s ear, the brown part ribbed with brimstone-colored silk; head green peacock’s hurl;
and tip of tail, dark green silk
Silk: orange
Note: a very good fly, but only lasts about a week
30. Snipe Dun: (April and May)
Wings and Legs: a full Snipe’s under-wing feather
Body: blue rabbit’s down, twisted on yellow silk
Silk: yellow
31. Red Shiner Fly: (April)
Wings and Legs: red Woodcock’s feather from butt end of wing
Body: light bright orange silk, ribbed with green Peacock’s hurl; and Peacock hurl at head
Silk: orange
Note: a good killer after rains. It changes these colors: if there are bright days, the Red
Owl’s feather from butt end of wing is used for wings; if a dark day, the Brown
Owl’s feather must be used from outside of wing; if low clear water, the
Partridge’s rump feather is best
32. Cowdung Fly: (may)
Wings and Legs: feather from underside of Jay’s wing
Body: pea-green mohair spun on tying silk
Silk: pea-green
33. Black May Fly or Silver Palmer:(May)
Wings and Legs: a black hen’s hackle feather
Body: black Ostrich’s feather, ribbed with silver twist
Silk: black
34. Oak Fly: (May)
Wings and Legs: Partridge rump feather, without moon
Body: yellow silk, ribbed with a strong black horse hair, light brown down under wing
35. Iron Blue Fly: (May)
Wings and Legs: outside or butt end of Merlin Hawk’s wing
Body: dark Water-rat** dubbing, ribbed with yellow silk
Silk: yellow
Note: an excellent fly and frequently comes on after showers of rain
43. Netted Fly: (June)
Wings and Legs: light mottled Partridge feather from out of the horse-shoe mark on the
breast
Body: yellow silk, and yellow Marten’s fur close under wing
Silk: yellow
44. Gold-Colored Dun: (June)
Wings and Legs: yellow or Golden Plover, from outside of wing
Body: gold colored mohair, twisted on the silk close under wing
Silk: gold-colored
Note: best early in a morning or late at night
45. Brown Gnat: (June)
Wings and Legs: from under Starling’s wing
Body: lightest brown and violet down mixed, twisted on the silk
Silk: very light brown
Note: a good fly in clear water; made long and very thin. By some anglers it is called the
Fern Fly
49. Buff Colored Dun or Stream Fly: (June and July)
Wings and Legs: a buff-colored dun hen’s feather
Body: buff-colored mohair, and yellow dubbing mixed close under wing.
Silk: buff-colored
53. July Blue Dun: (July)
Wings and Legs: Bluecap’s tail, or a dark blue Pigeon’s feather
Body: mole’s and Marten’s fur mixed, twisted on silk
Silk: ash colored
54. Violet Midge: (July)
Wings and Legs: Jackdaw’s neck
Body: pale-pink silk, and Water-rat’s ** down, dubbed close under wing
Silk: violet
55. Stone Midge: (July)
Wings and Legs: Pewit’s topping feather
Body: fibers of Blue Heron’s wing; a silver color, headed with green Peacock’s feather
56. Orange Black: (July)
Wings and Legs: black hen’s hackle feather
Body: bright orange silk
Silk: orange
57. Wasp Fly: (July)
Wings and Legs: Starling’s under-wing feather
Body: Brown Bear’s hair, ribbed with yellow silk
Silk: light brown
58. Black Palmer: (July to September)
Wings and Legs: black hen’s hackle feather
Body: copper-colored Peacock’s feather; after rains, ribbed with silver twist
Silk: dark orange
67. Grey Dun Midge: (September)
Wings and Legs: Woodcock’s under-wing feather
Body: bright orange silk, headed with magpie’s tail green feather
Silk: orange
69. Winter Brown: (October and November)
Wings and Legs: Woodcock’s under-wing feather
Body: bright orange silk, headed with Magpie’s tail green feather
Silk: orange
‘Arundo’ (pseudo. John Beever): 1849: 16 patterns DONE
From: Lawrie: English Trout Flies. 1967 (pg 175)
1. The Lesser March Brown:
Hook: 1 or 2 (#14 and #13)
Hackle: pack of a Partridge, in Nov or Dec.
Body: mahogany silk, coarse claret mohair dubbing
2. The Granam or Green-Tail:
Hook: 2 (#13)
Hackle: underside of Woodcock’s wing, lead colored, barred with white
Body: green silk. About half the body made with hare’s face, leaving the remainder
exposed green
3. The Ruddy Fly: (beetle pattern)
Hook: 2 (#13)
Hackle: from a ruddy cock
Body: bright red silk, between scarlet and crimson: black Ostrich’s hurl, rather full
Note: also called Marlo Buzz, the Furnace, or Coch-Y-Bondhu.
4. The Black-Headed Red:
Hook: 1 or 2 (#14 and #13)
Hackle: either a cock’s hackle, or which about one-half red and the other black. (furnace)
Body: dark orange silk or red
5. The Little Chap:
Hook: 0 or 1 (#15 and #14)
Hackle: a Pewit’s topping, or a very small sooty-black hackle, of cock or hen.
Body: dark lead silk, or very dark brown: Peacock hurl, short
6. The Black Gnat:
Hook: 0 or 00 (#15 and #16)
Hackle: feather from the bastard-wing of the Swift, or small hackle from a very dark
brown (nearly black) hen’s neck.
Body: silk, the color of Irish snuff; a very fine piece of black Ostrich’s hurl put on open like
a screw to show the silk.
7. The Grouse:
Hook: 1, 2, 3 (#14, #13 and #12)
Hackle: a dark mottled feather from the back of the cock Moor-game (Red Grouse)
Body: silk, orange; Peacock hurl of a copper color
8. The Green Woodcock:
Hook: 1, 2, 3 (#14, #13 and #12)
Hackle: from a Woodcock’s wing, a light colored feather of mixed brown, dun, and dirty
yellow
Body: silk, ivy or apple-green: hare’s ear (dark part)
9. The Silk Fly:
Hook: 2 (#13)
Hackle: brilliant yellow breast feather of a North American Starling
Body: floss silk, of the same color as hackle
10. The Big Dun:
Hook: 2 or 3 (#13 and #12)
Hackle: from a Sea-Gull or Sea-Swallow
Body: yellow camlet and pale blue rabbit’s fur mixed; silk primrose color
11. The Flat Yellow:
Hook: 1, 2 (#14 and #13)
Hackle: a white cock’s or hen’s hackle, dyed with the “Green Drake dye”
Body: silk, bright yellow; a mixture of stained hare’s fur (yellow), which may be got at the
hatters, and a little blue rabbit’s, or Water-rat’s fur mixed.
12. The Stone Fly:
Hook: 3 (#12)
Hackle: dark grizzly cock’s hackle
Body: silk, light brown; yellow mohair and Water-rat’s ** fur mixed
13. The Downlooker or Oak Fly:
Hook: 2 (#13)
Hackle: feather from the top of a Woodcock’s wing
Body: silk, orange: fur from a squirrel’s cheek
14. The Green Drake or Cadow:
Hook: 2 or 3 (#13 and #12)
Hackle: light-grey feather from the side of breast of an old cock Partridge, in Dec or Jan,
dyed in “Green Drake dye” to correct shade
Body: wool from the lower part of the abdomen of an old sheep; silk, bright yellow
15. The Black Drake or Grey Drake:
Hook: 2 or 3 (#13 and #12)
Hackle: a dark grey feather from the side of the Teal Drake
Body: silk, light brown; white floss silk
16. The Shamrock Fly:
Hook: 1 or 2 (#14 and #13)
Hackle: middle dun or blue cock’s or hen’s hackle
Body: silk, ivy green; dubbing, a little Hare’s face
Stewart: 1857: 3 patterns ADD OTHERS AS FOUND
From: Lawrie: English Trout Flies. 1967
1. The Black Spider:
From a small feather of the cock Starling, dressed with brown silk.
This fly is tied by wrapping the body of the fly with brown silk, tying the hackle in at the
shoulder by the base of the feather. Next pull the silk and the hackle up together above
the hook and twist the feather with the silk. Next palmer the hackle and thread together
toward the bend of the hook until the feather runs out. Carefully bring the thread back up
the shank of the hook and tie it off at the head.
This is perhaps the best fly of all and it can be used confidently all season in many sizes.
It represents almost anything and the trout love it.
Thread: Brown or black silk
Hackle: Starling back feather wound with silk through the first 1/3 of the fly
2. The Red Spider:
Border fly that works very well mid-season for trout on the river. The original
used Landrail for the hackle. A few substitutes are available but I have found the
lightly barred rusty red feather from the lesser-coverts of a Blue Jay wing is an
excellent alternative.
Thread: Well waxed Yellow silk
Body: Silk as above.
Hackle: Rusty red barred feather from a Jay wing
3. The Dun Spider:
This should be made of the small soft dun or ash colored feather, taken from the outside
of the wing of the dotterel. This bird is unfortunately very scarce, but a small feather
maybe taken from the inside of the starling wing, which will make an excellent substitute.
Thread: red
Body: silk as above
Hackle: Dotterel, or under-wing of Starling as substitute.
Walbran: 1885: 14 patterns. ADD ENTOMOLOGY FROM MAGEE PG 162
From: Sylvester Nemes: Two Centuries of Soft-Hackled Flies: 2004
1. The August Brown:
Hook: 1 (#14)
Hackle: dressed hacklewise with Grouse’s feather
Body: light brown silk, dubbed sparingly with hare’s face, and ribbed with yellow silk
2. Cinnamon Fly:
Hook: 1 (#14)
Hackle: with feather from Brown Owl’s wing
Body: fawn colored floss silk
3. Bluebottle:
Hook: 1 (#14)
Hackle: dressed hacklewise with a dark dun hackle
Body: black Ostrich hurl and blue tinsel twisted together
4. Pale Evening Bloa:
Hook: 1 (#14)
Hackle: made hacklewise with feather from a Sea Swallow (light Starling)
Body: pale blue fur and a small portion of yellow mohair, well mixed
5. Smoke Fly:
Hook: 1 (#14)
Hackle: hackle with feather from a young Grouse
Body: bronzy-brown Peacock’s hurl
6. Honey Dun Bumble:
Hook: 1 (#14)
Hackle: hackled with pure honey dun hen’s hackle
Body: Peacock hurl, ribbed with orange floss silk. tying silk is yellow
7. The Mulberry Bumble:
Hook: 1 (#14)
Hackle: hackled with a dun hen’s hackle
Body: Peacock’s hurl, ribbed with berry colored silk. tying silk is claret
8. The Grey Palmer:
Hook: 1 (#14)
Hackle: hackled with a cock’s hackle, having a black center and whitish grey edge
Body: black tying silk, ribbed with fine round silver tinsel
9. The Fog Black: (probably a wet fly)
Hook: 0 (#15)
Hackle: from a Bullfinch’s wing, or from a Starling’s neck. (probably a wet style)
Body: dark purple silk, dubbed sparingly with black ostrich hurl
10. The Furnace Hackle: (probably a wet fly)
Hook: 1 (#14)
Hackle: wings from the part of a Water-hen’s wing, set up and divided
Legs: honey dun hackle
Body: ruddy brown silk
11. Walbran's Red Tag: (1880)
Hook: 1 or 0 (#14 or #15)
Body: green Peacock's hurl, tying silk crimson
Hackle: red cock’s hackle
Tag : crimson wool
12. The Waterhen Bloa:
Hook: 1 (#14)
Hackle: hackled with feather from inside Waterhen’s wing (or from a Starling)
Body: yellow silk, dubbed with water-rat’s** fur
13. The Dark Needle Fly:
Hook: 1 (#14)
Hackle: hackled with a feather from the darkest part of a Brown Owl’s wing
Body: orange silk, with a turn of Peacock hurl to for the head. In front of the hackle
14. Bradshaw’s Fancy
Hook: 1 (#14)
Hackle: hackled or winged with a feather from a Norwegian Crow (or a Starling)
Body: Peacock hurl, tied with crimson silk to show at the head
Tail: tag of crimson wool at the tail
Alfred Ronald: fly fishing history web site: 1856:
1. The Red Fly:
Body: The dubbing is composed of the dark part of squirrel's fur, mixed with an equal quantity of
claret-colored mohair, showing the most claret fur at the tail of the fly. This is spun on
brown silk thread, to form the body.
Wings: From the softest quill feather of the Pea-hen's wing which approaches
the tint.
Legs: Of a claret-colored stained hackle. No feather of its natural color, that I know of, is
of the proper shade. Clip some of the upper fibers off, that the wings may lie flat. Hook: 2.
short.
2. The Blue Dun:
Body: Fur of a hare's ear or face, spun very thinly on fine yellow silk, and wound on at the
thickest at the shoulder. Some of the dubbing is then picked out to form the legs.
Tail: Two fibers of a dun hackle.
Legs: If a sufficient quantity of dubbing cannot be picked out for the legs, two or three turns of
a ginger dun hackle can be added, and will help keep the wings upright. Put these on
last, whipping them on the bare hook, and finish at the head.
Hook: 2. Grayling.
Note: This elegant fly kills well until June made as follows:
Body: yellow silk waxed, with a very little Blue Dun fur from rat, mouse, mole, or rabbit, silk so
that the yellow shows through. Body tapering from shoulder to tail.
Legs: A Honey Dun hackle, four or five turns.
Wings: A Starling's quill feather, put on last, on the bare hook, so as to stand up boldly.
Hook: 2. Grayling.
3. The Red Spinner:
Body: Thin, of light brown silk, ribbed with fine gold twist.
Tail: two whisks of a red cock's hackle.
Wings: upright, from a mottled grey feather of the mallard, stained to match the color of the
natural wings.
Legs: plain red cock's hackle.
Hook: 2, Grayling.
Note: some of the best Derbyshire anglers make it thus:
Wing: upright from under-covert wing feather of a young grouse.
Body: silk, the color of Russia leather and ribbed with the finest yellow silk. Two dun fibers for tail.
But after a frosty morning they make it as follows:
Wing: starling onion dyed.
Body: claret silk
Legs: dead furnace hackle.
Note: Thus made, it is called the 'Frost Fly'.
4. The Water Cricket:
Body: orange floss silk, tied on with black silk thread.
Legs: are best made of one of the two longest feathers of a peawit's topping. If this cannot be
easily procured, a black cock's hackle will answer the purpose and is easier to use. Either
of these must be wound all the way down the body, and the fibers then snipped off [about
half-way or two-thirds of the way up the body].
Hook: 0 or 1 (#14 or #15)
Note: The rib may be formed with black silk, and the hackle fastened at the shoulder. This is
an easier way.
5. The Dark Drone:
Body: Mole fur, ribbed over with black ostrich, when spun on black silk.
Wings and Legs: Made buzz with a dun hackle, the tint a shade or two lighter than that of the
natural wings.
Hook: 4, long
When this fly is made with the wings and legs not buzz, the dun feather of the wing of the
mallard is used, and a grizzled hackle for legs, upon the same body
Note: The use of a smaller 'Spring Black' than the above is recommended in preference
Body: black Ostrich hurl
Wings and Legs: Purplish feather of a cock Starling, wound on as a hackle.
Hook: 1, long
6. Cowdung Fly:
Body: yellow worsted, mohair, or camlet, mixed with a little dingy brown fur from the bear, and left
rough, spun upon light brown silk
Wings: from the landrail
Legs: of a ginger-colored hackle
The female is made buzz thus:
Body: olive-colored mohair, or worsted, spun on silk of the same color
Wings and Legs: red cock's hackle, changed to a brown color by putting it in a solution of
copperas.
Hook: 3, short
7. The Peacock Fly:
Body: ruddy-brown peacock's hurl, dressed with mulberry-colored silk.
Wings: the darkest part of a wing feather of the starling.
Legs: a hackle stained dark purple; appearing black when looked down upon; but when held up to
the light, having a most beautiful dark tortoiseshell hue.
Hook: 1 or 2, short. (#14 or #13)
Note: the Buzz form of this fly is a great Grayling killer, in spring and autumn, and is much
prized on the Derwent, near Rowsley. It is made thus:
Body: the reddest strand of a peacock's feather
Legs and Wings: a light-ish dun hackle; made with mulberry-colored silk.
It is called the 'Little Chap' and is described with variations, by Arundo in 'Practical Fly-
fishing,' p. 26
8. March Brown:
Body: fur of the hare's face ribbed over with orange silk, and tied with brown.
Tail: two strands of a partridge feather
Wings: quill feather from the middle of the hen pheasant's wing, which may be found of the exact
shade
Legs: a brown mottled feather from the back of a partridge.
Hook: 2, 3, or 4, long. (#13, #12 and #11)
Note: The female of this excellent fly must by no means be neglected; and observe that females
are generally a few days later in their appearance on the water than the males
Body: pale olive green wool, ribbed with fine gold twist
Legs: a honey dun hackle that is less bright than a golden dun
Wings: upright, the same as for the male; but the hackle will impart a lighter shade
9. Great Red Spinner:
Body: hog's dyed red-brown (or orange and brown floss silk mixed), spun on brown silk. It is
ribbed with fine gold twist
Tail: two long whisks of a bright amber red hackle
Wings: from the under covert feather of the Starling's wing
Legs: a bright amber red-hackle
Hook: 2, 3, or 4, long. (#13, #12 and #11)
10. Golden Dun Midge:
Body: olive floss silk ribbed with gold twist, and tied with dun silk thread
Wings: from the palest feather of a young Starling
Legs: a pure dun hackle, wound on in front of the wings.
Hook: 1, Grayling. (#14)
11. Sand Fly:
Body: of the sandy colored fur from the hare's neck, spun on silk of the same color
Wings: from the Landrail's wing made full
Legs: from a light ginger feather from the neck of a hen
Hook: 2, long. (#13)
Note: a good variation of this fly is to use orange silk, and show it most at the tail; and instead
of a light ginger hen's hackle, use one with a dark stripe down the middle. In any case,
cut off the upper fibers of the hackle, that the wings may lie flat.
12. The Stone Fly:
Body: fur of hare's ear mixed with yellow worsted or camlet, ribbed over with yellow silk, leaving
most yellow at the tail
Tail: a strand or two of a brown mottled partridge feather
Wings: quill feather form the hen pheasant's wing
Legs: a hackle stained greenish-brown: or a natural dark grizzle
Hook: 4, or 5, long. (#11 or #10)
13. The Gravel Bed:
Body: dark dun or lead-colored silk thread dressed very fine
Wings: from an under covert feather of the Woodcock’s wing
Legs: a black cock's hackle rather long, wound, twice only, round the body.
Hook: 0 or 1, long. (#15 or #14)
To make it buzz, a dark dun cock's hackle may be used, with a ginger tinge at the edges.
Note: This fly kills well in May: weather bright, water clear, and when no other fly will raise
fish. Some prefer the brightest outside (scapular) feather of Woodcock's wing: and use
the same feather, to make it buzz. The silk for the body should be of the most repulsive,
ashy, livid hue that you can find.
14. The Grannom:
Body: fur of hare's face left rough, spun on brown silk. A little green floss silk may be worked in at
the tail to represent the bunch of eggs there.
Wings: feather from Partridge's wing, made very full.
Legs: a pale ginger hen's hackle.
Hook: 2, long. (#13)
Note: Made buzz with a feather from the back of the Partridge's neck, wound upon the above
body. The Shell Fly, or Palmer, as this is sometimes called, kills well made buzz with a
Landrail's scapular feather. Body: pea-green German wool. Make with orange silk, shown
only at the head.
15. The Yellow Dun:
Body: yellow mohair, mixed with a little pale blue fur from a mouse. Or yellow silk thread waxed,
and with the least blue rabbit fur spun upon it, and ribbed with yellow silk.
Wings: upright, from the lightest part of a young Starling's quill feather.
Legs: a light yellow dun hackle.
Hook: 2, Grayling. (#13)
Note: To make it buzz, a lighter dun hackle than is represented in the figure is wound upon the
same body. In either case, make with primrose silk, and delicately.
Remarks: This Yellow Dun changes to a Spinner of rather lighter and yellowier brown than
that which the Blue Dun turns to, is very nearly of the same size, and lives nine days.
Its imitation may consequently be made of the same materials as that of the Red Spinner,
only choosing lighter tints.
Remarks: If made as a hackle, prefer a cock's hackle for Grayling, a hen's hackle for trout; and rib
with unwaxed yellow silk over the body, as above. When made with the feather of a
Dotterel as a hackle, it is called the 'Dotterel Dun,' a far-famed fly.
16. The Iron Blue Dun:
Body: blue fur from a mole. reddish brown floss silk may be tied on for the head.
Tail: a whisk or two out of a yellow dun hackle.
Wings: from a feather of the under-side of the Cormorant's wing or a feather from the breast of
the Water-hen, the tip of which must be used, or the upper end of the wing feather of a
Tom-tit when in full plumage.
Legs: a very short yellow dun hackle.
Hook: 0, short (#15)
It is difficult to find a hackle feather of the tint proper to make this fly buzz.
Remarks: A feather from the Merlin hawk's wing may be used, if procurable, to wing this fly.
17. The Jenny Spinner:
Body: white floss silk round the shank of the hook, &c. and tied on at the head and tail with brown
silk, which must be shown.
Tail: a whisk or two of a light dun hackle.
Wings and Legs: best imitated by making them buzz; for which purpose the lightest dun hackle
that can be procured should be used.
Hook: 0, short. (#15)
18. The Hawthorne Fly:
Body: black Ostrich hurl.
Wings: a feather of the Starling's wing.
Legs: a black cock's hackle; or one of the two largest feathers from a Pea-wit's top-knot.
Hook: 2 or 3. long.
The fly cannot very easily be made buzz, unless the female is imitated, in which case a black
hackle, wound over the above-mentioned ostrich hurl, will answer the purpose; and the fly so
made is sometimes called the Black Palmer, or Black Caterpillar.
19. The Little Yellow May Dun:
Body: pale ginger-colored fur from behind the hare's ear, ribbed over with yellow silk thread.
Tail: one or two whisks from a dun hackle.
Wings: mottled feather from the mallard, stained as for the Green Drake
Legs: a light dun hackle also very slightly stained yellowish in the same dye.
Hook: 2. long.
20. The Black Gnat:
Body: black ostrich hurl.
Wings: the dark part of a feather from the Starling.
Legs: a black hackle.
Hook: 0, or 1, short.
To make it buzz, a light hen hackle may be wound upon the above body; and thus made, it kills
decidedly best.
Remarks: there is another imitation of the Black Gnat, of which Grayling are very fond.
Body: black ostrich hurl.
Wings and Legs: The purplish breast feather of a cock Starling, wound on hackle-wise.
The Black Midge should be made like the winged imitation of the Black Gnat, but with the
substitution of a thin black silk body.
21. The Oak Fly:
Body: orange floss-silk tied with ash-colored silk thread, which may be shown at the tail and
shoulders.
Wings: from a scapular feather of the Woodcock.
Legs: a furnace hackle (i.e. a red cock's hackle, with a black list up the middle and tinged with
black also at the extremities of the fibers). This should be struck from tail to head and the
fibers snipped off nearly up to where the wings are set on, leaving a sufficient quantity for
the legs.
Hook: 2 or 3, long.
Remark: the small Woodcock and Grouse feathers (which can be used indifferently) make very
neat hackle flies; and the beginner will find pleasure in making the Oak Fly of various
sizes in the following easy manner:
Body: orange floss silk, ribbed with fine black silk, which may be slightly waxed. Then form the
head of the fly with your arming silk (brown), and choosing a Woodcock or Grouse
feather, whose fibers are the exact length of the hook, just clear of the head, and wind
the feather round as a hackle, holding it by the quill, and fasten off under the shoulder.
22. The Turkey Brown:
Body: Dark brown floss silk ribbed with purple silk thread.
Tail: a whisk or two of a red cock's hackle, stained as for the legs.
Wings: tips of the brownest feather from a Partridge's tail, or, if well selected, a feather may be
found on the back of the Partridge.
Legs: red cock's hackle stained a good brown with copperas.
To make it buzz, a feather from the Grouse may be tied on hackle-wise, in the manner shown for
the Green Drake, No. 28.
23. The Little Dark Spinner:
Body: mulberry-colored floss silk ribbed over with purple silk thread.
Tail: three of four whisks out of the stained hackle feather which is used for the legs.
Wings: from a feather of the Starling's wing.
Legs: a purple stained hackle which appears black when looked down upon, but which shines
with a dark tortoise-shell tint when held between the eye and the light.
Hook: 1, long. (#14)
24. The Yellow Sally:
Body: any yellowish buff fur ribbed with yellow or apple-green silk.
Wings: from a wing feather of a white hen, or Fieldfare, stained pale yellow.
Legs: from an extremely pale ginger hackle or a white feather dyed a yellowish tint.
Hook: 2, short.
25. The Sky Blue:
Body: pale ginger mohair mixed with light blue fur.
Tail: a whisk or two of the hackle used for the legs.
Wings: from a feather of the Sea Swallow, or of a very light blue dun hen.
Legs: hackle stained a pale yellow.
Hook: 0. short. (#15)
26. The Fern Fly
Body: orange floss silk.
Wings: the darkest part of a feather from the Starling's wing.
Legs: a red cock's hackle.
Hook: 2. short.
To make it buzz, a lightish furnace hackle is wound upon the above body.
27. The Adler Fly:
Body: dark floss mulberry silk, or Peacock's hurl, tied with black silk.
Wings: from a feather of a brown hen's or a Peahen's wing.
Legs: dark umber stained hackle, or, in case of need, a black cock's hackle will answer the
purpose tolerably well.
Hook: 3. or 4. Long.
Note: To make it buzz, a dark dun hackle tinged brown may be wound upon the above body.
Remarks: Fine black German wool (a little) dubbed on dark reddish-brown silk, makes the body of
this fly very well.
28. a. The Green Drake:
Body: the middle part is of pale straw-colored floss silk, ribbed with silver twist. The
extremities are of a brown Peacock's hurl, tied with light brown silk thread.
Tail: three rabbit's whiskers.
Wings and Legs: made buzz from a mottled feather of the Mallard, stained a pale
greenish yellow.
Hook: 5, 6 or 7 long
Note: To make it with the wings in their state of rest, part of a feather suitably stained must be
used, and a pale brown Bittern's hackle, or, in case of need, a Partridge feather must be wrapped
round the same body under the wings.
b. The Grey Drake:
Body: The middle part is of white floss silk, ribbed over neatly with silver twist. The
extremities are of brown peacock's hurl tied with brown silk thread.
Tail: Three rabbit's whiskers.
Wings and Legs: Made buzz from a mottled feather of the mallard, stained a faint purple.
Hook: 5 or 6. Long.
To make it with wings at rest, the same pale purple stained hackle may be used for them,
and a dark purple stained hackle for the legs, upon the above body.
29. The Orange Dun
Body: dark orange silk, and the fly to be dressed with the same.
Tail: two fibers of a Starling's feather.
Legs: a dark dun hackle.
Wings: the dark part of a Starling's quill feather.
Hook: 2. long or short. (#13)
30. The Marlow Buzz:
Body: black Ostrich hurl twisted with Peacock hurl and made with red silk thread.
Wings and Legs: Are made buzz with a dark furnace cock's hackle.
To make it with the wings at rest, the darkest part of the Starling's wing and a red cock's hackle
may be wound upon the above body in the same way as for the Fern Fly, No. 26.
31. The Dark Mackerel:
Body: dark mulberry floss, ribbed with gold twist.
Tail: three rabbit's whiskers.
Wings: from the dark brown mottled feather of the Mallard, which hangs from the back over a part
of the wing?
Legs: A purple dyed hackle, appearing black when looked down upon, but of a dark
tortoise-shell hue when held between the eye and the light.
32. The Pale Evening Dun:
Body: yellow Marten's fur spun on pale fawn-colored silk thread.
Wings: from a very fine grained feather of the Starling's wing, stained of rather a lighter yellow
than that which is used for the Green Drake, No. 28. a.
Legs: pale dun hackle.
Hook: 1. short. (#14)
Remarks: The hair of an abortive calf, which would have been red if born at the proper time, is of
a resplendent gold color, and forms a good material for the legs of Summer Duns. It is
tied on in the manner of wings. Make the above. Small Red Spinner, for June and July:
Body: clear yellow silk
Legs: a red cock's hackle
Wings: Starling's quill feather, from the middle of the wing, and the bird a young one.
Hook: 1. short. (#14)
33. The July Dun:
Body: Mole's fur and pale yellow mohair mixed and spun on yellow silk
Tail: Two or three whisks of a dark dun hackle
Wings: Dark part of a feather from the starling's wing, stained darker in strong onion dye
Legs: Dark dun hackle
Hook: 2. short. (#13)
Note: To make it buzz, a lighter hackle may be wound upon the above body
34. The Gold-Eyed Gauze Wing:
Body: Very pale yellowish green floss silk, tied on with silk thread of the same color
Legs: The palest blue dun hackle which can be procured
Wings: Any transparent feather, stained slightly green.
Hook: 2. long (#13)
35. The Wren Tail:
Body: ginger-colored fur ribbed with gold twist
Wings and Legs: feather from a wren's tail, hackle-wise
Hook: 1 short (#14)
36. The Red Ant:
Body: Peacock's hurl tied with red-brown silk
Wings: from the feather of the light part of a Starling's wing
Legs: a red cock's hackle
Hook: 00. 0. or 1. Long or short (#16, #15, or #14)
The Black Ant: is made of Peacock's hurl, and black Ostrich mixed, for the body. Wings from the
darkest part of the Starling's wing, and legs a black cock's hackle.
37. The Silver Horns:
Body: black ostrich hurl tied with black silk, and dressed off
Wings: feather from the wing of the cock black-bird
Legs: small black cocks hackle
Horns: grey feather of the mallard.
Hook: 2. short. (#13)
Note: To make it buzz the body is ribbed with silver-twist upon black Ostrich hurl, and a nearly
black hackle wrapped all down.
38. The August Dun:
Body: brown floss silk ribbed with yellow silk thread
Tail: two rabbit's whiskers
Wings: feather of a brown hen's wing
Legs: plain red hackle stained brown
Hook: 2. short. (#13)
Note: It is made buzz with a grouse feather wound upon the above body. The Red Spinner, to
which it changes, is very similar to that which the Blue Dun (No. 2.) turns to, and is a
good fly on a mild evening.
39. The Orange Fly:
Body: orange floss silk tied on with black silk thread.
Wings: dark part of the Starling's wing, or feather of a hen Blackbird.
Legs: a very dark furnace hackle.
Hook: 1. short. (#14)
40. The Cinnamon Fly:
Body: fawn-colored floss silk, tied on with silk thread of the same color.
Wings: feather of a yellow brown hen's wing, rather darker than the Landrail's wing feather.
Legs: a ginger hackle.
It is made buzz with a red hackle from the Grouse, or a red hackle stained brown with
copperas, and tied on the same body.
Hook: 3. long. (#12)
Note: So numerous are the species of Caddis Fly resembling the above, different on
different waters, that the angler must use his own observation. A wren's tail feather,
wound round a hare's ear body, will aid him in giving the rich brown tint common to many
of the genus, and the landrail's quill feather will be sufficiently dark with this hackle.
The Sheffield anglers use a fly they call the Partridge Rump, which may be noticed here as
proper for this part of the season.
Hook: 4. long (#11)
Body: yellow silk (not floss); feather, Partridge rump. The head is formed with copper-colored
Peacock's hurl. a good killer in Derbyshire waters. It is the yellow-bodied Harry-long-legs
41. The Blue Bottle:
Body: bright blue floss silk tied with light brown silk thread, showing the brown at the head
Wings: feather of the Starling's wing
Legs: black hackle from a cock wrapped down the principal part of the body
Hook: 3. short. (#12)
Note: To make it buzz, a dark dun hackle may be wound upon the above body.
Note: The House or Shade-Fly (Musca Domestica) may be noticed here. A first rate angler used
to make it thus, for July:
Wings: From under covert feather of Water-hen's wing
Legs: blue Starling feather
Body: light brown and pea-green wool mixed
Head: green Peacock's hurl, and three laps under the wings
Hook: 2. short. (#13)
42. The Whirling Blue Dun:
Body: squirrel's red brown fur mixed with yellow mohair, tied with yellow silk thread well waxed
Tail: one or two whisks of a pale ginger hackle
Wings: feather from a Starling's wing not very light
Legs: pale ginger hackle
Hook: 2. Grayling. (#13)
43. The Little Pale Blue Dun:
Body: very pale blue fur mixed with a very little yellow mohair
Wings: feather from the Sea Swallow
Legs: the palest blue hackle to be had
Hook: 1. Grayling. (#14)
Note: To make it buzz, a sea swallow's feather only may be wound upon the same body.
44. The Willow (or Withy) Fly:
Body: mole's fur (a very little) spun upon yellow silk
Wings and Legs: a dark dun hen's hackle with the edges strongly tinged a copper color;
sometimes called a golden dun feather, or a yellow dun
Hook: 1. Grayling. (#14)
45. The Red Palmer:
Body: Peacock hurl with a red cock's hackle wrapped over it, and tied with light brown or red silk
thread. This corresponds also with the larva of the Drinker Moth (Odenestis potatoria).
It may be varied by a ruby-stained hackle; which answers well on the Dove.
Hook: 6. Palmers. (#9)
46. The Brown Palmer:
Body: mulberry-colored worsted spun on brown silk, and a brown-stained cock's hackle
wrapped over the whole. It may be varied (to imitate S. Menthastri) by making the body of
Ostrich hurl, of a drab color, and winding a grizzled hackle over
Hook: 6. Palmers. (#9)
47. The Black and Red Palmer:
Body: black Ostrich hurl ribbed with gold twist, and a red cock's hackle wrapped over it. This fly
may be made large, and will kill large Thames trout, of 3, 4, and 5 lbs. and Salmon Trout,
with great success. The feather at the shoulder should be a large furnace hackle from the
rump of a game cock, and the Ostrich hurl should be wound thickest there. The gold twist
should be shown clearly at the tail, and the tail-hook should be large and strong.
Hook: 7. Palmers. (#8)
T.E. Pritt: 1886: North Country Flies 62 patterns DONE
From: Lawrie: English Trout Flies. 1967
1. Water Cricket:
Hook: 1 (#14)
Wings: hackled with a feather from the Golden Plover's breast, in its summer plumage, or the
wing or back of a Starling
Body: yellow or orange silk. It is sometimes ribbed with black silk
2. Little Black:
Hook: 0, short. (#15)
Wings: hackled with a feather from a Black Cock's hackle, or Starling's neck
Body: purple silk, dubbed sparingly with Magpie hurl
Head: purple.
3. Winter Brown:
Hook: 2 (#13)
Wings: hackled with a feather from the inside of a Woodcock's wing
Body: orange silk - not too bright
Head: Peacock hurl
4. Little Winter Brown or Light Woodcock:
Hook: 1 (#14)
Wings: hackled with a feather from the outside of a Woodcock's wing
Body: orange silk, with a spare dubbing of hare's ear
5. Brown Owl:
Hook: 1 (#14)
Wings: hackled with a reddish feather from the outside of a Brown Owl's wing
Body: orange silk
Head: Peacock hurl
6. Fieldfare Bloa:
Hook: 1 (#14)
Wings: From the bloa feather on a Fieldfare's rump, or failing that from the tern, Blue-tail or Jay
Body: yellow silk
Legs: from a feather of the Golden Plover
7. Dark Moor-Game, Orange Grouse, or Freckled Dun:
Hook: 0 (#15)
Wings: hackled with a black and orange feather from the Red Grouse, the hen bird for
preference
Body: orange silk
Head: orange silk, or Peacock hurl
8. Water-Hen Bloa:
Hook: 1 (#14)
Wings: hackled feather from the inside of a Water-hen's wing.
Body: yellow silk, dubbed with the fur of the Water-rat**
9. Dark Bloa:
Hook: 1 (#14)
Wings: from the Starling's quill
Body: dark claret silk
Legs: from the black feather of a black hen's neck
10. Dark Snipe:
Hook: 1 (#14)
Wings: hackled with a feather from the outside of the Snipe's wing
Body: purple silk
11. March Brown: (Great Brown, Brown Drake, Dun Drake).
Hook: 3 (#12)
Wings: from the tail of a Partridge
Body: pale orange silk, dubbed with a little hare's ear and yellow mohair, mixed; ribbed
over with a little yellow silk
Tail: forked with two strands from a Partridge's tail
Legs: from the back of a Partridge
12. March Brown:
Hook: 2. (#13)
Wings: from the quill feather of a hen Pheasant
Body: same as 11
Tail: same as 11
Legs: same as 11
13. March Brown:
Hook: 2 (#13)
Wings: hackled with a reddish feather from the outside of a Woodcock's wing.
Body: orange silk, dubbed with over with a little fur from a fox's ear.
14. March Brown:
Hook: 2 (#13)
Wings: from the tail of a Partridge
Body: orange and yellow silk twisted, dubbed with fur from a fox's ear
Legs: from a Wren's tail
15. March Brown:
Wings: from the hen Pheasant's wing
Body: same as 14
Legs: same as 14
16. Red Clock or Pheasant:
Hook: 1 (#14)
Wings: hackled with a golden feather from a cock Pheasant's neck; or from a small red
cock's feather
Body: yellow silk, with a twist of Peacock hurl next to the hackle
Head: Peacock hurl
17. Red Palmer:
Hook: 1 (#14)
Body: green hurl from a Peacock, with a red cock's hackle wrapped over it.
18. Little Dark Watchet: (Iron Blue Dun)
Hook: 0, short. (#15)
Wings: hackled with a feather from a Jackdaw's neck, or outside a Coot's wing
Body: orange and purple silk twisted, dubbed with down from a Water-rat**
Head: orange
19. Iron Blue Dun Variant:
Hook: 0, short. (#15)
Wings: Water-hen
Body: same as 18
Head: same as 18
Legs: Coot.
20. Iron Blue Dun Variant:
Hook: 0 (#15)
Wings: from the breast of a Water-hen
Body: orange silk dubbed with Mole's fur
Head: orange
Legs: a dirty whitish brown from a hen's neck, or hairs from a calf's tail, dyed yellow
21. Iron Blue Dun Variant:
Hook: 0 (#15)
Wings: hackled with a feather from Water-hen's breast
Body: orange silk dubbed with mole's fur
Head: orange
22. Dark Spanish Needle: (Needle Brown)
Hook: 0 (#15)
Wings: hackled with a feather from the darkest part of a Brown Owl's wing
Body: orange silk
HEAD: Peacock hurl
23. Light Spanish Needle:
Hook: 0 (#15)
Wings: hackled with a feather from inside a Jack-Snipe's wing, or from the breast of a
young Starling
Body: crimson silk
Head: Peacock hurl
24. Light Watchet:
Hook: 0 (#15)
Wings: from the Jay
Body: straw-colored silk
Legs: fibers from a Yellow Plover
25. Olive Bloa:
Hook: 1 (#14)
Wings: from a Starling's quill
Body: greenish yellow silk
Legs: light hackle from a hen's neck, stained to olive in onions
26. Olive Bloa:
Hook: 0 (#15)
Wings: hackled with a feather from a Lapwing's back or rump
Body: yellow silk
Head: orange silk
27. Yellow Legged Bloa: (Yellow Dun)
Hook: 1 (#14)
Wings: from a young Starling's quill feather
Body: Yellow silk, waxed well, so as to make it nearly olive.
Legs: Ginger hackle from a Cochin-China Hen's neck
Tail: Two strands of the above
28. Yellow Partridge: (Grey Gnat)
Hook: 1 (#14)
Wings: hackle with a light feather from the back of a Partridge.
Body: yellow silk.
29. Snipe Bloa:
Hook: 1 (#14)
Wings: hackled with a feather from the inside of a Jack Snipe's wing.
Body: straw-colored silk.
30. Snipe Bloa:
Hook: 0 (#15)
Wings: hackled with feather from under Snipe's wing.
Body: yellow silk, with a spare dubbing of Mole's fur, but not sufficient to hide the
yellow body.
Note: Nemes notes that this is the same fly as Theakston’s “Bloa Brown” and Jackson’s
“Light Bloa”
31. Brown Watchet: (Little Brown Dun.)
Hook: 1 (#14)
Wings: hackled with a well dappled feather from a Partridge's back.
Body: orange silk.
Head: Peacock hurl.
32. Orange Partridge:
Hook: 1 (#14)
Wings: hackled as in No. 31.
Body: orange silk.
33. Greentail: (Grannon Fly).
Hook: 1 (#14)
Wings: hackled with a feather from the inside of a Woodcock's wing, or from a Partridge's neck,
or from under a Hen Pheasant's wing.
Body: lead colored silk, twisted with a little fur from a hare's face.
Tail: green silk, wrapped over lower part of body.
34. Sandfly:
Hook: 1 (#14)
Wings: from a sandy feather from a Landrail's wing.
Body: light brown silk, ribbed with sandy fur from a hare.
Legs: dark ginger hackle.
35. Dotterel:
Hook: 1 (#14)
Wings: hackled with a feather from the outside of a male Dotterel's wing.
Body: straw-colored silk; some anglers prefer orange silk.
Head: straw-colored or orange silk.
36. Yellow Sally:
Hook: 0 (#15)
Wings: from a Green Linnet's tail.
Body: yellow silk.
Legs: white feather from a hen's neck, dyed yellow in onions.
37. Poult Bloa or Light Poult Bloa:
Hook: 0 (#15)
Wings: hackled with a feather from under the wing of a young Grouse.
Body: Light yellow silk
38. Poult Bloa or Light Poult Bloa: {fancy dressing}
Hook: 0 (#15)
Wings: hackled with a feather from under the wing of a young Grouse.
Body: straw-colored silk, with a twist of purple silk round it.
Head: Peacock hurl
39. Old Master:
Hook: 1 (#14)
Wings: hackled with a feather from the inside of a Woodcock's wing.
Body: ash-colored silk, wrapped over with Heron's hurl.
40. Stone Midge:
Hook: 0 (#15)
Wings: hackled with a feather from a Pewit's neck, breast, or rump.
Body: ash-colored silk, dubbed sparsely with Heron's hurl.
Head: Magpie hurl
41. Grey Midge:
Hook: 0 (#15)
Wings: hackled with a feather from a Woodcock's breast.
Body: yellow silk.
Head: Peacock hurl.
42. Knotted Midge:
Hook: 0 (#15)
Wings: hackled with a feather from the back of a Swift or Martin, or from the shoulders
of a Pewit's wing.
Body: ash-colored silk, dubbed with Heron's hurl, rather more fully than in No. 40.
Head: magpie hurl.
43. Sandy Moorgame:
Hook: 0 (#15)
Wings: hackled with a dark reddish-brown feather from the back of a Grouse.
Body: dark brown silk.
Head: same
44. Blue Partridge:
Hook: 1 (#14)
Wings: hackled with a feather from a Partridge's back.
Body: blue silk dubbed with a little lead-colored lamb's wool.
45. Red Owl: (Brown Owl.)
Hook: 1 (#14)
Wings: hackled with a red feather from a Brown Owl's wing; shorter in the fiber than
that used for No. 5.
Body: orange silk.
Head: Peacock hurl.
46. Stone Bloa:
Hook: 0 (#15)
Wings: from a feather from under a Jack Snipe's wing.
Body: yellow silk.
Head: fibers from a Jack Snipe's feather.
47. Small Stone Bloa:
Hook: 0 (#15)
Wings: from a feather from Bluecap's tail.
Body: orange silk.
Legs: pale yellow fibers.
48. Greensleaves:
Hook: 1 (#14)
Wings: hackled with a feather from the inside of a Woodcock's wing, or from a hen
Pheasant's neck
Body: bright green silk
Head: same
49. Thornfly Dun:
Hook: 1 (#14)
Wings: hackled with a Landrail's feather, taken from under the wing
Body: orange silk
Head: Peacock hurl
50. Curlew:
Hook: 0 (#15)
Wings: hackled with a small feather from the outside of a young Curlew's wing (August
at latest).
Body: orange silk for preference, but maroon or yellow will sometimes kill equally well.
51. Starling Bloa:
Hook: 0 (#15)
Wings: hackled with the lightest feather from a young Starling's wing
Body: straw-colored silk. Some anglers prefer white silk
52. Small Ant:
Hook: 0 (#15)
Wings: hackled with a feather from a Tomtit's tail
Body: a bright brownish Peacock's hurl; body dressed full
Head: a bright brownish Peacock's hurl
53. Fog Black:
Hook: 0 (#15)
Wings: from a Bullfinch's wing
Body: dark purple silk, dubbed with Heron's hurl; or, more sparingly, with black Ostrich hurl
Legs: from the Starling's neck
54. Cubdown Bloa:
Hook: 1 (#14)
Wings: from the inside of a Swift's wing or from a Lapwing's apron
Body: yellow silk, dubbed with down from a Fox cub, or fur from a Water-rat**
Legs: from a Plover's feather
55. Cinnamon:
Hook: 1 (#14)
Wings: hackled with a feather from a Brown Owl's wing
Body: yellow silk, dubbed with fur from a Water-rat**
Head: Peacock hurl
56. Smoke Fly:
Hook: 1 (#14)
Wings: hackled with a feather from a young Grouse
Body: bright brown Peacock's hurl. It is sometimes dressed with a twist of silver round
the body
57. Grey Partridge: (Grey Watchet)
Hook: 1 (#14)
Wings: hackled with a light feather from a Partridge's breast
Body: straw-colored silk
Head: Peacock hurl
58. Large Ant:
Hook: 0 (#15)
Wings: from a Starling's quill
Body: orange silk wrapped over the lower part, with three turns of a copper-colored
Peacock's hurl
Head: Peacock's hurl
Legs: fibers from the light part of a Starling's quill feather
59. Sea Swallow:
Hook: 0 (#15)
Wings: from a very light feather from the outside of a Sea Swallow's wing
Body: white silk
Legs: fibers from the wing feathers
60. July Dun:
Hook: 1 (#14)
Wings: from a Starling's quill
Body: yellow silk dubbed with a little Mole's fur
Legs: fiber from a bluish dun Hen's neck
61. Black Gnat:
Hook: 0, short. (#15)
Wings: none
Body: a little ostrich hurl
62. Black Snipe:
Hook: 0 (#15)
Wings: hackled with a Jack Snipe's feather from under the wing
Body: dark green peacock hurl
Sylvester Lister: 1898: 30 patterns
Leslie Magee: A North Country Tradition (1994) (pg 138)
1. Winter Brown:
Hook: 1 (#14)
Hackle: Light mottled feather from under a Woodcock's wing
Body: brownish body well waxed
Head: Peacock hurl
Note: comes on early in February. kills well until the end of March
2. Dark Bloa: (Waterhen or Blue Dun)
Hook: 1 (#14)
Hackle: feather from under Waterhen wing as season advances, feather from Woodhawk's back
Body: purple silk well waxed
Head: Magpie's hurl
Note: appears end of February. kills well until April 10th, as season
advances it becomes lighter
3. Spring Black:
Hook: 00 (#16)
Hackle: Bullfinch's wing
Note: a very small black fly, appears latter end of March and kills well at times
4. Freckled Dun: (Moorgame and Orange)
Hook: 1 (#14)
Hackle: well freckled feather from the back of hen Grouse
Body: orange silk
Head: Peacock hurl
Note: appears about March 1st. kills well all through the season in heavy brown
waters
5. March Brown or Drake:
Hook: 3 (#12)
Hackle: reddish speckled feather from a Partridge tail or outside Woodcock wing.
Body: orange and yellow silk twisted and dubbed with reddish fur from fox's ear or rabbit's neck
Note: appears about April 1st. good killer until beginning of May.
6. Red Spinner:
Hook: 1 (#14)
Hackle: feather from under a Starlings wing, very light
Body: orange silk ribbed with fine gold wire
7. Olive Bloa:
Hook: 1 (#14)
Hackle: feather from Green Plover's rump
Body: yellowish, same fly as no.2 but dressed lighter as the season advances
Head: brown silk
Note: good all through the season, good as a point fly
8. Orange Partridge:
Hook: 1 (#14)
Hackle: brownish speckled feather from back of Partridge
Body: orange silk, well waxed
Head: Magpie hurl
Note: a good fly all season through
9. Cowdung Fly "Lion Fly"
Hook: 1 (#14)
Hackle: feather from quill of a Landrail
Body: yellow dubbed with yellow and brown worsted
Head: Peacock hurl
Note: well taken on windy days in April
10. Poult Bloa:
Hook: 1 (#14)
Hackle: light silky feather from under a young Grouse wing
Body: yellow silk
Note: good general bloa all season through
11. Grey Midge:
Hook: 00 (#16)
Hackle: freckled feather from a Snipe rump
Body: yellow silk, with a little fur from a Water-rat** spun on
Head: Magpie hurl
Note: comes on about the middle of April, often of an evening
12. Dark Spanish Needle:
Hook: 0 (#15)
Hackle: feather from a Sandpiper's back or Swift's under-wing, or from the outside of a Brown Owl wing
Body: dark purple or copper colored
Head: Magpie hurl
Note: capital standard fly all through the season, "best on bright days"
13. Light Spanish Needle:
Hook: 00 (#16)
Hackle: feather from under Snipe's wing or under Starling's wing
Body: orange silk
Head: Magpie hurl
Note: capital standard fly all season through
14. Snipe Bloa or Snipe & Yellow:
Hook: 00 (#16)
Hackle: small darkish feather from under a Snipe's wing
Body: yellow silk
Note: appears about April 1st good on wild wet days with Dark Watched
15. Green Tail:
Hook: 1 (#14)
Hackle: feather from Woodcock's wing
Body: ash colored with 2 or 3 turns of green silk at tail
Head: Peacock hurl
Note: taken best on cold days in April
16. Alder Fly "Orl" or Hunchback:
Hook: 1 (#14)
Hackle: feather from outside Brown Owl's wing
Body: orange with brown Peacock hurl, ribbed with fine gold wire
Head: Peacock hurl
Note: good from middle May to end of season
17. Dark Snipe (Snipe & Purple):
Hook: 00 (#16)
Hackle: speckled feather from outside of a Snipe's wing
Body: purple
Head: Peacock hurl
Note: appears about April 1st. a good general fly
18. Blue Partridge "Gravel Bed Spider":
Hook: 0 (#15)
Hackle: speckled feather (bluish) from Partridge back or Silver Pheasant
Body: light blue covered with Heron's hurl
Head: Magpie hurl
Note: comes on early in May, often kills well on bright days to end of July
19. Light Bloa:
Hook: 0 (#15)
Hackle: feather from outside of Dotterel's wing
Body: yellow
Head: yellow silk
Note: well taken middle of May to end of September
20. Tree Fly or Green Bank:
Hook: 000 (#17)
Hackle: feather from Golden Plover's back, or green linnet's body
Body: yellow silk with a touch of green worsted
Note: this is a very small fly. It often blows off plane trees (Sycamores), fish take it
very readily
21. Dark Watchett (Iron Blue Dun):
Hook: 00 (#16)
Hackle: feather from back of Merlin hawk
Body: orange and purple silk twisted with a little mole's fur
Head: orange silk
Note: a very small fly bit a favorite on cold blustery days
22. Light Watchett:
Hook: 00 (#16)
Hackle: feather from outside Sea Swallow's wing
Body: straw colored and gold tinsel
Note: same time as Dark Watchett, often taken better
23. Yellow Partridge:
Hook: 1 (#14)
Hackle: fine speckled feather from back of Partridge
Body: yellow sometimes ribbed with gold wire
Note: large Ephemera early in May. capital throughout season. well taken when
Dark Watchett is on
24.Stone Midge:
Hook: 00 (#16)
Hackle: feather from green plover's neck
Body: light blues silk, bodied with dark Heron's hurl
Head: Magpie hurl
Note: beginning of May, used all season. an excellent fly, about same shape as
housefly but smaller
25. Yellow Legs:
Hook: 1 (#14)
Hackle: light feather from neck of a Norwegian Crow (Hooded Crow), or inside of Jay's wing or
Dotterel
Body: yellow silk with gold tinseled body
Note: sometimes well taken May or June
26. Light Partridge:
Hook: 1 (#14)
Hackle: light freckled feather from Partridge's back
Body: straw colored silk with gold tinsel
Head: gold tinsel
27. Knotted Midge:
Hook: 0 (#15)
Hackle: bronze feather from shoulder of Starling
Body: Peacock's hurl
Head: purple silk, Peacock hurl
Note: well taken on sunny days, especially in woody places. appears about the time same as
swifts
28. White Starling:
Hook: 0 (#15)
Hackle: feather from under Green Plover's wing
Body: straw colored silk
Head: Magpie hurl
Note: comes on about June. kills well at times
29. Green Drake:
Hook: 3 (#12)
Hackle: mottled feather from Mallard, dyed olive or green from Woodpecker
Body: yellow and green silk twisted
Head: Peacock hurl
Note: comes on at the end of May or early June. well taken in big waters
30. Grey Drake:
Hook: 3 (#12)
Hackle: feather from Partridge tail
Body: orange and yellow silk twisted
Head: Peacock hurl
Note: comes on about the end of May or early June
Lunn: 1890's: .
From: Sylvester Nemes: Two Centuries of Soft-Hackled Flies: 2004
Lunn’s Yellow Boy:
Hackle: light buff (yellowish pink or yellow) cock hackle
Tail: pale buff
Body: white hackle-stalk dyed medium yellow (or pale yellow tying thread)
Lunn’s Little Red Partridge Hackle:
Hackle: feather from the back of a partridge, with fibers a little longer than the hook
Tail: pale buff
Body: red tying thread, ribbed with plain gold wire
Tying Thread: red
Lunn’s Light Hare’s Hackle:
Hackle: pale buff
Body: light fur from hare’s body spun on Pearsall’s gossamer olive silk, ribbed with gold twist
Tail: pale buff
Lunn’s dark hare hackle:
Hackle: dark blue cock hackle
Body: dark fur from hare’s back cut up and mixed. Spun on olive silk
Lunn’s Gold Ribbed Upright:
Hackle: medium blue dun hen hackle
Tail: fibers from blue dun hen hackle
Body: yellow gossamer silk, ribbed with plain gold wire
Gilbey’s Upright:
Hackle: dark blue dun cock hackle
Tail: fibers from blue dun cock hackle
Body: undyed peacock quill
Tying silk: olive
Lunn’s black upright:
Hackle: black cock hackle
Tail: fibers from black cock hackle
Body: peacock quill, dyed blue-black or quill from primary feather of black cock
Tying silk: black
Edmonds and Lee: 1916: Brook and River Trouting: 36 patterns DONE
From: Lawrie: English Trout Flies. 1967 (pg 164)
1. Winter Brown: (Perlidae)
Hook: 1 or 2 (#14 or #13)
Wings: Hackled with a grey-ish feather, barred, from the under coverts of a Woodcock's
wing. (The lighter side of the feather towards the head of the fly).
Body: Orange silk, No. 6a, dubbed with ruddy brown wool, the three turns next to tail
showing distinct orange.
March to middle of April.
2. Waterhen Bloa: (Ephemeridae)
Hook: 1 or 2 (#14 or #13)
Wings: Hackled with a smoky grey feather from under coverts of a Waterhen's wing. (The
darker side of the feather towards the head of the fly).
Body: Yellow silk, No. 4, dubbed with Mole's fur.
Head: Yellow silk.
March to end of April, again in September.
3. Greenwell's Glory: (Ephemeridae)
Hook 1 or 2 (#14 or #13)
Wings: from a hen Blackbird's primary quill feather, bunched and split.
Body: yellow silk, No. 4, well waxed, ribbed with four turns of fine gold wire or tinsel.
Legs: Coch-y-bondhu Hen's hackle.
Head: yellow silk, well waxed.
March to first week of May, again in September, although, by dressing with a lighter wing,
body and hackle, the fly can be used during the intervening months.
4. Spring Black: (Diptera) (Gnat)
Hook 0 (#15)
Wings: hackled with a Black cock's hackle or blue black feather from an adult Starling's
neck.
Body: purple silk, No. 8, dubbed sparingly with Magpie hurl.
Head: purple silk.
March and early April.
5. Dark Snipe or Snipe and Purple: (Ephemeridae)
Hook: 1 (#14)
Wings: hackled with the dark feather from the marginal coverts of a Snipe's wing.
Body: purple silk, No. 8.
Head: purple silk.
March to middle of April, and again in September.
6. Orange Partridge: (Perlidae + Empemeridae)
Hook: 1 (#14)
Wings: hackled with a brown mottled (not barred) feather from a Partridge's neck, or
back.
Body: orange silk, No. 6a, ribbed with about four turns of gold wire or tinsel.
Head: orange silk.
March to middle of May.
7. Broughton's Point or Dark Bloa: (Ephemeridae)
Hook: 1 or 2 (#14 or #13)
Wings: from a Starling's primary quill feather, the outer side of the feather as the under
side of the wing.
Body: claret silk, No. 13.
Legs: black hen's hackle.
Head: claret silk.
March to middle of April.
8a. March Brown: (Ephemeridae)
Hook 2 or 3 (#13 or #12)
Wings: from the quill feather of a Partridge's tail, grey-ish in tone, the top side of the
feather as the under side of the wing.
Body: orange silk, No. 6a, dubbed with sandy fur taken from the base of a Hare's ear and ribbed
with yellow silk, No. 4.
Tail: two strands from a Partridge's tail, same feather as the one used for the wings.
Legs: grey-ish brown feather from a Partridge's back.
Head: orange silk.
April and often May.
8b. March Brown: (Ephemeridae)
Hook: 2 or 3 (#13 or #12)
Wings: hackled with a mottled brown feather from a Snipe's rump.
Body: orange silk, No. 6a, dubbed with the fur from the nape of a rabbit's neck which has been
lightly tinged red with Crawshaw's Red Spinner dye, and ribbed with gold wire or tinsel.
Tail: two strands from a feather from a Snipe's rump, same feather as used for the wings.
Head: orange silk.
April, and often May.
9. Light Snipe or Snipe Bloa: (Ephemeridae)
Hook 1 (#14)
Wings: hackled with a bluish feather from the under coverts of a Snipe's wing. (The
lighter side of the feather toward the head).
Body: yellow silk, No. 4.
Head: yellow silk.
Middle of April to middle of May, and again in September.
10. Dark Needle: (Perlidae)
Hook 1 (#14)
Wings: hackled with a brownish feather taken from where the hinder part of a Starling's
wing joins the body, (There are only about four of these feathers on each side of the
bird.) or with a brownish feather from the back of a Swift.
Body: orange brown silk, No. 6b.
Head: Magpie hurl.
Middle of April to the end of June, and again in September.
11. Brown Owl: (Trichoptera)
Hook: 1 (#14)
Wings: hackled with a reddish brown feather from the lesser coverts of a Tawny or
Brown Owl's wing.
Body: orange silk, No. 6a.
Head: bronze Peacock hurl.
Latter part of April to end of June.
12. Olive Bloa: (Ephemeridae)
Hook: 1 (#14)
Wings: hackled with an olive green feather from a Green Plover's neck.
Body: yellow silk, No. 4, well waxed.
Head: orange brown silk, No. 6b.
Latter part of April and throughout May.
13a. Dark Watchet or Iron Blue Dun: (Ephemeridae)
Hook: 0 or 00
Wings: hackled with a dark smoky blue feather from a Jackdaw's throat.
Body: orange and purple silk, Nos. 6a and 8, twisted together, and dubbed very sparingly with
Mole's fur and wound on the body so that the orange and purple show in alternate bands.
Head: orange silk.
Last week in April and throughout May, and sometimes early in June. Particularly for dull days.
13b. Dark Watchet or Iron Blue Dun: (Ephemeridae)
Hook: 0 or 00 (#15 or #16)
Wings: from the darkish blue feather from a Blue Tit's tail, bunched and split.
Body: same as 13a.
Tail: two strands from a medium grizzled blue cock's hackle.
Legs: feather from a young Starling's thigh or flank.
Head: orange silk.
Last week in April and throughout May, and sometimes early in June, For brighter days.
14. Yellow Partridge: (Perlidae and Diptera) (Crane-fly)
Hook: 0 or 1 (#15 or #14)
Wings: hackled with a grey-ish feather barely tinged with brown, from a Partridge's back.
Body: yellow silk, No. 4.
Head: yellow silk.
May to the middle of June.
15. Light Needle: (Perlidae)
Hook: 0 or 1 (#15 or #14)
Wings: hackled with a feather from a young Starling's thigh or flank
Body: orange silk, No. 6a
Head: orange silk
May, June, and July
16. Yellow-Legged Bloa: (Ephemeridae)
Hook: 1 (#14)
Wings: from a young Starling's light primary quill feather, the outer side of the feather as the
under side of the wing
Body: primrose yellow silk, No. 3
Tail: two strands from a very pale ginger cock's hackle
Legs: a cock's hackle dyed a rich primrose yellow
Head: primrose yellow silk
May to end of June
17. Dotterel: (Ephemeridae)
Hook: 1 (#14)
Wings: hackled with a light-tipped fawn-ish feather from the marginal coverts or lesser coverts of
a Dotterel wing
Body: orange silk, No. 6, or Primrose yellow silk, No.3
Head: orange silk
Note: If the dotterel feather is unobtainable a feather from the under coverts of a young
Starling's wing makes a fair substitute
Middle of May to end of season
18. Poult Bloa: (Ephemeridae)
Hook: 0 or 1
Wings: hackled with a light blue feather from the under coverts of a young Grouse wing,
taken before the bird is strong on the wing. (the lighter side of the feather towards the
head of the fly.) This feather darkens very rapidly on the live bird from August onwards
Body: primrose yellow silk, No. 3
Head: primrose yellow silk
Middle of May to middle of July
19. Gravel Bed: (Diptera) (Crane-fly)
Hook: 1
Wings: hackled with a grey-ish feather, lightly tinged with brown from a Partridge's neck
Body: blue silk, No. 7, dubbed with blue-grey fur from the flank of an Opossum
Head: blue silk
Middle of May to end of June. A useful fly in colored water
20. Stone Midge: (Diptera (Gnat)
Hook: 0 or 00
Wings: hackled with an olive green feather from a Green Plover's neck
Body: grey silk, No. 9a, well waxed, or ash-colored silk No. 10, but in both cases dubbed
sparingly with blue-grey Heron hurl
Head: Magpie hurl
Middle of May to end of June
21. Knotted Midge: (Diptera (Gnat)
Hook: 0 or 00
Wings: hackled down the body "palmerwise" with a small black cock's hackle
Body: ash-colored silk No. 10, dubbed with dark Heron hurl
Head: Magpie hurl
Middle of May to end of July. For close days.
22. Black Gnat: (Diptera (Gnat)
Hook: 0
Wings: a few fibers from a light blue Hen's hackle put on as a single wing
Body: black silk, No. 9
Legs: rusty black Hen's hackle
Head: black silk
Middle of May to end of August. For close days
23. Ginger Spinner: (Ephemeridae)
Hook: 0 or 1
Wings: fibers of a light grizzled blue cock's hackle.
Body: flat gold wire with a wrapping over it of orange silk, No. 6, the silk to be untwisted and
only one or two strands used.
Tail: two strands from a ginger cock's hackle.
Legs: ginger cock's hackle.
Head: orange silk.
June, July and August.
24. Dark Sedge: (Trichoptera)
Hook: 1 or 2
Wings: hackled with a reddish brown feather from the lesser coverts of a Tawny or Brown Owl's
wing.
Body: yellow silk, No.4, dubbed with brownish fawn Seal's fur.
Head: brownish green hurl from the tail of a cock Pheasant.
Middle of June to end of Season.
25a. Light Sedge: (Trichoptera)
Hook: 1 or 2
Wings: Hackled with a light-barred reddish feather, from the lesser coverts of a Landrail's
wing.
Body: Yellow silk, No. 4, dubbed with reddish fur from the thigh of a Squirrel.
Head: Reddish hurl from the tail of a cock Pheasant.
Middle of June to end of season.
25b. Light Sedge: (Trichoptera)
Hook: 1 or 2
Wings: from a light-barred reddish feather, from the lesser coverts of a Landrail's wing
(a larger feather than the one used for No. 25a), the outer side of the feather as the
outside of the wing. Wings put on "penthouse" fashion.
Body: same as No. 25a.
Legs: reddish feather from the marginal coverts of a Landrail's wing.
Head: same as No. 25a.
Middle of June to end of the Season.
26. Redspinner: (Ephemeridae)
Hook: 1
Wings: fibers of medium grizzled blue cock's hackle
Body: red silk, No. 12, dubbed with maroon wool and ribbed with four turns of fine gold wire or
tinsel
Tail: two strands from a deep red cock's hackle
Legs: deep red cock's hackle
Head: red silk
July, August and September
27. July Dun: (Ephemeridae)
Hook: 1
Wings: from a Coot's primary quill feather, the outer side of the feather as the under-side of the
wing
Body: yellow silk, No. 4, dubbed sparingly with Mole's fur
Tail: two strands from a medium olive cock's hackle
Legs: medium olive hen's hackle
Head: yellow silk
July and August
28. Rough-Bodied Poult: (Ephemeridae)
Hook: 0 or 1
Wings: hackled with a light blue feather from the under coverts of a young Grouse wing, taken
before the bird is strong on the wing. (the lighter side of the feather towards the head of
the fly.) This feather darkens rapidly from August onwards.
Body: straw-colored silk, No. 2, dubbed sparingly with buff fur from the flank of the Opossum
Head: straw-colored silk
July, August and September
29. Pale Watery Dun: (Ephemeridae)
Hook: 0 or 1
Wings: from a young Starling's light primary quill feather, the inner side of the feather as the
under side of the wing.
Body: yellow silk, No. 4, dubbed with the palest buff fur from the flank of an Opossum.
Tail: two strands from palest ginger cock's hackle.
Legs: light blue hen hackle.
Head: yellow silk.
Middle of July to the end of September.
30. Light Silverhorns: (Trichoptera)
Hook: 1
Wings: from a Thrush's secondary quill feather, the outer side of the feather as the outside of the
wing, or from a Landrail's primary quill feather, the outer side of the feather as the outside
of the wing. Wings put on "penthouse" fashion.
Body: ash-colored silk, No. 10, sparingly dubbed with reddish grey fur from the thigh of a Squirrel
Legs: feather from a young Starling's thigh or flank
Head: ash-colored silk
Antennae: two strands from a black and white feather from a Mallard's breast
Middle of July to the end of August
31. Dark Silverhorns: (Trichoptera)
Hook: 1
Wings: from a Waterhen's primary quill feather, the outer side of the feather as the outside of the
wing. wings put on "penthouse" fashion
Body: black silk, No. 9, dubbed very sparingly with Mole's fur and ribbed with olive silk, No. 11
Legs: black cock's hackle or Green Plover's topping
Head: black silk
Antennae: two strands from a black and white feather from a Mallard's breast
Middle of July to the end of August
32. August Dun: (Ephemeridae)
Hook: 2
Wings: from a Mallard's breast feather, lightly tinged with brown
Body: yellow silk, No. 4, dubbed with yellow olive wool, and ribbed with orange silk, No. 6,
sparingly spun with fur from the nape of a rabbit's neck which has been lightly tinged red
with Crawshaw's Red Spinner dye.
Tail: two strands from a medium olive cock's hackle
Legs: medium olive hen's hackle
Head: yellow silk
Last week in July, August and September
33. Ant: (Hymenoptera)
Hook: 0
Wings: hackled with a light blue hen's hackle
Body: orange brown silk, No. 6b, dressed full at the tail with bronze Peacock hurl, then a few
turns of the silk towards the head, then dressed full at the shoulder with bronze Peacock
hurl
Head: orange brown silk August to second week in September
34. Green Insect: (Aphides)
Hook: 00 or 000
Wings: hackled with a light blue cock's hackle
Body: yellow silk, No. 4, dubbed with bright green olive wool
Head: yellow silk
August and September. Particularly on gusty days
35. Ginger Spinner: (Ephemeridae)
Hook: 0 or 1, eyed
Wings: fibers from a light grizzled blue cock's hackle dressed "spent"
Body: light cinnamon quill
Tail: two strands from a ginger cock's neck
Legs: two turns at most, as the fly must be dressed lightly
Head: orange silk, No. 6
June, July and August
36. Red Spinner: (Ephemeridae)
Hook: 0 or 1, eyed
Wings: fibers from a medium grizzled blue Cock's hackle dressed "spent"
Body: red quill
Tail: two strands of Gallina, dyed red brown
Legs: deep red cock's hackle, two turns at most, as fly must be dressed lightly
Head: red silk, No. 12
July, August and September
Nelson, William: 1922:
Leslie Magee: A North Country Tradition. 1994 (p. 167)
1. Light Snipe and Yellow:
Hook: 00 (16)
Hackle: small cover feather from under the wing of a snipe
Body: yellow silk.
Season: spring and autumn, but a good fly throughout the season.
2. Waterhen and Red:
Hook: 00 (16)
Hackle: small grayish feather from the coverts of a waterhen’s wing.
Body: red silk.
Season: summer and autumn.
3. Waterhen and Yellow:
Hook: 00 (16)
Hackle: same as #2.
Body: yellow silk.
Season: an excellent fly throughout the season.
4. Partridge and Orange:
Hook: 00 (16)
Hackle: small mottled feather from the neck or back of a partridge.
Body: orange silk.
Season: one of the best spring flies. March, April, and May.
5. Blue Hawk:
Hook: 00 (16)
Hackle: small marginal covert feather from the upper side of the wing of the Merlin.
(Leslie Magee’s note: the Merlin is today a rare and protected species; Magpie coverts
are a good substitute.)
6. Light Starling:
Hook: 00 (16)
Hackle: small covert feather from the under-wing of a starling.
Body: yellow silk.
Season: July, August, and September.
7. Dark Snipe and Purple:
Hook: 00 (16)
Hackle: small marginal covert feather from the upper side top of a snipe.
Body: purple silk.
Season: March and April.
8. Light Woodcock:
Hook: 00 (16)
Hackle: Small covert feather from under the wing of a woodcock.
Body: yellow silk.
Season: Spring, Summer, Autumn.
James Leisenring: 1941: The Art of the Wet Fly
From: Leisenring, J. and Hidy, V.,
The Art of the Wet Fly and Fishing the Flymph, 1971 (pg 108)
1. Brown or Red Hackle:
Hook: 12, 13, and 14
Silk: crimson or Claret
Hackle: red furnace
Rib: narrow Gold tinsel
Body: bronze Peacock hurl
2. Grey Hackle:
Hook: 12, 13, and 14
Silk: primrose Yellow
Hackle: yellow or white creamy furnace
Rib: narrow gold tinsel
Body: bronze colored Peacock hurl
3. Old Blue Dun:
Hook: 12, 13, and 14
Silk: primrose yellow
Hackle: blue dun Hen
Tail: two or three fibers from a rusty blue dun cock hackle
Rib: one strand yellow buttonhole Twist
Body: Muskrat under-fur spun on primrose yellow silk a little silk showing through dubbing at the Tail
Wings: Starling optional
4. Blue Dun Hackle:
Hook: 12, 13, and 14
Silk: primrose yellow
Hackle: light blue dun Hen
Tail: two or three Blue dun Hackle fibers Optional
Rib: very narrow flat gold
Body: Mole spun on primrose yellow silk a little silk exposed at the tail
5. Coachman:
Hook: 12, 13
Silk: orange
Hackle: bright red cock
Body: bronze colored Peacock hurl
Wings: Land Rail primary or secondary
6. Black Gnat:
Hook: 14, 15
Silk: crimson or claret
Hackle: purplish/black feather from cock starling shoulder
Body: black silk or two or three fibers from a crows secondary wing feather
Wings: dark Starling optional
7. Hare's Ear:
Hook: 13, 14
Silk: primrose yellow
Hackle: none; a few fibers of dubbing picked out for legs
Tail: two or three fibers from mottled feather of wood or mandarin Duck
Rib: narrow gold Tinsel
Body: fur from lobe or base of hare’s ear spun on primrose silk
Wings: English Woodcock secondaries with buff tips.
8. Iron Blue Wingless:
Hook: 14, 15
Silk: crimson or claret
Hackle: honey dun hen hackle with red points or a very dark honey dun
Tail: two short dark honey dun cock fibers
Rib: fine gold wire optional
Body: dark mole spun on crimson silk very thin at tail to expose silk.
9. Light Snipe & Yellow:
Hook: 13, 14
Silk: primrose yellow
Hackle: Snipe from undercovert feathers or lesser covert feathers
Rib: fine gold wire
Body: primrose yellow Button Twist
10. Pale Watery Dun Wingless:
Hook: 12, 13, and 14
Silk: primrose yellow
Hackle: pale honey dun
Tail: two or three pale honey dun cock fibers
Body: natural raffia grass, lacquer optional
11. Tups Nymph :
Hook: 13, 14
Silk: primrose yellow
Hackle: very small light blue hen hackle or medium-dark honey dun hen hackle
Body: halved, rear half primrose yellow buttonhole twist; thorax yellow and claret seal
fur mixed spun on primrose yellow silk
12. Iron Blue Nymph:
Hook: 14, 15
Silk: crimson or Claret
Hackle: two turns short Cock Jackdaw throat
Tail: two or three soft white fibers tied short
Body: dark mole spun on crimson or claret silk with two or three turns of silk exposed at
the tail.
Wooley: 1950: lists 34 patterns in his book.
From: Sylvester Nemes: Two Centuries of Soft-Hackled Flies: 2004
1. Winter Brown:
Body: orange tying silk dubbed with ruddy brown wool, the orange silk to show for three turns at
tail.
Hackle: dark brown mottled feather from under Woodcock wing.
Head: bronze Peacock hurl.
2. Spring Black:
Body: purple tying silk, dubbed thinly with Magpie hurl.
Hackle: black Starling feather.
3. Woodcock Quill:
Body: quill from stem of Peacock tail feather, gold tipped.
Hackle: from outside Woodcock wing.
4. Yellow Legged Bloa:
Body: pale yellow silk
Hackle: dyed primrose yellow
Wings: pale Starling, single upright
5. Light Dun Hackle:
Body: waxed yellow tying silk, ribbed with fine flat gold
Hackle: small pale dun feather from under Starling wing
6. Waterhen Bloa:
Body: mole fur on yellow tying silk or ribbed with yellow silk
Hackle: small shiny feather from underneath a Waterhen’s wing
7. Blue Dun Spider:
Body: blue rabbits fur, with three turns at tail end of unwaxed yellow tying silk, as a yellow tip to
Body
Hackle: small, shiny feather from under Waterhen’s wing
8. Rough Olive:
Body: Heron’s hurl, dyed darkish green olive, ribbed gold wire
Hackle: small feather from the outside of a Coot’s wing
Fogg, Roger W.S.: 1988: A Notebook of North Country Flies: 63 patterns
Courtesy of Donald Nicholson
Fogg, Roger W.S.: 1988: A Notebook of North Country Flies
Woodcock Spiders:
1. Woodcock and Hare’s Lug:
Hook: 14
Thread: well-waxed primrose silk
Body: well-waxed primrose tying silk with a thorax only of hare’s ear fur. Pick the fibers of the fur
with a dubbing needle so that they merge with the hackle.
Hackle: a feather from the under coverts or marginal coverts of the woodcock.
Note: this particular spider is good in spring and early summer fly and presents a fair imitation of
the dark olives but is a good general pattern all season.
2. Brown Woodcock:
Hook: 16-8. smaller sizes for streams and larger sizes for stillwaters where this pattern can do
surprisingly well.
Thread: brown silk
Body: either fiery brown seal’s fur with fibers picked out to merge with the hackle, or brown tying silk or floss silk
with a thorax of bronze peacock hurl, red fox or hare’s ear
Hackle: well-marked red-brown feather from the marginal coverts of a woodcock
Note: the seal’s fur version produces a particularly attractive stillwater fly if the underlying silk is
hot orange. It has a ‘sedge-like’ (caddis-like) looking appearance. A small version is good
for river fishing (brown silk) is good for river fishing and provides a fair copy of the small
brown stoneflies, which frequent rough streams.
3. Olive Woodcock:
Hook: 14-8.
Thread: olive silk
Hackle: red-brown feather from the marginal coverts of a woodcock wing
Body: either green-olive seal’s fur with fibers picked out to merge with the hackle or olive floss
silk with a thorax of hare’s ear, again with fibers picked out to merge with the hackle.
Note: this version seems to do little on rivers yet achieves a great success on stillwaters where it
probably suggests a sedge (caddis) pupae or hatching sedge (caddis). It may also be
used as a leaded nymph.
4. Emerald Green Woodcock:
Hook: 18-14.
Thread: green silk
Hackle: a small red-brown feather from the marginal coverts of a woodcock wing.
Body: seal’s fur or floss silk may be used, but (Fogg says) ‘in this case, use emerald green wool
which is teased onto the thread as a dubbing rather than wound on.’
Note: though reasonable successful on stillwaters, this is essentially a river fly. Particularly on
small rivers, when the conditions are low and clear.
5. Yellow Woodcock:
Hook: 14-8.
Thread: yellow silk
Hackle: well-marked red-brown feather from the marginal coverts of a woodcock.
Body: either seal’s fur or yellow floss silk with a thorax of hare’s ear fur or peacock hurl.
Note: this is a good imitation of a sedge (caddis) pupae and may be fished on rivers and
stillwaters alike. on stillwaters retrieve the fly slowly just under the surface film or fish it
deep as a weighted pattern when sport is somewhat slow.
6. Crimson Woodcock:
Hook: 18-14.
Thread: crimson silk
Hackle: well-marked red-brown feather from the marginal coverts of a woodcock
Body: crimson tying silk, floss silk or wool. a thorax or peacock hurl or red fox fur produces an
attractive fly.
Note: the Crimson Woodcock may be regarded as a general river pattern and is particularly
useful as an imitation of early stoneflies including the February red.
7. Orange Woodcock:
Hook: 18-14.
Thread: hot orange
Hackle: well-marked red-brown feather from the marginal coverts of a woodcock
Body: hot orange tying silk or floss silk with a small thorax of green peacock hurl close up against
the hackle.
Note: the Orange Woodcock may be dressed with any of the body materials previously specified.
however the following prescription offers by far the best dressing.
It was once thought of as a stonefly imitation yet the Orange Woodcock ought to have been regarded as
one of the most effective general river patterns and the best of all the woodcock series. It will also fish
very well in any position on the stillwater cast. Despite the fame of the Orange Partridge, I (Fogg) much
prefer the Orange Woodcock which in times past was a much more popular fly. The Orange Woodcock
undoubtedly suggests a wide variety of natural creatures and is one of those flies which, as soon as you
have dressed it, looks very likely to kill fish. There have been many variations on the Orange Woodcock
them including the Orange Brown which certainly merits attention:
8. Orange Brown:
Hook: 18-14.
Thread: well-waxed hot orange silk
Hackle: well-marked red-brown feather from the marginal coverts of a woodcock
Body: waxed hot orange silk very lightly dubbed with red-brown squirrel fur. The tying silk must
clearly shine through the dubbing. The dubbing may be a little heavier just behind the
hackle.
Note: our indigenous squirrel (European Red) now being rare, a substitute fur must be found. A
version called the Early Brown using an under-covert feather.
9. Early Brown
Hook: 18 -14.
Thread: waxed orange silk
Hackle: a small barred under-covert feather from the Woodcock
Body: waxed orange silk very lightly dubbed with red-brown wool
Head: Peacock hurl
Note: as a stonefly imitation, this pale-hackled version enjoyed tremendous success and
popularity. often it is referred to as the Light Woodcock, while Edmonds and Lee lists it
as the Winter Brown. The Old Master is a fly which eventually appeared in T. E. Pritt’s
Yorkshire Trout Flies of 1885 yet was certainly in existence well before that date.
10. The Old Master
Hook: 16 or 14.
Thread: ash-colored or pale grey.
Hackle: a small pale Woodcock under-covert feather.
Body: ash-colored tying silk (Pearsall’s No.10) wrapped over with open turns of Heron hurl. You
will probably have to use a substitute hurl.
Note: whatever the truth about the name and origins of this fly, it remains a pattern worthy of our
attention and as Pritt says it is a “capital killer from April to the end of August, on warm
days and evenings”
Starling Hackles.
11. Baillie’s Black Spider:
Hook: 16, 14 or 12
Thread: brown silk, very heavily waxed until it appears almost black
Hackle: a glossy purple-black or green-black from the neck of a cock starling. The hackle must be
wound half way down the body in palmer-style
Body: same as tying silk
Note: Baillie’s Black Spider is an excellent top-dropper fly for upstream fishing and when dibbled
near to the surface suggests struggling and emerging insects.
12. Little Black:
Hook: 18, 16 or 14
Thread: purple silk
Hackle: a dark glossy black feather from a starling’s neck
Body: purple tying silk dubbed sparingly with magpie hurl. Scrape the hurl gently with the finger
nails to raise the flue before tying in. The hurl should not be along the body but twisted
with the tying silk when the body is being fashioned.
13. Starling Bloa:
Hook: 18, 16 or 14
Thread: primrose or straw-colored
Hackle: palest Starling feather from the under-coverts.
Body: as tying silk although a white tying silk is sometimes used. The fly is much improved with a
small thorax of the pales hare’s ear fur dubbed behind the hackle.
Head: an optional peacock hurl head may be included
Note: the Starling Bloa is best regarded as a spring and summer stream fly suggestive of pale
insects, including the Pale Watery and various spinners.
Golden Plover Hackles.
14. Dotterel Dun:
Hook: 18, 16 or 14.
Thread: pale yellow silk.
Hackle: a light mottled starling feather with a brownish tinge. Under-wing. Or Golden Plover.
Body: pale yellow silk very lightly dubbed with light hare's ear fur. (Touch-dubbed?) Dub a little
more heavily behind the hackle to form a thorax.
15. Golden Hackle
Hook: 16 or 14.
Thread: yellow, only lightly waxed.
Hackle: a golden plover feather from the marginal coverts. Choose a feather with the largest and
most distinctive yellow blotches on it.
Body: yellow silk with an extremely light dubbing of fur combed from the black ear of a spaniel, or
a substitute fur, of a very soft texture and appear blue-black. Black mole.
Hook: 18 or 16 for rivers and 14 or 12 for
For stillwaters:
Thread: primrose yellow, very lightly waxed.
Hackle: a well marked golden plover feather from the marginal coverts.
(Sometimes Stewart style)
Body: primrose yellow silk with the very lightest dubbing of pale hare's ear fur. The silk should be
exposed at the tail end to form a tag and the fur built up a little behind the hackle to form a thorax.
pick out thorax with a dubbing needle so that it merges with the hackle.
16. Plover Dun:
Hook: 16, 14 or 12
Thread: copper-colored silk
Hackle: a yellow freckled feather from the marginal coverts of a Golden Plover
Body: copper silk very lightly dubbed with blue Water Rat** fur. Alternatively blue rabbit under-fur
with a pinch of brown fur mixed in. The dubbing should be very sparse indeed.
(Theakston-silk only 'tinged' with fur)
Poultry Hackles.
17. Black & Peacock Spider:
Hook: 16 or 14
Tying Thread: lead colored (Pearsall’s No. 9A slate)
Hackle: a sooty-black hen hackle feather, short fibred and wound sparingly.
Body: bronze peacock hurl dressed rather short and plump.
18. Black Spider:
Hook: 18, 16, 14 or 12
Tying Thread: black
Hackle: black hen
Body: black tying silk, floss silk, wool or seal’s fur
19. Butcher Spider:
Hook: 16 or 14
Tying Thread: black
Hackle: black hen
Body: silver tinsel
Rib: fine silver wire
Tail: red wool or red ibis substitute
20. Bluebottle & Greenbottle:
Hook: 18, 16, 14 or 12
Tying Thread: black
Hackle: black hen dressed conventionally or wound half way down body
Body: metallic blue or green tinsel accordingly or pearlescent over black thread
21. Blue Dun Spider:
Hook: 18, 16, 14 or 12
Tying Thread: primrose silk (Pearsall’s No. 3) either lightly waxed or heavily waxed depending on the intended shade of the dressing
Hackle: natural or dyed blue dun hen from a powdery blue to an iron blue shade
Body: very sparse dubbing of ’blue dun’ fur over yellow silk
Form a thorax by dubbing more heavily behind the hackle, but make sure the yellow silk
shines through the dubbing for the rest of the body.
22. Blue Hen & Yellow:
Hook: 18, 16 or 14
Tying Thread: primrose silk (Pearsall’s No. 3)
Hackle: blue dun hen, sparse
Body: tying silk, short
23. Brown Owl:
Hook: 16, 14, 12 or 10
Tying Thread: orange silk (Pearsall’s No. 6A) waxed to a rather dull shade
Hackle: Brown owl substitute. Either a coarse-fibred red-brown hen hackle or a French partridge
marginal covert feather dyed to the appropriate shade
Body: as tying silk although you may choose to use dull orange floss silk
Head: bronze peacock hurl
24. Dark Spanish Needle:
Hook: 16 or 14
Tying Thread: well waxed orange silk (Pearsall‘s No 6A), almost brown
Hackle: a very dark brown hen feather
Body: as tying silk
Head: peacock hurl
25. Greenwell Spider & variations:
Hook: 16, 14 or 12
Tying Thread: primrose yellow silk (Pearsall’s No. 3)
Hackle: greenwell hen, which is ginger with a black centre. a darker Furnace hackle may also be
used. Two turns only.
Rib: Fine gold wire
Body: primrose tying silk heavily waxed so that it achieves an olive-yellow shade
Note: wind the tying silk down the body in close turns and then back again. a dark hare’s ear
thorax (kept small) can be added
26. Silver Greenwell:
Hook:
Tying Thread: same as above
Body: flat silver tinsel, ribbed with silver wire.
Hackle: gold furnace. furnace hen.
27. Pheasant Tail Spider & variations:
Hook: 16, 14 or 12
Tying Thread: brown or orange (Pearsall’s No. 17 or 6A)
Hackle: blue dun, ginger, Coch-y-Bondhu, honey dun, furnace or dark brown. Game bird hackles
such as woodcock may also be used.
Body: three pheasant tail hurls twisted together and wound as a rope
Rib: fine gold wire
28. Yellow Legged Bloa:
Hook: 14 or 12.
Tying Thread: primrose yellow or deeper yellow (Pearsall’s No. 3 or 5)
Hackle: pale yellow hen or yellow hen with a greenish tinge
Body: well waxed yellow silk; it should achieve a greenish yellow shade
Note: the fly may also be given a little dubbing of pale olive seal’s fur behind the hackle.
Waterhen Hackles.
29. Waterhen Bloa:
Hook: 18 to 12
Thread: primrose yellow silk lightly waxed
Hackle: a feather from the marginal coverts of a waterhen’s wing
Body: primrose yellow tying silk sparsely dubbed with blue water rat fur, or a mix of blue rabbit
underfur and mole. leave a tiny tag of yellow tying silk and dub a thorax of fur behind the
hackle. Make sure that the yellow silk shines through the dubbed fur when wet.
30. Waterhen and Red:
Hook: 18, 16 or 14
Thread: crimson silk
Hackle: a feather from the marginal coverts of a waterhen’s wing
Body: a single layer of scarlet or crimson floss silk or plain tying silk
Head: an optional peacock hurl head may be added if required
31. Dark Drake:
Hook: 18, 16 or 14
Thread: orange silk
Hackle: a dark feather from the marginal coverts of a waterhen’s wing. Select a small feather
from the bow of the wing
Body: waxed orange tying silk, not too dark, dubbed lightly with mole fur so that the silk shines
through when wet. dub a small thorax behind the hackle
Coot Hackles.
32. Black Spider:
Hook: 16 to 12
Thread: black silk, waxed so that it possesses a rather glossy appearance. You may even
varnish the body
Hackle: a dark charcoal grey feather from the bow of a coot’s wing
Body: black tying silk with a thorax of peacock hurl black ostrich hurl
If ostrich hurl is used trim the flue a little shorter
33. Iron Blue:
Hook: 18 or 16.
Thread: crimson silk.
Hackle: the smallest coot feather available from the marginal coverts of the wing.
Body: Mole fur dubbed lightly over crimson tying silk with a tag of crimson exposed at the rear.
Make sure that the crimson silk may be seen through the dubbing.
34. Water Cricket:
Hook: 16, 14 or 12
Thread: orange silk
Hackle: a dark and soft-fibred hackle from the marginal coverts of a coot’s wing.
Body: amber or orange floss silk ribbed with a single of black marabou floss silk.
Note: the body may be extended a little further along the shank than in normal North-country
dressings but must remain slim and neatly tapered.
Jackdaw Hackles.
35. Dark Watchet:
Hook: 18 or 16 for most purposes. on really windy days a size 14 may be feasible.
Thread: orange or purple silk.
Hackle: a smallish, dark, smoke-grey feather from a Jackdaw’s neck.
a Coot feather may be used as a substitute.
Body: orange and purple tying silk twisted together and dubbed with down from a water rat or mole fur.
Head: varnished orange tying silk
Note: it is actually simpler to construct a purple silk underbody and then wind fur dubbed sparsely
on orange silk in open turns along the underbody. Make sure that the purple silk is clearly
visible between the ribbings and that the fur does not mask the orange silk upon which it
is dubbed. Both orange and purple must shine through.
.36. Dark Bloa:
Hook: 14 or 12
Thread: dark claret, mulberry or wine colored silk
Hackle: a dark charcoal jackdaw throat feather
Body: claret floss silk
Grouse Hackles.
There are two species of grouse in Britain, the common red grouse, Lagopus scorius scoticus, and the
black grouse or ’Black Game’, Lyrurus tetrix britannicus also referred to as ’Black Cock’, which can be
confusing when reading old fly recipes.
37. Blackgame:
Hook: 18 or 16
Thread: well waxed purple silk
Hackle: a small marginal covert from the male black grouse in its prime winter plumage. The
correct feather should be almost black but possessing a bluish tinge.
Body: purple tying silk waxed until it darkens to almost black
Note: add a small thorax of green peacock hurl behind the hackle
this is an excellent variation on the black spider theme and succeeds when any black
flies are around although it will take fish at most times, especially on lakes becalmed by
the dour dog days of July.
38. Grouse Quill:
Hook: 16 or 14
Thread: brown silk
Hackle: a small orange-freckled, dark feather from the marginal coverts of a very dark male red
grouse
Body: stripped and un-dyed peacock quill with a dubbing of dark hare’s ear fur close up against
the hackle
Note: intended essentially as a river pattern, the Grouse Quill offers a good imitation of small
stoneflies, including the willow fly, but also stillwater chironomids
39. Dark Grouse:
More or less the same fly as Grouse Quill but without the quill. The hackle is the same but it is
given a body of brown tying silk waxed until almost black. Fished close to the surface, it
may be used when any small black insects are in evidence.
40. Dark Moor Game: (Red Grouse)
Hook: 16 or 14
Thread: orange silk waxed to a dark shade
Hackle: dark freckled feather from the ’knuckle’ of a dark cock Red Grouse wing
one of the ’black’ sub-species of the Red Grouse is an ideal bird for this pattern
Body: a slim body of orange silk tinged with blue Water Rat** fur
Head: Peacock hurl
Note: perhaps the most neglected grouse feathers are the small spoon-shaped under-covert
feathers which are blue grey on a Red Grouse or a darker grey on the wing of a Black
Grouse. The darker Grouse under-coverts make very suitable substitutes for the
traditional snipe feathers used in such flies as the Snipe and Purple and occur in greater
numbers than on a Snipe wing. However, the paler under-coverts are used in the
hackling of one of the most famous North-country flies, the Poult Bloa.
41. Poult Bloa:
Hook: 16
Thread: primrose yellow silk
Hackle: a slaty-blue or ‘bloa’ feather from the under-coverts of a young Black Grouse
Body: waxed yellow tying silk very lightly dubbed with squirrel fur
Note: mix in a little hare’s ear to tone the color down a little. the yellow silk should clearly shine
through the dubbing although the fur may be a little heavier behind the hackle to form a
thorax. you may also pick a little fur out to merge with the hackle.
The word ‘bloa’ is a dialect word referring to the color of blue-grey clouds on a day when
rain threatens; whenever it is used it refers to the color of the hackle. Using the marginal
covert feathers of male or female red grouse, the following series may be produced:
Green Grouse, Orange Grouse, Red Grouse and Yellow Grouse. The only
distinguishing difference between the patterns is that of the body color and for that
reason I will reduce the series to a single dressing prescription:
42. Grouse Spiders:
Hook: 16, 14 or 12
Thread: green, orange, crimson, or primrose yellow silk
Hackle: a small mottled red-brown, marginal covert feather from the wing of a Red Grouse
Body: insect green, hot orange, crimson or yellow floss silk
Note: a thorax of peacock hurl or hare’s ear may be added. These simple and easily tied flies are
well worth a place in any fisherman’s fly-box.
The Orange Grouse offers yet another alternative to the more famous Orange Partridge and along with
the Red Grouse suggests, in particular, a variety of stoneflies including early season insects
such as the February Red. In addition the Orange Grouse achieves success as a stillwater
sedge pattern even when the natural flies do not possess orange bodies. Nevertheless, as
suggestions of sedges, particularly the pupae, the green and yellow-bodied varieties are best.
One of the most neglected books of fishing literature is John Turton’s The Angler’s Manual of
1836. However, I suppose that its very scarcity now makes it understandably neglected. It is a
significant work because many of the standard North-country flies, often erroneously accredited
to Pritt, appear for the first time in print within its pages. Here are a couple of the less well known
patterns from his book.
43. Yellow Spider:
Hook: 16 or 14
Thread: light yellow silk
Hackle: light brown mottled moorgame’s feather. I would suggest a feather taken from the
marginal coverts of a female Red Grouse
Body: light yellow silk with a light dubbing of yellow Marten’s fur taken from the throat
44. Brown Shiner:
Hook: 16 or 14
Thread: light orange silk
Hackle: a light brown mottled Moorgame’s feather (Grouse) from the bottom of the neck
Body: light orange silk at the tail with a peacock hurl thorax
Head: Peacock hurl
Snipe Hackles.
45. March Brown:
Hook: 14 or 12
Thread: orange silk, Pearsall’s shade 6a, which is a light orange (On their chart it is called Gold.)
Hackle: a mottled brown feather from a Snipe’s rump
Body: orange silk dubbed with fur from the nape of a rabbit’s neck lightly tinged with a red spinner shade.
Rib: fine gold wire or narrow gold tinsel
46. Snipe & Purple:
Hook: 18 to 14
Thread: un-waxed purple silk. Pearsall’s shade 8
Hackle: a dark marginal covert feather from the Snipe, or Jack Snipe for preference. Choose a
spoon-shape feather.
Body: purple tying silk or floss silk
47. Snipe & Orange:
Hook: 16 or 14.
Thread: orange silk
Hackle: a dark marginal covert feather from the Snipe, or Jack Snipe for preference. Choose a
spoon-shape feather
Body: well waxed orange tying silk
48. Snipe & Yellow:
Hook: 16 or 14.
Thread: primrose yellow silk.
Hackle: a rather lighter colored marginal covert Snipe feather. Look for a feather with a pale
blotch at the tips and a distinct buff-brown color over all.
Body: a single layer of bright primrose floss silk over the tying silk underbody. Theakston added
a thorax of brown wool; you may also use peacock hurl, optional.
49. Black Snipe:
Body: 18 to 8. Small for river, larger for lake
Thread: black
Hackle: two turns of a rather longer-fibred Snipe feather than those used in the previous
dressings choose one of the darkest feathers available on the topside of the wing
Body: a very short body of green Peacock hurl, which should appear little more than a thorax
behind the hackle
50. Needle Brown.
Hook: 16 or 14
Thread: well waxed orange silk
Hackle: a small dark Snipe feather from the marginal coverts. The hackle should be wound
sparsely.
Body: waxed orange silk which should assume almost a brown shade, with a thorax of grizzled
hare’s ear fur. Pick a few fibers out to merge with the hackle.
51. Light Spanish Needle.
Hook: 16 or 14.
Thread: crimson, Fogg recommends ‘Cobweb’, as it is no longer available, Pearsall or a more
modern thread will do.
Hackle: a light bloa feather from the under-coverts of a snipe’s wing.
Body: crimson ‘Cobweb’ tying thread. make sure that it is neat and slim.
Head: Peacock hurl. do not make the head too large and conspicuous.
Partridge & Hen Pheasant.
52. Orange Partridge:
Hook: 16 to 12
Thread: hot orange silk
Hackle: brown speckled partridge back feather, not too long in the fiber.
One and a half turns of hackle will suffice.
Body: a single layer of orange floss over the tying silk underbody.
Note: I prefer a rather dull orange floss although hot orange floss may be used. For
this fly, a floss silk body is to be preferred as it adds a further impression of translucence
when wet. In Yorkshire, the fly is often given a rib of narrow gold or silver tinsel which
adds extra attraction especially for grayling. A further variation on the basic theme was
developed by E.M. Todd, a great fly fisherman who published Wet-Fly Fishing in 1903.
Todd added a rib of stripped peacock hurl to produce a very beautiful and effective fly.
This variation is an excellent artificial for stillwater nymph fishing. Unfortunately, the
stripped hurl is rather delicate and a single trout may well reduce the ribbing to unsightly
shreds. For stillwater work, Tod’s version may also be given a dubbed body of orange
seal’s fur which creates a very sedge-like appearance and is to be recommended.
53. Crimson Partridge:
Hook: 16 to 12.
Thread: crimson silk.
Hackle: a well-speckled partridge back feather.
Body: a slim and short body of crimson wool.
Note: this provides a good imitation of the February red stonefly and does well when the river is
discolored. It also seems to fish well in peaty little lochs and may be used on a traditional
loch styled cast when boat fishing.
54. Green Partridge;
Hook: 16 to 12.
Thread: green silk.
Hackle: a brown speckled partridge back feather.
Body: an insect green wool body ribbed with fine gold wire. I may be given a roughly dubbed
thorax of hare’s ear fur if you wish, but this is optional.
Note: in larger sizes this is a good stillwater pattern and provides an excellent imitation of many
sedge pupae. However, in very small sizes, especially when dressed on size 16 hooks, it
can ease a frustrating day on the stream. It has a habit of moving fish in stale summer
rivers when every other fly seems to send shock waves of fear throughout the entire pool.
55. Copper King:
Hook: 14 or 12.
Thread: brown silk.
Hackle: A brown speckled partridge back feather.
Body: copper foil or tinsel. This may now be purchased in adhesive sheet form.
Note: if you use copper tinsel for the body of this fly it may be buffed up to a nice shiny
appearance with chamois leather. Generally regarded as a grayling fly, it may be leaded
so that it will fish deep in pools where winter grayling hug the bottom in shoals.
56. March Brown Spider:
Hook: 14 or 12.
Thread: light orange silk.
Hackle: a well-speckled partridge back feather.
Body: a mixture of various shades of hare’s ear fur dubbed on pale orange silk and ribbed with
yellow silk.
Note: this may seem quite a simple dressing but it is really quite sophisticated in that its obscure
inventor a couple of centuries ago perhaps, realized the value of harmonizing various
colors of silk and fur. They blend superbly when wet.
57. Orl Fly:
Hook: 12 or 10
Thread: dark red or wine colored
Hackle: a dark brown speckled partridge back feather
Body: bronze peacock hurl over dark red tying silk. A tag of tying silk may be left at the end of the
body.
Note: while the Orl Fly will catch its quota of river trout, it is a good ‘sedgey’ stillwater fly and
probably suggests other succulent items of food including beetles and various larvae.
58. Welsh Partridge:
Hook: 14 to 10
Thread: claret or wine colored
Hackle: a mixed hackle of brown partridge back feather and dark crimson hen
Body: roughly dubbed purple seal’s fur ribbed with fine oval gold tinsel
Tails: pheasant tippets
Note: a pattern which undoubtedly falls into the ‘fancy’ fly category is my version of the Welsh
Partridge, the standard dressing being given in Courtney Williams invaluable ‘Dictionary’.
59. Grey Watchet:
Hook: 16 or 14
Thread: pale yellow or straw colored silk
Hackle: a grayish speckled feather from a partridge breast
Body: as tying silk. I like to add a little thorax of green peacock hurl behind the hackle.
Note: Pritt recommended the Grey Watchet for “cold days, and in the evenings during June and
July” while Edmonds and Lee believed it best from May to the middle of June.
60. Knop Fly:
Hook: 14
Thread: black silk
Hackle: a grey, speckled feather from a partridge breast
Body: a dubbing of mole fur on black silk and ribbed with a single strand of peacock hurl. Again
this fly is included out of historical interest for I cannot guess the natural insect originally
imitated by it. The word ‘knop’ is a Lancashire word for ‘knob’ but was also used to refer
to the bud of a flower.
French Partridge Hackle.
Before ending this chapter, I must not neglect the importance of hackle feathers from the wing of the
French partridge, Alectoris rufa, is often known as the red-legged partridge. It is an extremely colorful bird
yet possesses an oddly drab wing. In some areas of the country it has been introduced for sporting
reasons and may be quite abundant.
Larger than the common partridge, the French partridge has white cheeks and throat bordered by a black
band, and beautifully marked flanks barred with black, white and chestnut. The bill and legs are both red.
The fanciest feathers are sometimes used as hackles for wet mayflies on Irish laughs and Scottish lochs.
In contrast to this beautiful flank feather, all the wing feathers are a dirty olive-grey in color. Nevertheless,
the marginal coverts are very useful indeed and there are many small feathers just right for hackling trout
flies. The may be used for any flies needing an olive-grey hackle; they may be used as substitutes for the
scarce hackles of other birds, or they may be dyed to a variety of olive and brown shades using
waterproof Pantone pens.
In addition, French partridge feathers are quite durable which makes them easy to tie in and wind.
Coloring French partridge marginal coverts to various shades of green-olive and brown-olive is really
simplicity itself. The Pantone pen is stroked gently along the feather fibers, from stalk to tip, until the
correct shade is achieved. The feather must be placed on a firm surface during this process and I usually
hold the stalk with a pair of tweezers. Make sure that you color both sides of the feather to achieve an
even color. At first, the fibers of the feather will tend to clog together, but when the ink has dried
thoroughly, the feather may be fluffed out gently to its original shape. For such patterns as the Olive Bloa
there are no better feathers in existence and they are certainly much better hackles than dyed hen
feathers.
61. Olive Bloa I:
Hook: 16, 14 or 12.
Thread: yellow silk well-waxed so that achieves a yellow-olive shade.
Hackle: a French partridge marginal covert feather dyed with a Pantone pen, shade 396, or used
un-dyed.
Body: well-waxed yellow silk, or yellow silk wrapped with open turns of heron hurl (substitute)
dyed olive.
Note: I particularly like to dress a version of the Olive Bloa in semi-palmered Stewart style which
makes it an excellent top dropper fly and suggests ’hatching’ up-winged olives.
62. Olive Bloa II:
Hook: 16, 14 or 12.
Thread: well-waxes primrose silk.
Hackle: a French partridge marginal covert feather dyed with a Pantone pen, shade 396.
Body: well-waxed primrose tying silk very lightly dubbed with hare’s ear fur tinged with the same
olive shade as the hackle. The fur is dubbed a little more heavily behind the hackle to
form a thorax.
An alternative to the first pattern and a particularly good river nymph.
63. Olive Bloa III:
Hook: 16, 14 or 12.
Thread: olive silk waxed to a dark shade.
Hackle: a French partridge marginal covert feather dyed with a Pantone pen, shade 104.
This is a darker shade than that used in the earlier dressings.
Body: dark waxed olive green tying silk dubbed with the darkest shade of hare’s ear fur.
Note: the dubbing should be sparse although a dubbed thorax may be included behind the
hackle.
Books:
Theakston, Michael, British Angling Flies, 1853
Theakston, Michael, British Angling Flies, revised and annotated by Francis M. Walbran 1862.
W.C. Stewart’s, The Practical Angler, 1857
H.C. Cutcliffe, The Art of Trout Fishing on Rapid Streams, 1863
T.E. Pritt, Yorkshire Flies, 1885 and North Country Flies, 1886
H.H. Edmonds and N.N. Lee's, Brook and River Trouting: A Manual of Modern North Country
Methods, 1916
G.E.M. Skues, Minor Tactics of the Chalk Stream, 1914
G.E.M. Skues, The Way of a Trout with a Fly, 1921
G.E.M. Skues, Nymph Fishing For Chalk Stream Trout, 1939
Woolley, Roger, Modern Trout Fly Dressing, 1932
James Leisenring and Vernon Hidy, The Art of Tying the Wet Fly, 1941
James Leisenring and Vernon Hidy, The Art of Tying the Wet Fly and Fishing the Flymph, 1971
Vernon (Pete) Hidy, Soft-Hackled Nymphs-The Flymphs chapter in The Masters on the Nymph, 1979
Courtney Williams, A dictionary of Trout Flies, 1949
Lawrie, W.H. Border River Angling, 1939
Lawrie, W.H. The Book of the Rough Stream Nymph, 1947
Lawrie, W.H. Scottish Trout Flies - An Analysis and Compendium, 1966
Lawrie, W.H. English Trout Flies, 1967
Lawrie, W.H. English and Welsh Trout Flies, 1967
Lawrie, W.H. International Trout Flies, 1969
Lawrie, W.H. Modern Trout Flies, 1972
Tom Stewart, Two Hundred Popular Flies, 1962
Roger Fogg, The Art of the wet fly, 1979
Roger Fogg, A Handbook of North Country Flies, 1988
Sylvester Nemes, The Soft-Hackled Fly, 1975
Sylvester Nemes, The Soft-Hackled Fly Addict, 1981
Sylvester Nemes, Soft-Hackled Fly Imitations, 1991
Sylvester Nemes, The Soft-Hackled Fly: A Trout Fisherman’s Guide, 1993
Sylvester Nemes, Two Centuries of Soft Hackled Flies, 2004
Sylvester Nemes, The Soft-Hackled Fly and Tiny Soft Hackled Flies, 2006
Dave Hughes, Wet Flies – Tying and Fishing Soft-Hackles, Winged and Wingless Wets, and Fuzzy
Nymphs, 1995
Leslie Magee, Fly Fishing - The North Country Tradition, 1994
EXTRA’S
Baille's Black Spider:
HOOK: 16,14
THREAD: Brown silk waxed till almost black
BODY: As Thread
HACKLE: Glossy purple black or green black feather from Starlings neck. Hackle is wound
palmered half way around the body
Woodcock and Hare's Lug Spider
HOOK 14
THREAD Primrose Yellow
BODY Dark hares ear spun on the Primrose silk. Pick fibers out with dubbing needle so they
merge into the hackle
HACKLE A feather from under coverts of the woodcock
Stewart’s Black spider:
This is perhaps the best fly of all and it can be used confidently all season in many sizes. It
represents almost anything and the trout love it.
Thread: Brown or black silk
Hackle: Starling back feather wound with silk through the first 1/3 of the fly
Greenwell’s Glory:
A devastatingly effective fly for Don trout and one most locals never have off their leader. Good
as a dry and a wet, but best fished spider style.
Thread: Well waxed pearsalls #5 yellow silk
Body: Thread as above
Rib: Gold wire
Wing: Rolled blackbird wing or similar, tied up at an angle as shown
Hackle: 2 turns of Cochy-bondu hen hackle
Hares Ear Soft Hackle:
Many versions of this are popular. Tied with hackles of Plover, Partridge, Woodcock and Grouse.
The Plover one is perhaps the most effective all rounder, but the others can have their days too.
Hook: 10-16 dry fly
Thread: yellow
Body: lightly dubbed Hares ear
Hackle: Golden Plover back feather
Snipe and Purple:
A good dark olive and iron blue imitation, this is yet another spider that fishes well most of
the season. Especially on the top dropper.
Thread: purple silk
Body: purple silk
Hackle: outer covert of a Snipe's wing
Stewarts Red Spider:
A border fly that works very well mid season for trout on the river. The original used Landrail
for the hackle. A few substitutes are available but I have found the lightly barred rusty red
feather from the lesser coverts of a blue jay wing is an excellent alternative.
Thread: well waxed yellow silk
Body: silk as above
Hackle: rusty red barred feather from a Jay wing
Waterhen Bloa:
This is a brilliant large olive imitation and in the smaller sizes it is also a good blue winged
olive imitation.
Thread: yellow silk
Body: lightly dubbed Mole or Muskrat fur
Hackle: the pale grey from the inside of a Moorhen’s wing
Useful notes for clarification:
* Note: Mike Connors: The “Tammy” mentioned in the remarks to the “Brown Shiner”, is a worsted cloth (a wool or
wool and cotton mix. Worsted means a firm-textured, compactly twisted mainly wool yarn made from long-
staple fibers) with a glazed finish.
This is chiefly of interest as “shiny” materials of this nature, apart from some wire ribbing, and very occasionally
tinsel, were extremely rare on such flies. This is the closest to a “synthetic” I have seen in such flies. I have two
other patterns which specify “tammy” as a body material. The “tammy” could be any color of course, and this
would then be specified.
** Note: Hans Weilenmann: Where “Water Rat” is referenced in patterns this generally refers to a critter called
a Water Vole. The Water Vole (Arvicola terrestris) is a semi-aquatic mammal that resembles a rat. In fact,
water voles have often been mis-termed, “water rats”. Water voles have rounder noses than rats, deep
brown fur, chubby faces and short fuzzy ears; unlike the rat their tails, paws and ears are covered with
hair. The Water Vole is a protected species, so substitute material may be required.
A good substitute for water-rat would be Hare, Muskrat, or Mole. This of course depends on the location
of the under fur.
Notes: by Mike Connors:
“Worsted” is usually a tightly woven woolen cloth, made from long-staple combed wool yarn. For making
flies, doubtless the yarn was mainly used.
“Camlet” is a plain woven fabric. Some camlets were made of goat’s hair, some were partly silk or linen.
“Grogram” is silk and worsted (or mohair) cloth, often stiffened with gum.
“Mohair” is angora goat. “Angora” is from an angora rabbit
“Stuff” is a general term for worsted cloth, it could be twilled or plain, often made of common wool. Stuff
was often found in black but also in every other color.
"Clock" is an old word for "beetle" which is still used in Yorkshire. Patterns such as "Bracken Clock" etc
are designed to imitate various beetles.
Notes on the Collection:
This document is intended for entertainment purposes only. It is in no way intended as an academic
record or for any commercial purpose. Resources listed are for reference and comparison purposes only.
Patterns were gathered and verified from several sources, and citations are listed for reference and
accessibility only.
This document is not complete. It will be under endless revision as more accurate information becomes
available, additional tiers make contributions, clarifications are needed, and as I continue to tinker with the
layout and presentation of the lists.
PLEASE make comments, notes, amendments, and corrections to this list and let me know of any
information that you find which is contrary to this collection. My intention is to provide an accurate record
of the soft-hackle patterns as to the best of my ability. PLEASE contribute by reviewing the lists and
making amendments that you find necessary, or by doing the leg work and providing the lists that still
need to be recorded for the collection. Any additional authors or tiers works will be greatly appreciated.
The Patterns