WET FLY WAYS.

Nutman.

Publications.

In so far as wet flies of the UK, there are a number of publications you might be able to obtain from a UK source. These publications will provide you with fly patterns and in some cases history related to those flies.
The majority of the classic books were published in the 1800s, some of those very rare.

Favorite flies and their originators (1892) Mary Orvis Marbury is a US publication that offer some good information so far as wet flies here in the US, all be it many of those flies depicted are of UK origin, with the exceptions of the wet flies used for Bass fishing.

Here is a short list of UK origin.

Dictionary of trout flies............A. Courtney Williams.
Art of the wet fly....................WS. Roger Fogg
Reservoir and lake flies............John Veniard
A man may fish.......................T.C.Kingsmill More
Brook and River trouting...........Edmonds and Lee
Flies of Wales........................Moc Morgan

In the majority of cases the materials used for tying the traditional wet flies are still available, but you will encounter some problems with the original floss and threads used at that time, which were silk of many different shades.

In the case of some of the older UK patterns , such feathers as obtained from Owls, song birds, birds of prey are not legal here in the US. In the UK they are if they were obtained from say a museum collection.

Davy.

Darn! I had a really good pattern thought up that used spotted owl, bald eagle and california condor feathers...

:oI just was going through my Fly Tyer magazines and came across autumn 2006, it has a great artical from Don Bastian on wet flys .He gives some great references ,some of which you mentioned davyfly.It also has some great patterns in the book. As for obtaining odd materials ,I like to stick with what is avaliable .But it Im looking for something that strange english trappings is the go to .If I was going to tye to sell my flys as classics for framed plates Id work with silk but it is very tough to work with and expensive. This has just gotten me looking .Now Im eager to tye some of these .This is maddening!Ive been working very hard on steelhead flys ,but these wet flys are a challenge .for those of you interested don has a dvd out called Tying Classic Wet Flies. Oh and bald eagle,spotted owl and the almighty turkey buzzard are of no use to me !peace .thanks for the info Ill keep my eyes open for some of these books !

Some years ago l wrote a series of articles in FlyTyer related to tying of traditional wet flies. It was 3 part series that dealt with bodies, hackles and wings, if you can locate that it will help you a great deal.

The floss you need is Pearsalls marabou, which is still available, it is not that costly.
Wapsi fly co provide both duch and goose wing quills dyes to various colors for wing material. Hareline also stock many of the hackles and feathers used.

Davy.

Davy-
One thing I want to do this Winter is tie up a wet fly/flymph/soft hackle box of flies. Can you suggest a list of 6 flies to start this project up? Maybe a mix of both European & American, patterns I could either find in books or on the web, ones you consider "core" patterns. Or if some pattens are ones I would have a hard time looking up, maybe you would be kind enough to provide the pattern recipe. Also touch on preferred hooks & sizes- I realize that this would depend at least partly on the conditions & methods employed, meaning that I'm sure you tie certain patterns on more than one type of hook.

Thanks,
Torrey

Nymphmiester ,Ill name one that cant be beat ,soft or claissic is the leadwing coachman,You cant beat peacock man!Ok davy you have to tell me who you really are cause you post large ! Im not sure what you mean by pearsalls floss,"marabou" ,I know marabou as something totally different then floss ,so Im going to try to look it up but ,do tell !E. hille, angler's supply house, for mallard wing quill #572d is color natural,which is what I understand these flys to be made of . But I use alot of goose in my steelhead flys ,Also turkey ,which I find is easier to work with and mor durable!!Only problem is it isnt dyed ,Now ive talk to a gentelmen name paul ptalis ,who does insane salmon flys on the east coast out in PA and he knows where to get dyed goose feathers ,from somewhere across the pond I think ,fabulous colors ,they come in twelve packs I think for like 160 ,bucks but if you are tying nice flys well worth it .if you can tye these flys that Im speaking of you can also sell them for a nice profit as well ,nothing wrong with earning a few bucks fron your craft ,you wont find these at any fly shop if you know what I mean!! What year and season are your articals? I may have one or to ,Peace the nutman

Torrey.

If l were to chopose 6 patterns, all be it l would be a little restricted it would include these.
Hooks 12/14/16 both heavy and med weight, regular sproat bend. Daichi -D1530 and 1550.

1. Winged wet hares ear
2. Whickhams fancy
3. Invicta
4. Alexandra
5. Cock-y bonddu
6. GRHE..Soft hackle.

If you cannot find the dressings let me know ok.

Davy

Nutman.

Pearsalls marabou floss is pure silk. It is a 8 strand floss that you separate the strands for the size of fly you are tying. you an use one single strand or more depending on what you need. As a general rule say a size 12/14 wet fly hook, 2 to 4 strands.

Not associated with marabou turkey here.

Feathers.

I use grey mallard primary wing quills both natural and dyed.

Goose is only useful if you use the secondary feathers, the primary are not suitable for wet flies in my book, and have little use other than decorations for Indian head dress. The secondary feathers are way finer and longer in herl length.
And are more suited when a married wing is required.
They will suit well for traditional wet flies, as well and salmon and steelhead. For the classic flies l tie for exhibition l use dyed turkey tail, but that is not easy to find to day of any good quality, along with other exotic feathers.

I can supply you with all materials used for traditional wet flies, natural and dyed. I import them from the UK myself.


A good wet fly wing should retain its shape even after being fished, but that will only happen if you select the material right and then tie it in the right way.

The articles were in the 90s, l will try and find them to day sometime, l am fixing to kill another deer, got two, one to go for my seasons bag limit.

Davy.

Davy, thanks for the "starter list", I'm familiar with all those patterns to one degree or another, and I can easily get the exact dressings. I can always call Harry Wallace. I figured you would mention the Whickhams Fancy, but I'm surprised to see the Alexandra, it's pretty gaudy. Any particular conditions it produces best in? Actually have soft hackle Hare's Ear in the box already, and I think I have a traditional winged Hare's Ear wet or two tucked in the box somewhere.

OK, guys killed my last deer for the season, back to the tying bench.

Certainly the Alexandra is what we would term as a attractor fly, as opposed say to a winged wet hares ear which would be more of a deceiver on account that it does in some ways represent a drowned or emerging bug.

The Alexandra has history that goes back to the mid 1800s, used to be called also the Lady of the Lake.
It was also a fly that, get this, was banned on some waters due to its effectiveness. The term, would have been used as, it is a very killing fly.

For some reason and it has to do with the overall color tone of this fly is is one of my favorites for taking Brown trout. The most common suggestion as to why is that is represents a small minnow, which would be reason why Brown trout would take this fly, it is also a great fly for all other species, Bows, Brooks and Cutts along with anadromous species.
For sure Peacock is a material that has a very intrinsic value to fishing flies, check out the number of flies that use it.

You guys who like to fish for Steehead may wish to give this fly a swim, in larger sizes, single and tandem hook rigs.


It would come a very close second in my book to the Peter Ross, another great fly.

I fish the Alex most of the time as a point fly, but have also used it as a top dropper late evening time, when it can be a killer. A great fly to use when water is colored.

General best sizes 10 to 14, but l also use this fly in 16s at times.
The tying may vary also, both silver and gold bodied versions, with and without the ibis or red feather flanking to the wing and red tail.
Hackle may also be changed from black to red, in fact l have also used orange.

It was the fly that l caught my first trout with, a Brown of about 6ins from a Devonshire stream in 1958. Aside from that is has over the years accounted for a good few 1000 trout, both in rivers and lakes.
Many in excess of 5lb, as yet not over 10lb trout wise, Salmon yes.

It is not a easy fly to tie wing wise, as Peacock sword tail will flare and not lay in a straight line if you do not prep and tie it right.

Davy.