T H E J O U R N A L O F T H E F LY D R E S S E R S G U I L D

Transcription

1 T H E J O U R N A L O F T H E F LY D R E S S E R S G U I L D SPRING 2013

2 Editorial Committee Acting Editor: Chris Knowles Supported by: Charles Jardine, Chris Reeves, Pat Camber, Richard Ellis, Caroline Emmet and The Medlar Press Publisher The Fly Dressers Guild Printed by Cambrian Press Advertising To advertise in Flydresser, please contact Pat Camber on: Revised Deadlines Copy should be received by the Editorial Team as follows: 1 st January (Spring issue), 1 st April (Summer issue), 1 st July (Autumn issue), 1 st October (Winter issue). Copy should be sent to: editor@flydressersguild.org or to: 2 Briar Close, West Byfleet, KT14 6QF. Disclaimer The opinions expressed via items appearing in Flydresser are those of the authors concerned and are not necessarily shared by the Editorial Committee or the Executive Committee of The Fly Dressers Guild. The Fly Dressers Guild and members of the Executive Committee accept no responsibility for the accuracy of advertisements in this magazine. No guarantee is offered for the quality of services or products. Complaints should be directed to the advertiser concerned and not to the officers of The Fly Dressers Guild. Copyright Copyright of articles, images, drawings and items appearing in Flydresser resides with the contributors. Items may not be reproduced by any means whatsoever without the written permission of the Editorial Committee The Fly Dressers Guild C O N T E N T S Editorial Annual Raffle Save the Date Members Classifieds Chairman s Box of Dubbing The G & H Sedge Barry Ord Clarke Preparation and Simplicity Paul Little Little and Large (Mark II) John Goddard Fly-Tying Competition Past Masters - John Goddard Timothy Benn.. 32 Spotlight on Worcester Glyn Williams Mickey Finn Variant Anders Ståhl Cover photo: G & H Sedge tied and photographed by Barry Ord Clarke ISSN [ 2 ]

3 E D I T O R I A L Photo courtesy of Jeremy Knowles. John Goddard, who died on Boxing Day, was a Vice-President of the Guild and, at the age of 89, was still contributing engaging and thought-provoking articles to Flydresser as well as to the national and international fishing press. His distinguished place in the history of fly-fishing entomology was assured within his own lifetime, for his groundbreaking research placed him in the succession of Ronalds, Mosely and Harris (amongst the moderns). The personal accounts in this edition also show a glimpse of the man himself as well as celebrating his fishing achievements. Ninety-five per cent of this edition is the work of the new editorial team: it is exciting and stimulating. Members should be aware (if they are not already) of the incredible dedication of Chris Reeves and his wife Caroline Emmet and of the unstinting service they give to the Guild. That exceptional commitment is a gift to be thankful for. They are joined by Richard Ellis and Pat Camber, whose praises have been sung in previous editions. To cap it all, our Chairman plays a leading role in overseeing the whole process. Flydresser is in excellent hands. The magazine could not exist without contributors and advertisers. The editorial team is incredibly fortunate in being able to draw on articles from a wonderful stable of writers. But the door is never bolted and new contributors of quality are always welcome. And quality can come in many shapes and sizes first-time writers as well as old hands, flies new and old (techniques ditto), articles short and long. Advertising is not all about money, important though that is. Our advertisers support the FDG by their presence in the pages of Flydresser and keep the membership informed of the latest products and publications in fly-tying. The editorial handover has been seamless and members have a team in which they can have every confidence for the future. Thus Flydresser passes into its next stage and at the right time. Long may it flourish! Chris Knowles, Exiting Acting Editor [ 3 ]

4 Chris took over Flydresser at very short notice in November 2011 and oversaw changes in its preparation, printing and distribution that resulted in considerable savings and enabled the Guild to continue to publish the magazine in its existing format. He commissioned new contributors, embraced suggestions from others and refocused Flydresser towards our members as well as offering first-class articles. The seamless transfer that Chris refers to was greatly facilitated by the advice and time he devoted to the handover. For all these aspects of his commitment we are extremely grateful. We fully respect his decision to stand down as Acting Editor and a member of the EC, but his thoughtfulness, insights and dedication will be sorely missed. Fortunately, Chris has offered to continue to contribute to Flydresser on an occasional basis, so this will not be the last time we hear from him. We echo Chris thanks to our current contributors and advertisers and his appeal for contributions. We are also keen to revive the lively discussions on fly-tying matters and previous articles that used to take place via Letters to the Editor. The follow-on articles that they prompted were a very effective way of disseminating snippets of knowledge from members to the whole of the Guild. So please, get writing! The Incoming Editorial Committee [ 4 ]

5 B R A N C H L I N E & M O N O R A I L 2013 Annual Raffle With your magazine, you should have received an envelope and a book of raffle tickets for the The Fly Dressers Guild Annual Raffle. Although tickets cost just 1, the raffle is an important source of funds for the Guild, so we would be very grateful if you could buy or sell on as many tickets as possible. The raffle will be drawn at the British Fly Fair International on 23 rd June, Once again, we have secured some excellent prizes: 1st prize: Purecast 7wt rod, donated by Sportfish; 2nd prize: Snowbee travel vice, donated by Snowbee; 3rd prize: Anvil Apex vice, donated by Guide Flyfishing; 4th prize: Shakespeare rod, donated by The Fly Tying Shop; 5th prize: Day ticket for two for Eyebrook, donated by Eyebrook Fishery; 6th prize: Petitjean Magic Tool, donated Marc Petitjean; 7th prize: Fully dressed salmon fly, tied and donated by Peter Kealey; 8th -13th prizes: FDG fly boxes containing a selection of flies. Please fill out the stubs for any tickets you have purchased or sold and return them by 15 th June, 2013 in the envelope provided, together with your payment. If you would like more than ten tickets, please send in your payment and we will send you your additional tickets by return. If you would like to pay by PayPal, then please contact Richard Ellis at awards@flydressersguild.org. Important: tickets are not for sale to or by persons under the age of sixteen. [ 5 ]

6 Save the Date FDG at Longleat Fishing and Country Show: 14th - 15th June The Longleat Estate in Wiltshire is introducing the inaugural Fishing and Country Show an event focused firmly on all angling disciplines, with equal prominence given to Game, Carp and Coarse fishing. There will be demonstrations throughout, hands-on, expert advice for beginners and experts, and youngsters and newcomers will be actively encouraged to have a go. The FDG is delighted to be taking part in this new, dedicated fishing show. Members of the Guild will be tying trout, carp, pike and saltwater flies, answering questions on fly-tying techniques, materials and flies and encouraging youngsters and newcomers to give fly-tying a try. FDG at BFFI 2013: 22nd - 23rd June Once again, Steve Cooper from Cookshill has invited the Guild to the British Fly Fair International, which is taking place at the Staffordshire County Showground. Guild members should note that they will be able to obtain a 1 discount on tickets bought at the door on presentation of their valid FDG membership card. (The discount does not apply to advance-purchase tickets). We are enormously grateful to Steve for his support of the Guild. The BFFI is the flagship fly-tying show in the U.K. Many of the people on Fly Tyers Row are world-class tiers, internationally renowned and respected. The event represents an opportunity for fly-dressers of all levels to learn new techniques, meet tiers from around the world, watch different disciplines and styles of fly-tying and, of course, purchase a wide range of materials from the many and varied trade stands. Members of the Guild will be giving a series of short demonstrations at the FDG stand. These will cover a selection of fly-tying topics, including winging techniques, dubbing and materials selection. A full programme will be published on the Guild website. [ 6 ]

7 38th John Watts Competition - 24th August The John Watts Competition is the Guild s annual boat fly-fishing competition, held at Grafham Reservoir on the Saturday of the August Bank Holiday. It is a great day out and a really good opportunity to meet other members, with a buffet and raffle in the lodge after the competition. The competition is open to all members of the Guild. Individual entrants will be grouped into teams of four (if feasible); branches may enter up to two teams of four members. The total number of entries is restricted to 20 teams. Further entry details, rules and entry prices will be included in the Summer issue of Flydresser and will also be sent to Branch Secretaries and posted on the website in due course. Please contact our Fishing Competitions Secretary, Lee Hooper, on fishing@flydressersguild.org if you have any queries in the meantime. Members Classifieds in Flydresser We are re-introducing the opportunity for Guild members to publish small classified adverts in Flydresser. Starting with the Summer edition, members will be able to include one advert for free each year and subsequent ones at a cost of 20 per advert. Individual adverts should not exceed one-eighth of a page (approximately 50 words, including appropriate contact details). The total space dedicated to these adverts will be typically no more than one page of the magazine and generally, adverts will be included on a first come, first served basis. However, the Marketing Manager will have absolute discretion on the selection of adverts to be included in each edition of the magazine. Please contact Pat Camber, our Marketing Manager, on marketing@flydressersguild.org if you have any questions or wish to place an advert. Members can also publish adverts or questions on the Guild website, on the Members Requests page in the News and Events section. Please contact Caroline Emmet on member4@flydressersguild.org if you would like to do so. There is no charge for such requests. [ 7 ]

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9 A Greater Blend of Dubbing CJ on JG I was - am - very fortunate to have been able to call the late John Goddard friend. Many could, he was that type of man. The Guild is equally fortunate to have benefited from his involvement, not only as an honoured Vice-President, but also an incredibly enthusiastic supporter and vibrant contributor. He saw Flydresser as a way to introduce innovation to fly patterns and general fly-fishing, and was always willing to volunteer articles and ideas. To have someone of John s calibre be so supportive and genial was a real stimulus to our organisation and represented a substantial contribution to the sum of the parts that is the Guild. I well recall the sort of near-religious awe that I, and indeed many others, placed on gurus like John. We read their books, we danced to whatever tune that they cared to play - we were mere mortals, compared to their god-like status. Thus, we devoured the fly-tying crumbs that dropped from their books and articles. We hung onto their words and instruction like bobbin and thread dangling from a richly-embellished, near-finished fly. John s fly patterns were the fuel that drove our hopes and passions. It really was like that. Because of this piscatorial veneration, the dressings from John Goddard and his colleagues have stayed with me and resonated, season upon season. I am sure I am not alone. John was fallible, of course he was. His fly patterns, anyone s, are not a panacea. But to an enquiring mind, Goddard s designs were - are - meat and drink. C H A I R M A N S B O X O F D U B B I N G [ 9 ]

10 But this is a fraction of the man. John was, first and foremost, an angler. He did it all. Coarse, big game, saltwater, as well as being the leading angling-entomologist of his day. He was just a fine, all-round angler. My association with John, albeit in an abstract way, starts with Efgeeco - the pre-eminent coarse fishing tackle manufacturer that had me parting with pocket money and taking my first steps into an uncertain angling future. Pakaseat. Gosh! How I remember that product! Even now, its green canvas seat doubling as a tackle bag and the whole kit folding into an alloy frame that even a ten-year old could drag to summer swims, summon up silken warm nights, black as pitch and heavy with expectation of Kent tench. I digress. I am racking my brains, trying to think when we first met and it must have been whilst I was working for Dermot Wilson. I do know that Nether Wallop Mill embraced the epoch-making book, The Trout and The John Goddard (right) with Charles Jardine and Midge F L Y D R E S S E R Fly. We had lines dyed appropriately dark to match the bank-sides, we carried most of the fly patterns, Dermot eulogised about the book and its lore and I was enthralled by them all. Heady times, made all the more thrilling by virtue of everything being so new. It was like rock bands finding volume and amplification for the first time: new bright horizons, tantalising possibilities and naive excitement. I confess though that the patterns that really sustained me during the four years of guiding the Test and Itchen whilst with Dermot were the Last Hope, the PVC Nymph and the Shrimper. Amazing! Also, a tiny black gnat with a pearlescent wing, one of the first dry flies I had encountered with reflectivity. Testament to the ever-fertile Goddard angling imagination. If that were not enough, he also introduced me to another innovation: Power Gum links. Suddenly, the ability to fish tiny wisps on fragile tippets became feasible - pure Goddard. [ 10 ]

11 More recently, it has been John s mayfly designs the Poly May Dun, Emerger and Spinner that have been my first choices and remained on my leader for the duration of the mayfly season. I also love the Super Grizzly and have revisited the Persuader to great effect on stillwaters. There is life, still, in those patterns. A great, continuing legacy. I do recall the first time I really fished with John - it was on the Kentish Stour at Chilham. We had been corresponding about Caenis and so on. He also wanted me to help illustrate a book and that was that. Suddenly, there I was, actually fishing with one of my heroes. That was the start of a long association and, whilst I did not see him as frequently as I would have liked, his decency, charm and downright common sense shone like a beacon. Of all the anglers I have met and there have been a few John possessed that rare combination of a wicked sense of humour, one of the best fish eyes (even in his later years) of anyone I have ever come across, and an almost uncanny fishing brain. All that, dressed up in utter decency and warmth of spirit. I will really miss him and that giggle. [ 11 ]

12 [ 12 ] Flies tied and photographed by Barry Ord Clarke

13 The G & H Sedge BARRY ORD CLARKE Also known as the Goddard Caddis, the G & H Sedge was created by John Goddard and Cliff Henry. The dressing and style of the fly shown in this article have been taken from the 1977 reprint of Trout Flies of Stillwater. Note that originally the deer hair was not packed as densely as in more modern caddis patterns. Dressing Hook: Longshank hook, size 8 to 10. Thread: Green Dyneema (or similar). Underbody: Dark green seal s fur. Body: Winter roe deer hair. Hackle: Two rusty dun cock hackles. Antennae: The stripped butts of the two cock hackles Secure your hook in the vice, attach your tying thread and run it all the way down to the end of the shank. 2. Make a short dubbing loop for spinning the seal s fur underbody of the fly. 3. Apply a little dubbing wax to the tying thread and spin a small amount of dark green seal s fur tight in the dubbing loop. The resulting dubbing brush needs to be only a little longer than the hook shank. 3 [ 13 ]

14 4 F L Y D R E S S E R 4. The G & H Sedge requires good, dense winter hair from the roe deer Once you have cut a small bunch of deer hair, carefully remove the underfur with a dubbing comb or an old tooth brush. This is very important! If you don t remove the underfur, you will restrict the spinning and flaring ability of the hair Now use a hair stacker to line up the butts of the hair, not the points. Once they are even, place the hair stacker on top of the hook shank and tie in the deer hair. Make sure you keep the seal s fur dubbing brush out of the way Once the first bunch is tied in, repeat with a slightly smaller bunch. But note, if you would like to tie the original G & H Sedge, don t pack the stacked hair, just keep it tight but open. [ 14 ]

15 8 8. Tie in another, even smaller and shorter bunch of deer hair And now, the last and smallest bunch. Make sure that you leave enough space for the hackle and head between the hook eye and deer hair Secure the thread in place with a whip-finish before you start trimming. If you find it easier, you can remove the tying thread for the trimming stage and re-attach it later. 11. I find the easiest way to trim the G & H Sedge is to use long, straight scissors that I can rest on the hook eye at the correct angle and trim around the whole body. Take care not to cut the dubbing brush! 11 [ 15 ]

16 12 F L Y D R E S S E R 12. Once the body is the correct shape, turn your fly upside down in the vice and draw the dubbing brush over the underside of the body. Tie it down and remove the excess. Whip-finish and then turn your fly the correct way in the vice again Using long, flat scissors, make one cut at a slight angle to trim the rear of the fly Prepare two rusty dun cock hackles by stripping the stems and tie them in just in frontof the deer hair, as shown. Make sure that the stems are long enough to form the antennae Bring both the hackle stems forward and tie down over the hook eye. Before you begin winding on the hackles, make a few wraps of tying thread over the hook shank and hackle stems to make a good, even foundation. This will ensure the hackle stands correct when wound. [ 16 ]

17 16. Wind on the hackles one at a time. First, the rear hackle should be wound a couple of turns backwards into the deer hair body and then forwards to the hook eye and tied off. The second hackle is then wound in between the first, but only forwards. Whip-finish Carefully trim off all the hackle points on top of the fly at the same angle as the deer hair body. And there you have it, the finished G & H Sedge. This is a more modern version of the G & H Sedge, with a tightly packed deer hair body and full traditional dry fly hackle. [ 17 ]

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19 Preparation & Simplicity... A range of salmon fly-tying techniques for all fly-dressers by Paul Little Flies tied and photographed by Paul Little The Dun Turkey ( A Book on Angling, by Francis Francis) The would-be tier of classic Atlantic salmon flies faces a number of dilemmas, the first ones being: Where do I start? and Where do I obtain the materials used in many of the dressings? Attending fly-dressing fairs such as those held in England, Holland, Denmark and Sweden and meeting like-minded salmon tiers should provide some of the answers. The internet is also a great way to contact other salmon tiers; it is surprising what information can be gathered. [ 19 ]

20 Many classic patterns do not require exotic and expensive materials and are therefore a good place to start. Do not forget, there many types of classic fly to dress, from Spey flies, grubs and simple strip wings to complex married wing patterns. The dressings for several hundreds of patterns are contained in many of the reprints of the great classic tying books by authors such as Kelson, Blacker, Pryce-Tannatt and Francis Francis. But we are now blessed with a number of modern text books on the subject, thanks to both European and American fly-dressers such as Poul Jorgensen, Lennart Bergquist, Michael Radencich, Bob Veverka and John Shewey. In addition, with the advent of close-up colour photography, there are very few stones left unturned regarding the techniques needed to build the great classic flies. But remember that simplicity and material preparation are critical building blocks for successful salmon fly-dressing. Let us take a journey and look at what we can learn by dressing simple strip winged flies, where the wing is composed of a single strip from a feather, be it dyed or natural. None of these patterns calls for exotic feathers all the materials are inexpensive and easily obtainable. However, these flies present a number of challenges which, if met, will increase the knowledge base of any fly-dresser. The March Brown Consider the March Brown from Pryce-Tannatt, a simple, dubbed hare s ear body with a wood duck tail and partridge hackle for the throat. Wellbehaved materials, even for the trout fly-dresser. However, the sting in the tail is, of course, the hen pheasant centre tail wing. Pryce-Tannatt advocates two methods of wing mounting - horizontal and vertical. The two wing styles are different and require two different techniques to achieve the desired result.

21 Firstly, the selection of the centre tail feather is paramount. Select a feather in which the fibres marry well from stem to tip for a good majority of the length of the feather. It should also be well-marked, as shown in the photograph; this makes the final fly look more attractive. During the wing mounting, the stems must be retained on the feather. This gives the feather fibres support during the process. To split the stem, I prefer to use a pair of double serrated scissors. I have found a scalpel too prone to slipping, resulting in cut fibres, whereas the serrated scissors get a firm grip on the stem, even when the stem becomes narrow. It is important to take small, slow snips, not a long cut. When you are ready to mount the wings, select the near or far-side slip and measure it up for length. Hold it up to the hook, on the side of the shank. Now make a loose loop of thread around the wing (it must be unwaxed), draw it tight, then add an extra couple of tight turns for security. Repeat with the other wing slip. The March Brown ( How to Dress Salmon Flies, by Dr. T. E. Pryce-Tannatt) [ 21 ]

22 The Logie The Logie is one of the more famous strip wings, usually dressed on small hooks and sometimes in the low-water style. Let us take a close look at creating the floss body on this fly. The overall effect to aim for is a body that looks as though it has been painted on the hook a real demonstration of a tier s skill. For inspiration, look at the work of a great exponent of superb floss work, like Michael Radencich. There are, however, a few other things which I find helpful. The floss used in the fly opposite is Anchor floss, which is one hundred per cent rayon. It is available from many tapestry outlets, is very reasonably priced and the colour range is fantastic. Before making the floss body, first make sure that the underbody is very smooth, otherwise the imperfections will be reflected in the final floss body. So, carry all waste ends of the floss, tinsel and tail to the front of the hook. If, as in this example, the waste ends of the tail are too short to do this, flatten them with flat-nosed pliers. It will help also, as a little cheat (heaven forbid!), if you let the first turn of oval tinsel cover the waste ends of the tail when winding the rib. Secondly, use flattened thread when tying in the component parts. Note that I have not tapered the body of this fly - I have left that for another time. Next, choose a piece of floss and split it if required. This is easily achieved by suspending a pair of hackle pliers from one end and then splitting the other end, grasping the two groups of fibres and pulling them apart slowly. Be patient, the hackle pliers will spin and it will split the floss beautifully ninety-nine per cent of the time. The use of silk gloves is of paramount importance when handling floss, as it will prevent fraying and the transfer of grease onto the floss, dulling the sheen.

23 When you are ready to tie in the floss, position the tying thread at the point where the rear body will commence so that you wrap two layers of silk, to the tail and back. Secure the floss and then, with little tension, wind the floss towards the tail in slightly overlapping turns. This will prevent a ploughed field effect. Then burnish the first layer of floss - this means rubbing the floss backwards and forwards to redistribute the fibres and flatten the body. Wind the floss forwards to the initial tie-in point. The last turn of floss is a single layer, which will allow the front body floss to mount the rear half at this point, to form a double layer at the joint. Secure the waste ends and carry them through to the front. In this example, the red body floss has been secured on the reverse side of the hook shank. Repeat the burnishing after the first pass and complete the front body as before. Now wind the rib. Be careful to get it right first time and be light and gentle! Otherwise, if you unwind the rib and try to re- position it, you may end up with little furrows in the floss from the first attempt. The Logie ( How to Dress Salmon Flies, by Dr. T. E. Pryce-Tannatt) [ 23 ]

24 The Sliver, Blue and Jay Does it get any simpler than the Silver, Blue and Jay? Dressed on a size 6 hook (dictated by the length of the jay secondary feather), small is definitely beautiful. Once again, simple attention to detail in the construction of this pattern will lead to a very pleasing result. The techniques employed for the floss body in the Logie apply to the tinsel body here: dealing carefully with the waste ends and using flat tinsel that is not too wide are both critical. Wind a double layer of tinsel for the body, with each turn butting up to the previous one. The Silver, Blue and Jay ( How to Dress Salmon Flies, by Dr. T. E. Pryce-Tannatt) Use a soft hackle for the throat - a hen hackle was chosen for the fly above; in the Logie, a hen saddle hackle was used to achieve a full throat effect. Then to the wing, which calls for strips from jay wing secondary feathers. In all honesty, I had not used these wing slips before and it was not easy to mount them, until I used the technique outlined for the March Brown. But it will take practice to master jay slips. If viewed from below, the wings should tent the body, giving a three dimensional appearance. [ 24 ]

25 Two more points... Last, but not least, the head of the fly, the most neglected part in ninetynine per cent of flies one comes across. A neat head on a fly is the hallmark of a good fly-dresser and there is no secret to it: well-waxed thread and economy of flattened thread wraps. All my salmon flies, without exception, are tied with Danville s 6/0 FlyMaster. After securing the wing with three or four wraps of thread, remove the waste ends, then wax the thread well and paste over the butt ends of the wing with flattened thread - these are not securing wraps. Then give the head a little shape (a bullet shape has a pleasant appearance). One final thing about wrapping thread: think about each turn and what contribution it makes to the construction of the fly (even the pasting wraps). If the answer is nothing, then don t add it! To see more of our extensive range of fly fishing, fly dressing, game, sea and coarse fishing books - as well as Waterlog magazine, visit our website at: The Medlar Press The Grange, Ellesmere, Shropshire SY12 9DE Telephone: books@medlarpress.com [ 25 ]

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27 Little and Large (Mark II) John Goddard This is the last article penned by John Goddard, written in December It was kindly provided for publication in Flydresser by his family. The article elaborates on a pattern described by John in a previous Little and Large article, published in the Summer 1992 issue of Flydresser. As the new season approaches, many of us will be busy at our fly-tying benches, probably dreaming up new patterns for the coming summer. Now, I would suggest that it may well be more productive to spend at least some of your time dressing tried and tested older patterns. Many of these are very effective and often overlooked by today s fly-dressers. With this in mind, I would like to propose two patterns that were developed and launched in the mid-seventies, by a very talented American fly-dresser, Craig Matthews. Craig is the proprietor of the Blue Ribbon Flies shop in West Yellowstone, Montana. The first of these flies is a tiny dry, dressed on either a size 16 or 18 hook, called the Sparkle Dun. I was introduced to this fly in the early eighties when I was fishing in Montana and became friendly with Craig, who gave me a dozen to try. They proved very effective on his local streams, but the following season I found them to be even better on our south country rivers. I was fishing the Kennet one day, targeting a big brown that kept rising steadily, but had refused every fly I offered. In desperation, I looked through my box for an alternative and spotted one of these Sparkle Duns. I tied the fly on, presented it to the trout and wow! To my amazement, he took it first cast. From then on, it became one of my favoured fly patterns for many years. It has proved equally effective for rising grayling and has worked on most other rivers in the UK. When fishing this pattern, you can apply floatant so that it sits on top of the surface film. However, at times, it can prove more effective if you just treat the wings, to allow the body to sit further in the water. Like most effective and popular patterns, it is very simple and quick to dress and requires a minimum of materials. [ 27 ]

28 The second pattern of Craig s that I am featuring, which he named the Sparkle Caddis, is not only a killer on rivers, but also on stillwaters. While basically a dry fly, it is intended to represent a caddis (sedge) hatching in or just below the surface film. It is also very good when terrestrials of a similar size are seen on the water. Again, this is a quick and simple tie. One of the big advantages of this pattern, particularly when fished on rivers, is that it overcomes a very serious problem: drag. When caddis are hatching in or on the surface, they tend to move a lot and, as trout become attuned to this, it attracts rather than spooks them. On small streams or rivers, I fish this pattern upstream with an occasional lift of the rod to give movement. On big wide rivers it can be very effective when fished in the late afternoon by casting across and slightly upstream, as close to the far bank as possible. Even better, if the far bank is reasonably clear of obstacles, cast so that the fly hits the bank and falls into the water. Fished in this way, trout will often take it immediately. If not, as it floats past you, lift the rod occasionally and impart movement, which often results in a solid take. If no takes are forthcoming (and where allowed), leave the fly to reach the end of the drift and then drag for a while as it swings towards you. Surprisingly, many takes come at this moment. In many cases, I have had fish chase the swinging fly for two or three yards before taking it. Like the previous pattern, this fly can be treated with floatant so that it sits on the surface film. However, if left untreated, after a few casts it will sink into the film and is often more effective. As mentioned earlier, it is also an excellent stillwater pattern and has been particularly good when odd fish are rising and feeding on unidentified insects. Finally, I feel it is important to point out that, when fishing patterns on small or very small hooks, it is essential to offset the hook point. This increases hook-ups by up to 50 per cent Indeed, for many years, I have offset the points in all my flies. A recent letter in one of the fly-tying magazines stated that doing this would cause the line to twist when retrieved. This has not been my experience, but could occur if large lures tied on big hooks are being retrieving very quickly. I should also mention that I offset my bends and crush down barbs before tying the fly, as there is nothing worse than breaking off the point or bend of an over-tempered hook under a beautifully tied fly. [ 28 ]

29 Flies tied and photographed by C. Reeves The Sparkle Dun Dressing Hook: Wide gape hook, size 16 or 18. Thread: Olive 8/0 (or similar). Wing: Bunch of coastal deer hair. Tail: Twelve strands of olive Crystal Flash (or similar). Body: Three strands of heron herl (or substitute). 1. Immediately behind the eye and on top of the hook, tie in a small bunch of coastal deer hair in a fan shape, facing forwards. 2. Cut off the butts to a taper and cover the hook with silk to the bend. 3. Tie in the tail of Crystal Flash, the length being about one-third of the length of the body. 4. Wrap the heron herl to form a nicely tapered body, stopping close to the roots of the deer hair. 5. Whip-finish in front of the deer hair and varnish. Editor s note: it would appear that the Sparkle Dun evolved over time in John s hands, as the fly he described in the Summer 1992 Flydresser [ 29 ]

30 was dressed with sparkle wool for the tail and a pale cream, olive or gray body. The Sparkle Caddis Dressing Hook: Longshank dryfly hook, size 10 to 14. Thread: Black 8/0 (or similar). Tail: Twelve strands of olive Crystal Flash (or similar). Body: Olive Antron body wool (or similar). Wing: Bunch of coastal deer hair. 1. Tie in the tail to be one-third of the length of the body. 2. Tie in a length of Antron body wool and wind a tapered body, finishing immediately behind the eye. 3. On top of the hook, tie in a bunch of coastal deer hair facing backwards, with the butts just above the eye. 4. Wrap a few turns of thread around the butts to form them into a tight ball and trim. 5. Whip-finish and varnish. [ 30 ]

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32 Fly-Tying Competition 2011/12 Winner and Runner-Up Flies Winner - R. Carter Novice Trout Fly Runner-Up - K. Rishworth Winner - A. Gibson Novice Salmon Fly Runner-Up - K. Rishworth Winner - J. Cowell Open Trout Fly Runner-Up - J. Sunderland A final reminder that the deadline for submitting entries for the 2012/13 Fly-Tying Competition is 1 st April The patterns were listed in the Autumn edition of Flydresser and are available on the Guild s website. Please send entries to the Awards Manager at: The Belfry, Monks Walk, Ascot SL5 9AZ. Please include your name, contact details, membership [ 32 ] number and, if applicable, branch.

33 Winner - R. Flood Prizewinners Trout Fly Runner-Up - S. Bowdin Prizewinners Salmon Fly Winner - S. Bowdin Runner-Up - R. Flood Winner - S. Bowdin Pike/ Saltwater Fly Runner-Up - R. Flood Winner - R. Flood Dry Fly Runner-Up - R. Crawshaw Flies photographed by Richard Ellis

34 Past Masters John Goddard Master Fly Dresser John Goddard at his vice. Potographed by his grandson, Chris Overend by Timothy Benn [ 34 ] John Goddard at his vice, photographed by grandson Chris Overend.

35 Much has been written recently about John Goddard, one of the outstanding all-round anglers of the last fifty years. After military service during the Second World War, John built up a successful tackle manufacturing business. This was demanding, but it was a measure of his prodigious energy that he still found time to play tennis as well as fish regularly. However, John did not simply spend time by the waterside, rod in hand. Reckoning he could get better results if he understood more about the insects on which fish fed, he started to research their life on and under the water in which he was fishing. The task he set himself was daunting - to name and describe every British river insect known to anglers. Additionally, he set out to photograph each species. Macro-photography was then in its infancy, but John improvised and the highly effective techniques he developed were to set a standard unmatched for many years. The culmination of his work, assisted throughout by his friend Cliff Henry, was the publication, in 1966, of Trout Fly Recognition, a book which presented the inquiring angler with a ready means of finding out exactly what his quarry was feeding on (though few, if any, purchasers would probably have taken such a hefty tome to the waterside). John further enhanced his reputation three years later with a companion volume, Trout Flies of Stillwater. Despite having no formal scientific training, John was elected a Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society based on the scholarship which these definitive references represented. I first met John in his office in Balham, where we discussed the fishing tackle trade and much else besides. We subsequently met by chance one May evening at Bough Beech in 1972, where he took a keen interest in a pattern which I had devised to represent the many grass moths which were regularly blown onto the water and which had taken two 3lb browns that

36 evening. That conversation, which included an invitation to fish with him on the Kennet, was to form the basis of a lifelong friendship. John had included dressings of artificials in both Trout Fly Recognition and in Trout Flies of Stillwater. Reservoir fishing in the mid-seventies was burgeoning and I knew there was an almost insatiable demand for dressings which would help anglers, many new to stillwater fishing, to increase their bags. John knew this too and readily agreed when I asked if he would produce a small book on reservoir patterns. The Super Flies of Stillwater came out in 1977 and was an instant success. The general attractors patterns it contained were all well-known, but John also included many of the imitative patterns which were to become his hallmarks the G & H Sedge, the PVC Nymph and the zany Gerroff (so called because he and Brian Clarke, when using it in small, clear stillwaters like Two Lakes, and the trout which had ingested it was not large enough, would shout Gerroff until the unfortunate - or fortunate - fish spat it out). Over a long fishing life, John was to develop numerous fly patterns. This was given impetus by the work which he and Brian Clarke undertook on the Kennet in the late seventies. The two clear glass tanks which they erected by the fishing hut and the cameras sunk onto the river bed became the focus of intense study, not only of the natural fly, but of what the trout saw. The results of this and other acute observations by two of the most brilliant angling minds in Britain were startling and created a publishing and media sensation when they appeared in The Trout and the Fly in The duo devised a series of new patterns for inclusion in the book, classic in their logic and simplicity. I have a set beside me as I write. They are delicate flies, beautifully crafted, works of pure genius. The study which he undertook in those and earlier years convinced John that there were features in every potential item of food which fish ate which acted as a trigger and made them want to eat it. In the eighties, John set out to identify exactly what those trigger points were and to make them the main features in all the patterns he devised. This meant redefining some of his dressings as well as inventing other new ones, amongst which pride of place should go to his J G Emerger. Soon after he had perfected the fly, John asked me to put one up and try it out. We were fishing together on the Dever and the day had, up till then, [ 36 ]

37 been mostly unproductive. The first cast fell wide. No problem. The fish swung a yard across to ingest it with complete confidence. And so did four others on near-successive chucks. It was deadly so much so that my first reaction was to tell John it should be banned! John was always positive, but he did get upset, as have others before him, when he found patterns that he had devised being sold commercially which did not properly follow his tying instructions. This prompted me to publish The Trout Fly Patterns of John Goddard in 2003, the fifty copies of the limited edition each containing 35 examples of exactly what his flies should look like. He argued cogently in his Foreword that fly-dressing is as much an art as a craft, a fact to which the book itself is eloquent witness. Over the years, John and I met up on several occasions to tie flies. He was not a particularly neat fly-dresser and I doubt if his output would ever have won a fly-tying competition. But his flies did catch fish - with one exception. John had taken a rod on a gravel pit near Dorking, which he found to be full of crayfish. Convinced that the pit contained some huge trout, he was equally convinced that they fed on tiny crayfish. I was recuperating from surgery, housebound and bored. With typical kindness, John announced he was coming over to tie some flies. While I set about perfecting the technique for tying his Emerger, he put a monster hook in his vice and proceeded to embroider (probably the appropriate term) a series of deadly crayfish lookalikes. They scared me rotten, probably the fish too, as reluctantly, though months later, John had to admit that none had produced even the slightest pull! If the finished results of his tying were not competition-perfect, the techniques of which John was master were legion. During forty some years, I have had the good fortune to tie flies with and publish many experts, including Dick Walker, Donald Downs, Donald Overfield, Jackie Wakeford,

38 Geoffrey Bucknall and John Veniard amongst them. Throughout this time, I have carried a small notebook and in it I have noted special techniques, tools or methods which were unusual and/or new to me. Interestingly, I recorded more tips and wrinkles from John Goddard than anyone else. With his passing we mourn the loss not only of a passionate angler, but a consummate fly-dresser and dear friend to our Guild. Fly tied and photographed by C. Reeves John Goddard s Poly May Dun Dressing Hook: Longshank dry fly, size 10. Thread: Black 8/0 (or similar). Tail: Calf tail dyed deep gold. Body: Pale cream polypropylene yarn. Wing: Same as tail, split and tied upright. Hackle: Three turns of black cock on either side of the wing. [ 38 ]

39 COCH-Y-BONDDU BOOKS BOOKS ON TROUT FLIES & GENERAL FLY-TYING THE FORGOTTEN FLIES OF ROGER WOOLLEY. John N. Watson. Hbk / Pbk ANGLING WITH THE FLY: FLIES & ANGLERS OF DERBYSHIRE & STAFFORDSHIRE. John N. Watson. Hbk. ( 35.00)... Special new price OLIVER EDWARDS FLYTYER S MASTERCLASS. Spiral hbk JOHN GODDARD S WATERSIDE GUIDE. Hbk THE FLY-TYING BIBLE. Peter Gathercole. Hbk FLY TYING FOR BEGINNERS. Peter Gathercole. Hbk JIM WYNN S RECOMMENDED FLIES FOR THE WHARFE. Pbk FLIES AS ART: REALISTIC FLY TYING. Paul Whillock. Hbk IRISH TROUT & SALMON FLIES. Ted Malone. Pbk TYING FLIES IN THE IRISH STYLE. Ted Malone. Hbk TYING FLIES WITH CDC. Leon Links. Pbk CLYDE STYLE FLIES. John Reid. Hbk each SECRET FLIES OF CZECH & SLOVAK TYERS. Hbk A GUIDE TO RIVER TROUT FLIES. John Roberts. Pbk. ( 14.99) BOB CHURCH S GUIDE TO THE CHAMPION S FLY PATTERNS. Pbk ( 14.99) RESERVOIR TROUT FLIES. Adrian V. Freer. Hbk. ( 19.95) IMITATIVE FLY TYING. Ian Moutter. Hbk. ( 25.00) TYING FLIES THE PARALOOP WAY. Ian Moutter. Hbk. ( 30.00) HAIR HACKLE TYING TECHNIQUES & FLY PATTERNS. Gordon Mackenzie. Pbk ( 19.95) 5.95 DYEING & BLEACHING. A.K. Best. Hbk. ( 19.95) SALMON FLIES - CLASSIC & MODERN THE BLACKER COMPENDIUM. Bob Frandsen. Pbk THE COMPLETE ILLUSTRATED DIRECTORY OF SALMON FLIES. Chris Mann. Pbk BUILDING CLASSIC SALMON FLIES. Ron Alcott. Hbk CLASSIC SALMON FLY PATTERNS (with DVD). Michael Radencich. Hbk TWENTY SALMON FLIES (with DVD). Michael Radencich. Hbk TYING THE CLASSIC SALMON FLY. Michael Radencich. Hbk CLASSIC SALMON FLY MATERIALS. Michael Radencich. Hbk each Mastercard / Visa / Paypal UK POSTAGE EXTRA UP TO A MAXIMUM OF 5 [ 39 ]

40 Spotlight on Worcester Glyn Williams In the very early nineties, a local Horticultural College near Worcester put on a series of basic fly-tying classes which attracted some fifteen members. At the end of the course, the members felt that they wanted to carry on. So, having advertised locally, some thirty people attended an inaugural meeting. This led to a core group of twelve to fifteen members meeting weekly at the College. Instruction was done using mainly in-house resources plus some outside speakers. An approach was made to The Fly Dressers Guild for admittance as a Branch and this was duly accepted. Dear Donald Downs attended the first meeting and presented our Annual Fly Dressing Shield and the rest, as they say, is history. These days, we have around forty members and our weekly attendance levels are very high, with a consistent per cent turnout testament that we must be doing something right! So, what do we do that might be of interest to other Branches? For the last twelve years, we have held our meetings in a college or school laboratory, a much better venue than the back room of a pub. The rooms are liberally endowed with electric sockets, solid benches and stools. The venues are easy to get to and have plenty of parking, and the prices have been quite competitive. Proximity to a number of major routes means we draw members from as far away as 35 miles and it also allows guest speakers to find us reasonably easily. Our meeting season runs from September to March and includes around 25 weekly meetings. Our typ- Tying night at the Worcester Fly Dressers [ 40 ]

41 ical monthly calendar includes an accreditation night, a night of free tying (tie what you want), a guest speaker night and a demonstration from a branch member. As the Branch has grown, we have improved our facilities with the purchase of camera recording equipment to project tying demonstrations and laptops for showing DVDs and other presentations. On accreditation nights, we run one group for those who want to pursue the Guild s Fly Tying Awards Scheme, and provide separate structured tuition for those who don t this keeps everyone busy. We are proud that a significant number of members has achieved Bronze and/ or Silver status already. Our growth area has been the numerous fishing trips we organise, to rivers and stillwaters, for trout, grayling and pike, plus an annual weekend away. We also hold two social events, one with the wives and partners. Worcester Fly Dressers at the Malvern Autumn Show We attend a number of local countryside shows, which have resulted in some strong alliances with associated interest groups, placing great emphasis engaging with youngsters. The website has proved a really successful tool in showcasing ourselves to the world. Our site statistics reveal plenty of hits and use by subscribers. Being able to publish photographs/tying sequences, etc. has proved very popular and we are going to start using Vimeo for video presentations. The Branch finances itself by charging members a fee of 50 per season, which runs from September to March and includes the weekly meetings and social evenings. Late joiners pay a pro rata fee. This allows for accurate budgeting forecasts and management of finances. Raffles on guest speaker nights and an annual auction bring in useful additional revenue. We feel this is excellent value for money. (Editor s note: this is on top of Guild subscriptions). One essential element to our success has been the dedication and application of our officers and committee, who all give of their time willingly Photographs by the Worcester Branch [ 41 ]

42 and in great spirit. We still have one member who was one of the founders of the Branch, Roy McAdam. Over a period of 15 years or so, he performed all the roles possible within the Branch with the exception of Treasurer and also instigated our annual photographic competition what superb commitment. You get out what you are prepared to put in, as the saying goes! A Fly-Tying Tip from Worcester Fly Dressers Winging Ways by John Bergdhal One of the most common questions at demonstrations is how to make feather slip wings for dry flies. What follows is my own preferred method - an old and trusted technique, with a new take. First, buy the best wings that you can afford and, if possible, inspect them before buying them. A pair of wings from the same bird is preferable. Then, select a feather of the correct size. I use mallard for flies sized 8 to 12, teal for sizes 14 to 16 and starling for smaller flies. When removing feathers from a pair of wings, it is a good idea to take a feather from the same place on each wing and tape them Selecting the wing slip together. This will allow you to make wing slips that are even in size, texture and webbing. Once ready, take a slip from each feather. To ensure your slips match, use a pair of adjustable dividers with one point longer than the other. Offer the long point underneath the slip and insert the other between the fibres to separate them from the rest of the feather. Next, mend the wing - place both slips together, good side facing out and manipulate Mending the wing slip them between thumb and finger to get the [ 42 ]

43 fibres to separate and re- align into a slightly squarer shape. This avoids skinny pointy wings that split apart easily. Whenever possible, tie in the wings before dressing the rest of the fly. Lay down a solid bed of thread to avoid slippage. Offer the wings at the chosen tying-in point, with the tips facing to the rear of the hook, and tie them in using a pinch and loop. Be sure to make the compression pull vertically, so that the loop draws equally on both sides and compresses the fibres evenly, thus preventing folding or slipping. Next, lift the wing into the desired upright position. Secure it, then fix it into place by putting a few turns of thread at the rear of the feather slips, tight against the fibres. Now I add my own little trick: I separate the front fibre from each wing and pull them back through the middle of the wings to separate the two sections. This avoids having to make figure-of-eight turns with the tying thread through the wings, which can cause twisting or distortion. Finally, pull all the waste fibres towards the rear of the hook, round each side of the wing, not through the middle, and secure behind the wing. Pass your scissors between the wings and cut off the waste to form a tapered under-body. The end result is a clean, stable and wellset wing with no distortion. You are now ready to complete the fly. This style of wing will stand rough treatment and, if damaged, can be restored by steaming over a kettle. Cutting the waste through the wing Taking the fibres through the wing The set wing Photographs by Roy McAdam [ 43 ]

44 Mickey Finn Variant Anders Ståhl T H E O V E R S E A S E X C H A N G E The original Mickey Finn is one of the older North American bucktail patterns, dating back to the late twenties or early thirties (see Autumn 1996 Flydresser). Here, Anders Ståhl from Sweden adapts it for fishing as a tube fly. Dressing Tubes: Scandinavian plastic tubes - black outer tube; clear tube liner. Tag: Oval gold. Body: Flat gold braid. Rib: Same as tag. Wing: Yellow and orange buck tail; orange hackle. Head hackle: Hot orange hen hackle or soft hackle; 6-8 strands of gold flash. 1. First, prepare your tubes. Cut a length of the black tube and a longer length of the liner tube. Melt a small ball at the end of the liner tube, insert the other end of it into the outer tube and pull it through so that the melted ball butts against the rear end of the outer tube. Leave about 2 cm of the liner tube sticking out through the front of the outer tube. Tip: Use a strip of fine sandpaper to roughen around 1 cm of the liner tube where it protrudes from the front of the outer tube - this will help prevent the thread and materials slipping and spinning. [ 44 ]

45 2. Next, secure your tying thread on the lining tube at the point where it protrudes from the outer tube and make a small hump of thread. Take the thread to the rear of the outer tube, where the body will start, making sure you leave 1 cm bare at the end for fixing on the hook sleeve later on Tie in the oval gold rib and the flat gold braid. Make a tag of oval gold rib, then tie it down but do not trim the excess. Return thread to the head. Next, wrap the flat gold braid to form a slim, even body, tie it down and remove the waste. Then rib the body in even turns with the oval gold. 4. Cut two bunches of yellow bucktail. Tie one in on top of the hump of thread and spread the fibres to cover the top half of the tube. Repeat with the second bunch of bucktail on the bottom of the tube, so that it is evenly covered. Tip: Beware of the effects of combining two slippery materials - sometimes the tying-in point will slide forward while attaching new materials, in which case press the tying thread back and add a bit of superglue to prevent slippage. 5. Attach a doubled orange hackle by the tip, add a small amount of superglue, then wind the hackle forwards in touching turns. Secure it in place and cut off the excess, leaving a bit of the hacklestem sticking out. This will help stop the materials slipping by acting as an anchor point for your next thread wraps. 4 5 [ 45 ] 5

46 Attach the gold flash on top of the tube. Then tie in the orange bucktail in the same way as in Step 4. Make the first few thread wraps on top of the hackle stem. Superglue in place and trim off the excess. Tip: Trim the bits around the top of the tube first and then work around the tube carefully to avoid damaging it. Consider using a razor blade if the excess is very bulky. 7. Finally, attach a doubled hot orange or red soft hackle and wind it forwards in touching turns over a touch of superglue. Secure it in place, cut off the excess and form a small head with tying thread. Cover the head with a touch of superglue to finish the fly and trim the tube. To add a cone, leave a bit of tube at the front, put on the cone and then melt the liner to form a small collar to keep the cone in place. 8. The picture below show the finished tube fly, with and without a cone head. 7 Note: If you are going to use a treble or double hook, I would recommend you add a cone, to balance the fly. 8 Fly tied and photographed by Anders Ståhl

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48 Serving fly-tyers with the best materials since 1923 V E N I A R D 6 9 G L O U C E S T E R R O A D C R O Y D O N S U R R E Y C R 9 2 D D E N G L A N D Tel : Fax : sales@veniard.com