Cracking fly. I am fly tying instructor. Quick tip... Get some beeswax. Rub the thread with the wax before whip finishing complete whip finish but don't cut off the thread and bobbin. Heat the tip of your bodkin and stick it in the eye. Watch for the wax melting and hold the bobbin to tighten the thread. Adds additional security without the hassel of varnish. Hope that helps it may not be as secure as varnish but it's a very quick alternative. Many thanks for continuing to post during lock down. Stay well Lewis.
Thanks for the video Alex. You should make some more videos of tying flies. We also entering our 4th week of lockdown in SA. Stay safe man. Maybe one day i can go fishing with you 😎
My wife told me I'm not allowed to throw the fluffy stuff on the floor anymore!! Nice wee pattern Alex, I'll throw a few of them together when I'm finished tying some pole positions. Keep em coming mate! ATB Chris
I tie my own more out of necessity than anything else. Commerical tied flies are tied ok but at times they are just overdressed. And well it just plain fun, even thou I tied flies commercially for a local fly shop that is long gone now. Right now we are on lockdown too. So I have been playing with a Grey Squirrel Pelt I have, a few guard hairs for the tail a mix of guard and underfur for dubbing, Chartreuse BR wire (UTC) dub the thorax a little thicker in the round and spiker on a Mustad CO68 # 12 hook Olive 6/0 Danville thread. Damn good looking variation of a hare's ear nymph. A 2-minute fly. I am going to get another pelt dyed olive and some Whiting Brahma hen in Speckled brown. I think it will be better with some soft hackle. We will see. It's cold and with the heavy rating, the rivers and streams are banks to the bank and a little over in places. That glass bead is a great idea. This crap will pass. I already wrote off 2020 for my seasonal flying this year. Should have gotten all the check rides out of the way and on the Job yesterday. Oh well, Uncle Sugar is sending me an extra 1200 dollars and all I am going to do is fish right up till rifle deer season, November 1. And if some flying gig should come along, I go back to work. I am really bored.
Your videos are awesome dude. Pat Okeefe from Rotorua got me onto soft hackles about 10 years ago. He made one called a "tail light" excellent on the Rangataiki river. I would call your fly a beaded partridge and orange 👍🏻 excellent flies and excellent content. Keep it going bro.
I like the simplistic approach. And taking all the serious pressure associated with fly fishing. Makes me feel a little better as a newb to fly fishing 🎣
Always happy to see a Friday Filler in my feed on Thursday nights. Cheers from the other side of the planet! When this lockdown finishes why not challenge yourself to some fly fishing methods you don't usually use? Examples being Euro-style, Tenkara, and big game streamer fishing.
I tie me own fly now and loving it. So much fun making them and what you want and less is more. Love yeah vid keep up the good work. Tight lines out there 🎣✌🤙
Alex, I strip one side of the partridge feather before tying in. Gives a less bulky hackle. I hadn’t seen soft hackles with the plastic bead, might give em a crack!!!
Neat fly, thanks for the pattern. Do you have ants in NZ? I ask as once or twice here in the UK I have found myself in the middle of a fall of flying ants and always carry some. Recently watched Kelly Galloup tying a soft hackle ant, you might like it, it just looks buggy! I hope you can fish soon but thank you for the fly tying, anymore you can manage of what really works in NZ would be gratefully appreciated as I aim to come and see my daughter in Napier in the next year or so. I will need all the help I can get ;-)
great little fly bro i can see why it does the business , i have been a huge fan of using soft hackles myself for years, they impart great movement that just brings it to life which in turn appeals to often wary and spooky fish thanks Alex for the vid ....maybe do some casting techniques if ya running out of ideas roll casting, bow and arrow, single and double hauling etc just a thought.
Something I can relate to... “I end up losing the fly before it falls apart anyways” EXACTLY! I used to spend the time putting cement on the wraps and making it look al nice and whatever but then I realized I’m just gonna get to the stream throw on one too many split shots and lose the damn thing in 3 casts anyways haha. Good tie
Curious as to how and when you fish these. Do you just use them as a nymph or are you swinging them? You used it under a dry on the lake, static cast at sighted fish or slow retrieve?
Crazy About Fly Fishing either is a good approach just depends on the scenario. Soft hackles look natural when you are sightfishing and dead drift or suspend them, or they are very fun to swing across and down as a team through ruffles or in the evening when insects are emerging ✊
So with me being pretty noob, I’m guessing this is a dry fly?? Also what video SW/app do you use to make you vids? Looking to make my own just for fun. Thanks mate.
