Materials Used; Hook Size 18s to 10s Thread, Uni-8/0 Dark Brown Tail, Coastal Deer Hair Body, Natural Rabbit and American Fox Squirrel Mixed Wings, Roe deer and Grizzle Hackle Tips
Top draw Davie - looking for deer hair / natural materials flies & came across this older all natural fly tutorial - your explanations on each step is amazingly patient fella quite a gift :)
My fly box is sort of like yours, I don't tie as well, you are by far the best on You tube and that is saying a lot, there are a lot of good tiers here, It took me a while with my american english ears to understand you, heavy Scottish accent its a good thing! I have one fly box in my vest that is debated to just Adams Dry Flies, I have them from size 6 down to 22! At least half dozen in each size, I like this style, and going to add them to my box, Roe deer never seen it in the flyshops, but White tail deer should do, I been tying my own flies since I got my first vise a Thompson A back in '64 and I still have it to go with the Regal, HMH and Dyna King. Of all of them I like the old Regal and the Dyna King! But a vise just holds the hook, the skill and the artistry of fly tying well that is something else all together, I am on my way to Montana next week, I decided that I am just going to spend the rest of Sept and most of Oct- Fishing then back home just in time for Rifle Deer hunting, then maybe some winter Steel head fishing!
Wonderfully done! Thanks for sharing. I'll be heading to Fran Betters territory (New York's Adirondacks) in a couple of weeks and hope to have a bunch tied by then. Love the addition of the grizzly hackle tip wings, I actually like the look of the snipped tips better than the natural, but don't tell anybody. Thanks again.
This is a great fishing fly, floats well, looks fantastic on the water and best of all catches fish!! Hooked the biggest Brown of the season on my second cast with this fly and several more before the day was over. Thanks for your effort in making these videos available, keep them coming.
Hi Davie, Great work! I used to combine one Adams with two Griffith's Gnats not to waste any material. Your version is even simpler, I guess the trout will not recognize... ATB
I definitely prefer this method for size 18-20 Adams. Parachutes are obnoxious to do on flies that small. Love your videos Davie! You ever make it out to Colorado I’ve got plenty of spots for you to try.
***** Davie I first met Fran 35 years ago. He'd always be behind the counter in his shop tying flies. He'd have a big piece of cloth across his lap with his materials and tools on it. He sat back from the vice further than many tyers. I swore he had ESP... I'm paraphrasing here... When you asked Fran what fly the fish were taking it was like he had 20 minutes to scrutinize your fly boxes and always came up with something you did not have. So you ended up buying half a dozen of what he suggested. You were happy to pay the 10 bucks just to spend the time with him. Usually you bought some of his hand tied leaders (the best!) his elixir of floatant (great!) and if you tied your own you bought his specially dyed Ausable Wulff orange possum fur (that changed every year so you'd have to keep buying the new version) but you got a huge hunk of it and you always needed some woodchuck (again a huge hunk) and snowshoe rabbits feet, bleached and dyed dun deer hair and few bobbins of fluorescent orange thread. He was the only guy that had that stuff it in stock and you needed it to tie his flies.
Hi Essardee, I would have been in his shop every chance that I could get and like yourself I would have bought many flies from him as well as materials..This is why he was and will always be a legend....Many thanks for sharing your time you had with him... All the very best Davie
***** For several years Fran had a place called the Bunkhouse. It was an old farmhouse with crooked floors in the village of Wilmington about 100 yds. from the Ausable. It had a big living/kitchen common area and the rest was divided up into bedrooms with a bathroom on each floor. For $15 a night you could get a room. I live about 3 hours away so I'd leave work early drive down and fish the evening stay at the Bunkhouse and fish all the next day before going home. I did that several times a year for 10 years.
Hi Davy had a frustrating day today although weather didnt help SCORCHING. But they were rising and in the I thought I know I'll look at Davies vids for inspiration. Love this tying pal but could I ask what hook your using. Is it a b160 ? Thanks again buddy. Brilliant.😁👏👏👏
Hi James, It was either the B160 or the Short Shank Special from Fulling Mill that I used as they are the same style, it's a great hook as you may know and one that I use on many patterns..I'm glad you enjoy the videos... All the very best Davie
Hi Alms mine, Fulling Mill Short Shank Special or you can use a Kamasan B160 which is the same style and it wouldn't matter if you used a standard shanked hook as I do tye them on them as well..Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you too... All the very best Davie....
I tied it and it looks great. Thanks for sharing Davie. You are right that you have to take care to make sure the feathers and deer hair are straight and balanced on the hook. It's easy for them to slip to the side a bit. I wonder how buoyant the fly is, given there aren't any natural floatants in the material? My experience (I'm not an expert) is that when I don't mix deer with CDC it sinks quite quickly. What about using CDC dubbing instead of the rabbit/squirrel? Or mixing it in? Or really not necessary :)
Hi Alms Mine, I always use a floatant on these flies as they will float far longer and last many more fish before you have to change to another one..I always use a floatant on CDC as well, it's best to do this with your flies before you go fishing the night before as this will allow the floatant to dry..I like using CDC for bodies both as a dubbing and as well as a herl, if you look through my CDC flies you will find some tyed like this...I'm glad you enjoy the videos... All the very best Davie
Hi Alasdair, I'm using a Regal Vice now rather than the Law, as the Law Vice is no longer being made so I'd rather use one than can be bought. As I get asked all the time what vice I use and when I say that it's not available I feel I'm not helping anyone that is looking for a good vice to tye with..There are many other quality vices out there and the Regal is one of them it just comes down to your personal choice... ATB Davie
