Last week while fighting my way through bronchitis, {think 3:00 AM) I found a site on the internet selling flies that appeared to be tied backward… that is with the Hackle on the bend and the body ending at the eye…They appear to present upsidedown like the clouser.
Darned if I can find that site or where I was
Does anyone know where that is
has anyone seen any patterns or recipes for this kind of fly?
i have a book with one called the Leckford Professor
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I found the waterwisp site a long time ago and tied some up. One day on the 2nd meadow of Slough Creek, YP, fish were rising like mad. I was going through the flies and finally tied one on. That day, at that time it was THE fly to have on. My buddy was getting miffed watching me nailing fish after fish, and finally asked for one. He got into em then too. So they work, when that’s what the fish want. :lol:
Buffalorobe;
That is a style of fly from Jacques P. Herter. I just completed a swap for backwards Caddis flys and it was a real challange!!
Caddis flys travel up stream so a backwards fly would look more realstic.
Click on the “History” button of your browser. It just might still be there.
It is good to see Jaques Herter getting some credit for his creations.
FAOL had it first URL: http://www.flyanglersonline.com/feature … rt272.html
The only thing left is to give George Leonard Herter credit for creating Jaques P. Herter. Last Fall Field and Stream ran an article on Herter’s. Based on interviews with the family, F&S tells us that, among others, both Jaques and Christian Herter were 100% creations of George’s restless mind.
The reverse tie still is fascinating though it may be doing it the hard way.
PS All this being said, I have no doubt that George spent at least 2 weeks fishing with Jaques just as he said in his 1961 book.
Waterwisp had a booth at the recent Portland, Or Fly Fishing Show, so they are still around.
They are difficult to tie mostly because it’s BACKWARDS! I ended up using straight eye hooks, clamping the eye in the vise and rotating it 90 degrees (I cannot change the angle of the jaws on my vise to acommodate down eye hooks).
Also the chances of catching the thread on the hook point is multiplied greatly!
No point to them. A waste of time! A properly presented fly in the right place at the right time will catch fish–tied traditionally, backwards, upside down, etc. etc. Wasn’t there a story about a guide when asked by a client “What are the fishing eating?” Replied, “I don’t know! But, if you drift your fly right through there, I’m sure you’ll catch a fish.” I guess that means it’s not so much the fly, but how it’s presented. 
Also, go to the “Fly Archives” here and look at the “Cranky Cripple” and the “USD EasyPeasy”, both by Roy Christie. Excellent flies and pretty easy to tie.
Joe
No point; My arse!!! I went through a bunch of “traditional” flies that day, and so did my partner, but that day, at that time, that’s what the fish wanted. (voaraciously) I tied it on almost in exasperation, and am glad I had a few.
I say a few in the box can’t hurt. But use the tried and true stuff 1st, if that doesn’t work, try it.
bob-o
Can you share some tips on tying? I had to turn the hook around (as mentioned above) as I had great difficulty tying in the head with the vice in the way
Buffalorobe;
No intent to hijack your post.
not that i have done it, but it seems like you might be able to just clamp the hooks in the normal way, wrap the hackle first, then tie in the tail, then dub the body and tie off at the hook eye??? would this work?
Jack; If you want a step by step recipe. Look up “Avon Special” in Flies Archives. It is one of Roy Christies ties. It works well on our New Zealand Streams in the North Island. Have Fun. Jax
RC;
That’s what I thought until it came to dubbing the body. The Caddis wing made in very difficult!
Your idea may work on other style flys, may have to give it a try. Hm…Stonefly?!
bingo!
That’s pretty much how I did it. Just tie the recipe backwards.
Recently I taught a class at my local club. All 3 flies were unconventional (the Avon Special was one of them). Even a standard Catskill fly can be tied backwards if you just put the materials on the hook in the (almost) reverse order. It is probably easier to wrap around the (already set) tail on a reversed fly as it is to wrap around the (already set) wings on a Catskill. Just remember to tie off UNDER the tail on a reversed fly.
Yea they look cool but does it matter right side up or upside down.The field test is the only way to know. FAOL, IS THE SITE FOR THREE OF THESE FLIES. Listed under fly of the week, archivers. one is called the E-Z peasy, the avon special, cant remember the last. try beaumount fly catcher website. good luck I tied a few of these havent tried them yet, field test next week, I`ll give it a very cool lookin patern.