Here are a couple recent ties. Broughton’s point is an old pattern. From my notes I have it originally with a light blue body, but that became claret, which was more popular. Dressing is fairly simple, body of light blue or claret silk (I’ve used UniThread, waxed with bee’s wax), wing Starting quill, and hackle is starling. I forgot to add some scarlet fibres to the hackle, which I believe is part of the dressing. Regardless, these will certainly entice a few fishes in clear waters (I hope anyway!)
A very nice dressing Jeff.
It is said that this fly was invented in 1830 and was used a lot and
still is, as a stillwater fly on Ullswater in the Lake District.
It is popular to this day throughout the UK.
Thanks guys! This is one of those patterns which shows off how good starling is as a source of material. The quills are great for small wings (these are size 14, so small, not miniscule!) and the hackle is just the right size and has really good action in the water.
Jax, I had the Waihou or Waimakeriri in mind when I was tying them. There’s a particular stretch up around the blue spings on the Waihou, where, I can image the fish really going for these (in part, because, in my imagination my casting improves ten fold! )
And thanks for the tip Donald! I hadn’t thought of this as a still water fly, but I’ll give it a go and see what happens.
Hi Bass Bug. I know what you mean. These old patterns from the 1800s have that simple eloquence to them. Although the waxing is strictly not necessary, it does add a translucent flim, and I think it helps to protect the fly a bit as it hardens in cold water.
And REE, I know you’re also a starling fan, so I do recommend adding a few of these. I might put a yellow bodied one together as well as I think that would make a nice “set”.
Thanks kelkay and flybugpa! Here’s two more I just tied up in yellow. Since I mentioned the wax earlier, I waxed the thread on the left one, and not on the right. Doesn’t make a noticalble difference in the photo (bee’s wax is sort of yellowish and UniThread is pre waxed anyway!) and only a subtle one in real life. Perhaps I shoudl have tied a light blue one? I did notice that the photo indicates I need to work on cleaning up the head cement a bit more though! Anyway, these make a nice collection of simple patterns.
I decided to tie one up with the red in the hackle as well. Again, claret body, waxed, starling wing and hackle, with a single turn of a scarlet hackle as well. This would be such a great change of light fly!
Thanks again, and I agree that the red really adds to it. I just put one turn of red then wrapped the starling over and through it. I think more red would be less in this case. when I tied this up I figured I should post it as I think the previous ties don’t really do the pattern justice. This last one is a Brougton’s Point, the others are just Starling and blue/claret/yellow.
All of those are really nicely tied. The last two look alot like Greenwells, only with different colored hackle and no ribbing. If you don’t mind, what brand hook are you useing for these?
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