Clyde Style Flies

All about flies Fly Tying
1

I have been meaning to ask for sometime now but just haven’t done it. Does anyone tie and use Clyde Style Flies on US waters? I was fortunate enough to obtain a copy of John Reids book and found it quite interesting but it seems all of the activities of this fly are abroad. Hence my question.

2

<h3 class=“r”>Tying a [i]Clyde Style[/i] Fly Magpie & Silver with Davie McPhail<a href=“javascript:void(0)” id=“LXPLSS_398181951U1”> This is a UTube video on the method.

3

Hi Rookie,

Clyde style flies should work on US waters, and around the world. I’ve used them in New Zealand with success, and I think this past summer I caught a couple brookies on some flies tied in a similar way.

  • Jeff
4

Thanks for the link LF. I am a big fan of Davy McPhail’s tying videos.

Jeff, I agree. I can’t see any reason they won’t work elsewhere. Were you involved in the fly trade with someone awhile back to determine if flies from other geographical locations would work elsewhere? I may have my people mixed up, forgive me if I do.

5

Rookie,

The Clyde style flies work well here. Tummels too, if you dress flies that sparse. Reids book is great. Sit down and tie a few then post up some pics.

REE

6

A few years back, Donald Nicholson, gave me the heads-up that John Reids classic, “Clyde Style Flies, and their dressings” was going to be reprinted, in its original format. The first edition was very limited (1000 copies) in 1971, and over time the few books that were hitting the auction market, were fetching over a $1000.

Now you can have your own 2nd edition, for about $40, and that would be the best $40 you ever spent.

This book was even included in Sylvester Nemes latest book "Two Centruies of Soft Hackled Flies, a survey of the literature complete with original patterns 1747 - present.

I have that one also!

~Parnelli :smiley:

“Everyone we meet in life give us happiness! Either by their arrival, or by their departure!”

7

Hi Rookie,

I sent John Scott some flies awhile back; about 1.5 years ago now I suppose. Basically to see how a few of the flies I use in NZ would fare on his cutthroats. Worked well (John can catch fish in a puddle though, so I figured I was safe!:slight_smile: )

  • Jeff
8

Read here for some history on them and some flies.

http://www.thehighlanderway.com/clyde_style_flies.html

9

http://www.danica.com/flytier/agoodwin/agoodwin.htm

10

Rookie -

Here’s a link to a thread from last year on our international collaboration.

http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/showthread.php?t=23830

John

P.S. SE Idaho surely has some fine puddles.

11

Glad to hear Don is doing Okay.

Fatman

12

Deanna,

Davie does a great job tying the pattern, as we have come to expect, but I have to say I am a little puzzled what makes this particular pattern a “Clyde style” wet fly. For me it is like any other slip wing wet.

You, or anyone else on the thread, have an idea?

Cheers,
Hans W

13

heres a nice sampling of clyde style fies

http://www.danica.com/flytier/agoodwin/agoodwin.htm

14

Hans,

I was a bit puzzled by that fly being a “Clyde style” fly also. I had come to expect a shorter, sparser body than Davie dressed with the Magpie and Silver (thought I have fisihed the fly and it produced very nicely).

Alan’s renditions of both the Clyde and Tummel styles are closer to my expectations.

REE

15

In response to the original question; let’s not forget we are trying to catch fish with such flies, and we are dealing with beasts that have a very small brain relative to body size. If the fly works on one continent, it will work on the others, provided it resembles something the fish normally feed on. A prime example is the Clouser Deep Minnow, which was originally developed for smallmouth bass in the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania. It has been successfully used on most, if not all, continents with fishable waters and is just as popular as a saltwater fly as it is for freshwater. Moreover, I would venture that more species of fish in more waters on more continents have been caught on this fly than any other two patterns combined. Nuff said.

16

Rookie,

Here’s a link to some Clyde flies tied for a competition in the UK. http://ukflydressing.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=cp&action=display&thread=1870 You’ll spot one of my feeble attempts in there. As I stated previosly, they work very well here in the US.

REE

17

Doesn’t look feeble to me Ron.

I think the fly McPhail tied was a “modernization” version of a Clyde, and I could also be very wrong.

I appreciate all of the input on this one. I also have to agree that flies could be pretty much used anywhere maybe with slight variations to the original pattern. Maybe color variations or size.

18

It is this type of variation (size and color) that has made the Clouser so dependable in so many different places and waters, and is what I tried to infer originally.

19

After viewing several of Davie McPhail’s U-Tube videos I would like to know if his videos have been compiled into a DVD. Besides being an excellent tier he shows many novel techniques that are new to me. Any Advice?

20

Ray,

I know his work is available on DVD’s and has even given permission to some people to download his videos. I am just not sure where to obtain his videos.