Found this on the Caithness site (a font of Brit stuff); guessing on the body, though, since I only had the one pic to go by.
hook - Mustad 3906 #6
thread - UTC 140 black
butt/rib - mylar red
body - Ice Dub black
legs - pheasant tail black
wing - deer hair
head - deer hair spun/clipped
Part 1
mash barb; start thread, wrap back part way down bend
tie in mylar, wrap up to point above barb
dub body
rib body
knot up some pheasant and tie it in
clean, stack, measure (gap width past bend) some deer hair; tie in, trim butts
That Scott, would be a deadly top dropper fly on the lochs. The heather and hawthorn flies are a major food item here, something in black and read that makes a disturbance in the surface will always produce. The body would, probably be black seal’s fur, but black Ice Dub is as good an alternative as any.
I really must not let Mike see that, or I will have to tie him a dozen.
Scott,
How many fish do you expect on that fly before the legs are gone or too mangled to work? Although you wouldn’t get those hairy “knees”, I can’t help but think that Antron fibers etc… would make much more durable legs.
But it is a beautiful fly. Alan’s “Mike” must be an angler of good taste.
Could you spare us a link to the Caithness site?
Regards,
Ed
edit: Thinking about it. running a couple of black Antron fibers down the pheasant tail fiber before knotting might also add a lot of durability, if you don’t purchase the pre-knotted feathers. That would still give the hairy quality but might give some reinforcement.
Durability would not be a strong point (same goes for the tails on any Pheasant Tail nymph I’ve ever tied, although they continue to catch fish). I tied these true to the patterns I saw more for fun while playing around with flies that are new to me. Subbing knotted rubber, antron, antron/pheasant, etc. would definitely produce longer-lasting legs.
