There are several problems about Scottish Fly Styles.
Clyde Style in particular.
According to Lawrie and Skues, and what was the accepted
opinion of the first half of the 20th century.
The figure below shows this was the body length.
In John Reid’s book ‘Clyde Style Flies’, this does not seem to
be crucial. The sparseness of the dressing appears the crucial
point. As can be seen from the illustration from his book.
Also look at the instructions given on tying the
‘Greenwell’s Glory’. http://donaldnicolson.webplus.net/page409.html
Reid’s book was very much based on information from local
Clyde Anglers, so the body length was not so important to them
when the book was published (1971).
So, it seems that Clyde Style has to be qualified as either
Clyde Style (Lawrie/Skues) or Clyde Style (Reid).
Or just do what works for you.
It does prove one thing, beware pronouncements in books.
They are definately effective. Tweed and Clyde style flies, plus North Country Spiders fill my wet fly box. The older the pattern, the better it works, at least for me.
Of all new styles and materials bringing about new and nice looking flies but I always have a heart for old classics cause they will catch fish when most new ones will not.
I bough Reids book on Clyde Style Flies, and it has come in handy in my latest endeavor with resurrecting the “Gold Ribbed Hare’s Ear” dry fly, from Frederic M. Halfords 1885 Book “Dry Fly Fishing”. Today I changed the sequence of which part of the GRHE-dry that I attach first and the the progression through to the finish fly pattern. Lot of terminology has changed over the years. It took Denny Conrad, to explain to me what a Cock’s Beard is… Donald Nicolson told me that two things need to be on the GRHE are flat gold tinsel, and dark hare’s ear dubbing. I also found out was a size 0 and 00 hook was.
Google is helping libraries to convert their old books to PDF, and for some books there is a slight fee to Google for help saving the books before the book worm and time turn the books into sawdust.
Authors in fly tying that I have downloaded…
Charles Bowler; Art of Angling
Frederick M. Halford; Dry Fly Fishing, Floating Flies and how to dress them, Making a Fishery, Modern Development of the Dry Fly
G. M. Kelson; Salmon Fly, how to dress it and use it
James Ogden; Ogden on Fly Tying
Charles F. Orvis; Fishing with the Fly
T. E. Pryce-Tannatt; How to Dress Salmon Flies
T. E. Salter; A Troller’s guide for Pike
G. E. M. Skues; Minor Tactics of the Chalk Stream, The Way of a Trout
W. C Stewart; The Practical Angler
Leonard West; The Natural Trout Fly and Its Imitations
These are just a few of the many books on fishing that are now available from what use to be cloistered collections… ~Parnelli
