Flicking feathers

An unconventional bonefish fly here from Carl Richards. Although not many people fish imitations, sea urchin are a favourite prey species for all manner of flats species including bones, permit, triggerfish and tuskies among others. I've updated the dressing a little with UV resin making flies fairly straight forward ties and it's definitely worth having a few of them in your box. To support the channel, get access to the monthly tying meetings and enter the giveaways, head over to https://www.patreon.com/flickingfeathers and sign up or donate through https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/flickingfeathers Materials list Hook: Owner fly liner or Gammakatsu G-carp size 4 Thread: Black 140 Body: Black deer hair Weight: Non-lead splitshot Belly: Underside of fly coated in flexible UV resin and painted with nail polish  

 Another old one I wrote for www.sexyloops.com We're well into May now, spring is fully here and the mayfly will be here soon too. Whether on rivers or still waters, it's one of the main events of the season and it's the time of year I really miss being on the lochs back home. Although Ireland's loughs are probably the place that springs to mind for most people when it comes to mayfly fishing in still waters, there are some lochs in Scotland with good hatches that offer some fantastic fishing especially-but not limited to- Caithness. Oddly though, mayfly time seems to be less of and event than it is in Ireland, maybe because it comes a bit later in the highlands. Admittedly the hatches usually are not quite so prolific as on the likes of Mask and Corrib but they last longer, sometimes even until early August! I've had some amazing days on Mentieth, Hillend and others with both numbers and quality of fish, often wild, sometimes well mended overwintered rainbows depen

  This is another specific prey species imitation from Craig Mathews, inventor of Pop's bonefish bitters. Although it's designed to imitate snails and clams, I suspect it might often be eaten for a worm. Whatever they eat it for, it's best fished static near tailing fish or muds. To support the channel, join the monthly online tying meetings, access the members' only content and enter the giveaways head to https://www.patreon.com/flickingfeathers and sign up or donate at https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/flickingfeathers Materials list Hook: Gamakatsu SL11-3 H size 10-6 Thread: Tan Weight: Lead substitute fastened as a keel Body: Cream, tan or olive furry foam Siphon: Small ultra chenille, pink tan or light brown

  The fleeing crab is a great choice on flats where you can encounter a range of species as it will work for permit, bonefish, triggers and more. I usually like this fly to be on the small and light side for a crab, but you can tie bigger and heavier versions to suit where you fish. To support the channel, get access to the monthly tying meetings and enter the giveaways, head to https://www.patreon.com/flickingfeathers and sign up or donate through https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/flickingfeathers Material list Hook: Gamakatsu SL11-3H or LS11-3H size 10-4 Weight: Bead chain or dumbbells Thread: 140 denier tan, orange or pink Legs: Centipede legs or similar Collar: Hen hackle Body: Sparkle yarn Weed guard 16-20lb hard nylon

  The Bonefish Puff is a great little fly for tailing fish & shallow flats. It's full of movement and the bright head lets fish spot it even if you've had to lead them by quite a distance. Resist the urge to tie this large and heavily weighted, there are better flies for deeper flats. To support the channel, get access to the monthly online tying sessions and enter the giveaways head to https://www.patreon.com/flickingfeathers and sign up, or donate through https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/flickingfeathers Material list Hook: saltwater size 10-6 Thread: Uni 6/0 in tan, pink, olive or orange Weight: Bead chain Wing: Calf tail in white, tan, pink, olive or brown Flash: Pearl crystal flash Claws: Grizzle hackle tips Body: Ultra chenille in, blue, olive, pink, orange tan or brown DIY Bonefishing https://amzn.to/3AvD81Y Book of the Month 9: A Perfect Fish This beautifully illustrated book is quite hard to come by but you'll probably be able to find a copy by following my

The Gotcha needs no introduction as a bonefih fly, this rubber legged variant just provides a bit more movement at rest which often helps tempt more finicky fish. Materials list Hook: Gamkatsu SL11-3H Size 8-4 Thread: Fl. pink Danville's 140 Weight: Beadchain or dumbbells to suit Tail: Pearl crystal flash Body: Pearl flatbraid Wing: Sand craft fur Legs: Barred silileg (small) Weedguard: hard mono To support the channel, get access to the monthly tying classes and enter the giveaways head to https://www.patreon.com/flickingfeathers and sign up. DIY Bonefishing https://amzn.to/3AvD81Y Book of the Month 9: A Perfect Fish This beautifully illustrated book is quite hard to come by but you'll probably be able to find a copy by following my amazon links. Amazon .com https://amzn.to/3DKxadM Amazon UK https://amzn.to/31BKYul Using the link will help support my channel at no extra cost to you. Alternatively it can sometimes be found on ebay https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html_from=R

Kenny Abrames' A perfect fish is a fantastic text on fly tying and fly fishing. Its main focus is on flat wing style flies and striped bass, but the lessons can be applied anywhere. This beautifully illustrated book is quite hard to come by but you'll probably be able to find a copy by following my amazon links. Amazon .com https://amzn.to/3DKxadM Amazon UK https://amzn.to/31BKYul Alternatively it can sometimes be found on ebay https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html_from=R40&_trksid=p2380057.m570.l1313&_nkw=a+perfect+fish&_sacat=0 Wherever you can track it down, this is a great book and well worth adding to your collection. To support the channel, get access to the monthly tying classes and enter the giveaways head to https://www.patreon.com/flickingfeathers or https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/flickingfeathers and sign up. Book of the Month 8: Strip-Set is available here Amazon.com https://amzn.to/3kizn9F Amazon.co.uk https://amzn.to/3wvglSo Using the link will help suppo

  Long time supporter Joe Andrezik is the winner of November's flies. The Christmas prizes are currently a box of flies, 2 materials packs and 2 signed copies of "At The End Of The Line" by George Barron. I might add some more over the next week if I can. To enter the giveaways, get access to the monthly zoom tying classes and support the channel, head to https://www.patreon.com/flickingfeathers or https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/flickingfeathers an sign up. #flyfishing #giveaway #flytying

Another old one from www.sexyloops.com   With the spawning over I'm back on the water again and because of the current restrictions, I'm staying local so had my first float tube session of the year on Monday. The local lake has a decent population of largemouth bass although it's fairly featureless which can make them hard to find. More interestingly, it has a thriving snakehead population which keeps the bass fishermen away most of the summer. Fishing was slow after an overnight temperature drop from the mid twenties down to single digits. In fact, under normal circumstances I'd have changed my plans and went looking for a quarry more tolerant of cooler temperatures than largemouth. There was certainly no chance of any topwater action and all I managed was a half hearted pick up on a bottom dragged worm fly. So I basically used the day to explore and refamiliarise myself with parts of the local lake. I've certainly identified a few places to hit when it's warme

  The Joe-to-go works best as a skinny water fly for tailing fish, but can be weighted for deeper work. It land soft and does a good job of imitating mantis shrimp or other crustaceans. Traditionally tied as a hook-down pattern, I've adjusted it a little to fish hook-up for better snag resistance. To support the channel, get access to the monthly tying classes and enter the giveaways head to https://www.patreon.com/flickingfeathers and sign up. Material list Hook: Gamakatsu SL11-3H 2-8 Thread: Chartreuse Danville's Claws: Grizzle or cree hackle tips Feelers: Crystal flash Eyes: Burnt heavy nylon mono Body: Rootbeer estaz or similar Legs: Palmered grizzle or cree cock hackle Weedguard: 16-20lb hard nylon Book of the Month 9: A Perfect Fish This beautifully illustrated book is quite hard to come by but you'll probably be able to find a copy by following my amazon links. Amazon .com https://amzn.to/3DKxadM Amazon UK https://amzn.to/31BKYul Using the link will help suppor

 An old one I wrote for www.sexyloops.com I'm terrible at naming flies. Or at least, terrible at it most of the time, when I actually come up with a fly that's reasonably original I can come up with something. It's probably because, I don't really think most patterns warrant a new name. We're probably stuck with the old style naming where there essentially only a few different flies, but loads of names for what are essentially just colour different colour combinations. I mean, look at the Kate Mclaren for example, is it really anything other than a black & brown bumble? No it isn't. And that's by no means unusual. Almost everyone calls hedgehogs sedgehogs now,  because Stan Headley renamed it after putting a hackle on it.  I think the hackled version didn't need a new name, even if sedgehog is probably better branding.  The thing about names though, they have some kind of power. I've noticed this several times recently. Folk raving about the blac

  This nice Clouser variation appears in Dick Brown's book; Bonefish Fly Patterns. It's a simple tie but very effective tied in a range of sizes and weights to suit conditions, also it's a good each way bet for locations where other more predatory species might turn up on the flats instead of bonefish. Material list Hook: Gamakatsu SL11-3H size 8-2 Thread: Fl. pink Danville's Weight: Bead chain, brass or lead dumbbells Tail:White Craft Fur Body: Tying thread Flash: Crystal flash Wing: Sand/tan craft fur Weedguard: 16-20lb hard nylon Book of the Month 8: Strip-Set is available here Amazon.com https://amzn.to/3kizn9F Amazon.co.uk https://amzn.to/3wvglSo Using the link will help support my channel at no extra cost to you. To support the channel, get access to the monthly tying classes and enter the giveaways head to https://www.patreon.com/flickingfeathers and sign up.

  Pop's Bonefish Bitters is an absolute classic bonefish fly imitating small crabs. It was developed by Craig Mathews for Belize, but works universally and also catches permit. It's fairly snag resistant because of the deer hair wing and I find it works best over rock, coral flats and broken ground. It's well worth tying up in colours to suit your fishing location for fish that are refusing the less imitative, attractor type flies like the gotcha. Materials list Hook: Your preferred saltwater hook size 10-4 Weight: bead chain Body: Epoxy coloured with nail polish or acrylic paint Legs: Silli legs or flexifloss Underwing: Zelon or antron yarn Wing: Deer hair Book of the Month 8: Strip-Set is available here Amazon.com https://amzn.to/3kizn9F Amazon.co.uk https://amzn.to/3wvglSo Using the link will help support my channel at no extra cost to you. To support the channel, get access to the monthly tying classes and enter the giveaways head to https://www.patreon.com/flicki

  Aaron Adams's Big Ugly is an effective ghost shrimp mantis shrimp imitation. It's on the big side for a bonefish fly, but it's simple, durable and deadly in the right situations. Look for mantis holes or the little humps made by ghost shrimps to indicate where bones and other species may be receptive to this pattern. Materials list Hook: Gamakatsu SL11-3H Thread: Fluorescent "Gotcha" pink Danville's Weight: Bead chain or dumbbells Tail: Tan craft fur (barred with marker) Body: Root beer cactus chenille Wing: Tan craft fur Weed guard: 16-20lb hard mono Book of the Month 8: Strip-Set is available here Amazon.com https://amzn.to/3kizn9F Amazon.co.uk https://amzn.to/3wvglSo Using the link will help support my channel at no extra cost to you. To support the channel, get access to the monthly tying classes and enter the giveaways head to https://www.patreon.com/flickingfeathers and sign up.

  There are several advantages to making your own leader mud and it's a quick, easy process. Most importantly, home made fuller's earth mix is much better at sinking your leader than any of the commercially produced leader degreasers. It also has a much better consistency, and you can adjust the mix to your liking. If you make up a tub once or twice a year you know that its fresh and not dried out to a hard cake (like the loon mud I bought a week before filming to show the difference) Even though leader sinkants aren't that expensive, it's also much cheaper to make your own than to buy it- by a considerable margin. All you need is some fuller's earth powder, dish washing liquid, some liquid glycerin and a small, airtight container. If you decide to make your own, consider using my links to get the ingredients. Fuller's earth Amazon.co.uk https://amzn.to/3zvb4v3 Amazon.com https://amzn.to/3gGfw1t Glycerin Amazon.co.uk https://amzn.to/2TCM4Sc Amazon.

  Gorrel's Hackle Shrimp is a seriously underrated shallow water bonefish fly. It's incredibly effective, especially on broken coral bottoms or sand with sparse grass, I have supreme confidence in the pattern and it's accounted for hundreds of bones for me in several locations. Materials List Hook: Gamakatsu SL11-3H or similar Thread: Tan, olive, pink or cream 140 denier Weight: Bead chain Antennae: crystal flash Body:Saddle hackle( grizzle, tan or grizzly olive are good) Belly: Crystal flash Book of the Month 8: Strip-Set is available here Amazon.com https://amzn.to/3kizn9F Amazon.co.uk https://amzn.to/3wvglSo Using the link will help support my channel at no extra cost to you. To support the channel, get access to the monthly tying classes and enter the giveaways head to https://www.patreon.com/flickingfeathers and sign up.

 Another old one from www.sexyloops.com It's turning into another strange spring. I was looking forward to the end of the smallmouth spawn over the next week or so, I've some new streamers to test on the hungry post spawn fish. But that might not work out as planned after all. After lifting the lockdowns and letting us all out in time for people to have their cherry blossom parties (POD is from 2012, I stayed home this year) and drive case numbers up, it looked like the government here was going to announce another state of emergency.  But....the Olympics or something. What has actually happened is that they have announced a very unclear partial state of emergency, which no one seems to understand. Luckily fishing is still allowed during an SOE here, but the new partial measures might cause some difficulty. There's potentially something about not crossing prefectural lines, which will mean that living in corner between 3  I could be a bit stuck-or maybe have greater flexibi

  This style of buzzer is an essential in all stillwater fly boxes. They sink slowly and whether straight lined or fished on the washing line offer an excellent profile for fish feeding on emerging midge pupa in the top foot or so of the water column. Materials list Hook: Kamasan B170 size 10-14 Thread: Uni 8/0, Black Breathers: Globrite no. 16 Rib: Clear buzzer wrap Abdomen: Dyed black pheasant tail Collar: Fl. orange marabou Thorax: 50:50 mix of dark sooty olive seal fur and black peacock spectra flash Book of the Month 8: Strip-Set is available here Amazon.com https://amzn.to/3kizn9F Amazon.co.uk https://amzn.to/3wvglSo Using the link will help support my channel at no extra cost to you. To support the channel, get access to the monthly tying classes and enter the giveaways head to https://www.patreon.com/flickingfeathers and sign up.

  Oliver Edwards' Mohican May is a great choice for imitating duns of the larger mayfly species like green drakes down to perhaps March browns or LDOs. It floats well, offers a great footprint and certainly fools picky trout. I find it to be a better performer on rivers than stillwaters, but others do have good success on stillwaters with it. Materials list Hook: Kamasan B160 size 8-12 or B170 size 10-14 Thread: Yellow, Olive or primrose Uni 8/0 Tail: Moose body hair Body: 2mm foam in a suitable colour Wing: Deer hair Hackle: 2 suitably coloured cock hackle- grizzle, yellow, olive etc. Thorax:Dark dubbing Book of the Month 8: Strip-Set is available here Amazon.com https://amzn.to/3kizn9F Amazon.co.uk https://amzn.to/3wvglSo Using the link will help support my channel at no extra cost to you. To support the channel, get access to the monthly tying classes and enter the giveaways head to https://www.patreon.com/flickingfeathers and sign up.

The Yellow Owl is a great pattern for imitating cream midges & this shuttlecock version is perfect for targeting fish feeding on the emerging buzzers. Materials list Hook: Kamasan B170 size 8 to 16. Smaller flies will need a different model Thread: Light cahill Uni 8/0 Rib: XS black wire Wing: Natural CDC Thorax: Hare's ear dubbing with a small amount of clear antron dubbing blended in Book of the Month 8: Strip-Set is available here Amazon.com https://amzn.to/3kizn9F Amazon.co.uk https://amzn.to/3wvglSo Using the link will help support my channel at no extra cost to you. To support the channel, get access to the monthly tying classes and enter the giveaways head to https://www.patreon.com/flickingfeathers and sign up.

  This easy to tie indicator is, to my mind, the best competition legal bung you can tie. It floats well, is highly visible and doesn't twist. Because of its shape and the contrasting thread head, this is ideal for picking up fish that take your flies on the drop. It is also ideal for waking in the surface to attract fish to the team of flies which often elicits a take when the retrieve is stopped. Materials list Hook: Kamasan B170 size 10 Thread: 6/0 or 140 denier in a contrasting colour to the foam Body: Closed cell foam block Book of the Month 8: Strip-Set is available here Amazon.com https://amzn.to/3kizn9F Amazon.co.uk https://amzn.to/3wvglSo Using the link will help support my channel at no extra cost to you. To support the channel, get access to the monthly tying classes and enter the giveaways head to https://www.patreon.com/flickingfeathers and sign up.

  Simple, scruffy and unassuming, these little sedge patterns are fantastic fish catchers when there are sedge hatching. Fish them near the surface, maybe in conjunction with a muddler on point or bob. Expect savage takes as the trout chase this for an escaping caddis pupa. Materials list Hook: Kamasan B175 or 170 size 12 Thread: Uni 8/0 in a brownish shade Rib: Gold wire Body: Seal fur or sub mixed to a tobacco brown Body hackle: Red game, ginger or rusty dun hen Wing: Bunched teal flank Head hackle: Brown partridge Book of the Month 8: Strip-Set is available here Amazon.com https://amzn.to/3kizn9F Amazon.co.uk https://amzn.to/3wvglSo Using the link will help support my channel at no extra cost to you. To support the channel, get access to the monthly tying classes and enter the giveaways head to https://www.patreon.com/flickingfeathers and sign up.

The Mr. Softy is a buoyant booby alternative fly that's been around for decades - at least since the 1980s. It's absolutely deadly on large and small stillwaters all year round, but it really comes into its own in winter. Materials list Hook: Kamasan B175 size 6-10 Thread: Yellow chartreuse 6/0 or 140 denier Tail: Yellow marabou Flash: Pearl & sunburst razor flash or similar Back: 7mm yellow foam cylinder split lengthways Body: 11mm fluo. yellow fritz Book of the Month 8: Strip-Set is available here Amazon.com https://amzn.to/3kizn9F Amazon.co.uk https://amzn.to/3wvglSo Using the link will help support my channel at no extra cost to you. To support the channel, get access to the monthly tying classes and enter the giveaways head to https://www.patreon.com/flickingfeathers and sign up.  

  I believe this lure is a Micky Bewick pattern, originally used on concrete bowl type reservoirs which gave the fly its name. It's a pretty straightforward tie, needing only a few materials, but often proves more effective than fancier patterns. Materials list Hook: Kamasan B175 size 8 or 10 Thread: Black Uni 8/0 Tail: Black marabou Rib: Silver wire Body: Cat green chenille Hackle: Black cock or hen Book of the Month 8: Strip-Set is available here Amazon.com https://amzn.to/3kizn9F Amazon.co.uk https://amzn.to/3wvglSo Using the link will help support my channel at no extra cost to you. To support the channel, get access to the monthly tying classes and enter the giveaways head to https://www.patreon.com/flickingfeathers and sign up.

  George Daniel' Strip-Set is probably the most comprehensive text on modern streamer fishing available. It covers gear, flies and techniques and is a good read to boot. Anyone who fishes streamers, whether for trout or other predatory species will benefit from reading this book. Strip-Set is available here Amazon.com https://amzn.to/3kizn9F Amazon.co.uk https://amzn.to/3wvglSo Using the link will help support my channel at no extra cost to you. Book of the month 7: The practical angler is available here: https://amzn.to/3kLyBSW Amazon UK https://amzn.to/3EZxneY Amazon.com To support the channel, get access to the monthly tying classes and enter the giveaways head to https://www.patreon.com/flickingfeathers and sign up.

The Jaffa is a great mini lure and adding booby eyes only makes it better. Although some people don't like the booby, it's a fantastic, versatile fly that works for all kinds of still water trout. Materials list Hook: Kamasan B175 size 10 Thread: Fl. orange veevus 6/0 Tail: Fl. orange marabou Rib: Mirage tinsel Body: 50/50 mix of UV hot orange & Fl. shell pink ice dub Wing: Fl. orange marabou Flash: Pearl polar flash Eyes: 7mm plastazote foam cylinder   To support the channel, get access to the monthly online tying sessions and enter the giveaways, head to https://www.patreon.com/flickingfeathers sign up or donate through https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/flickingfeathers Book of the Month 7; The practical angler is available here: https://amzn.to/3kLyBSW Amazon UK https://amzn.to/3EZxneY Amazon.com Bookmarking or using my link will help support my channel.

  The winner of October's fly selection is John Barret To support the channel, join the monthly tying classes and enter the giveaways, head to https://www.patreon.com/flickingfeathers or https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/flickingfeathers and sign up BOTM 7 The practical angler is available here: https://amzn.to/3kLyBSW Amazon UK https://amzn.to/3EZxneY Amazon.com

  Here I go over how I make booby eyes to consistently get perfect round eyes. It's a very easy process if a bit boring, it's probably best to set aside an hour or two, stick something on the TV and make a large batch that will last you the season. Once you've shaped the foam, bake for 2 mins at 170 Celcius /340 Farenheit. When you put them in the oven, don't mix the colours on the tray as they can mark each other. To support the channel, get access to the monthly online tying sessions and enter the giveaways, head to https://www.patreon.com/flickingfeathers sign up or donate through https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/flickingfeathers Book of the Month 7; The practical angler is available here: https://amzn.to/3kLyBSW Amazon UK https://amzn.to/3EZxneY Amazon.com Bookmarking or using my link will help support my channel.

 Another old one from www.sexyloops.com   The spring fishing has been good to me so far this year, unseasonably warm days from January onward meant some nice carp were caught, along with some big prespawn smallmouth before the maruta arrived which meant good fishing for them as well as the carp and barbel that were following them in the hope of getting some eggs to feed on. Now though, I'm coming to a bit of a quiet spell in my fishing. Spawning almost complete, the maruta are trickling out of the rivers round here. The carp and barbel are starting their spawning, or getting ready to, and the smallmouth won't be far behind. An unexpected cold front at the start of the week means I might manage one more smallie trip this week before they start getting busy. I don't mind it so much, it gives a bit of time for reflection, cleaning gear, swapping lines, tying flies and all the other little things that need looking at. It's actually been pretty interesting for me to look bac