Flicking feathers

  This Dark Olive is a version of the Cathal Rush Pattern listed in Peter O'Reilly's Flies of Ireland. It's a good early season fly, especially when the large olives are hatching. The Red game hackle blends fantastically with the dark olive dubbing to give a great illusion of life. Just enough light transmission for a 'glow' around the edge of the strong silhouette when viewed from below. Fish it on the top dropper. Peter's book is available here https://amzn.to/3nB9UbT (amazon.co.uk) https://amzn.to/3gWZm5s (amazon.com) Material list Hook: Kamasan B175 size 8-14 Thread: Brown or olive Uni 8/0 Tag: Mirage tinsel Tail: GP tippet dyed hot orange& Globrite no. 7 Rib: Copper wire Body: Dark or sooty olive seal fur Body hackle: Red game cock Wing: Bronze mallard Head hackle: Red game hen To support the channel, get access to the monthly tying sessions, members only content and enter giveaways head to https://www.patreon.com/flickingfeathers and sign up o

  The Goslings are fantastic wet mayflies, they've been around for a while and have spawned loads of variants. This yellow version is one of the earlier patterns that continues to be used to great effect to this day. Peter O'Reilly's book, The Flies of Ireland is available here https://amzn.to/3nB9UbT (amazon.co.uk) https://amzn.to/3gWZm5s (amazon.com) Materials list Hook: Kamasan B175 size 8-10 Thread: Brown Tail: Bronze mallard Rib: Oval gold Body: Golden olive seal fur Shoulder hackle: Hot orange henny cock Head hackle: Mallard dyed flou yellow To support the channel, get access to the online tying sessions and be entered into the giveaways, head to https://www.patreon.com/flickingfeathers or paypal.me/flickingfeathers and sign up

  The Cock Robin is an old wetfly that fishes well on the point or middle dropper. It can be particularly effective early in the season when olives are hatching or, when tied larger, at mayfly time. Peter O'Reilly's book, The Flies of Ireland is available here https://amzn.to/3nB9UbT (amazon.co.uk) https://amzn.to/3gWZm5s (amazon.com) 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. Materials list Hook: Kamasan B175 size 8-14 Thread: Black Uni 8/0 Tail: Bronze mallard Rib: Fine oval gold Body: Golden olive seal fur followed by red seal fur Wing: Bronze mallard Hackle: Red game hen To support the channel, get access to the online tying sessions and be entered into the giveaways, head to https://www.patreon.com/flickingfeathers or paypal.me/flickingfeathers and sign up

  There are any number of Loch Ordie variants and this lime tailed version is a firm favourite of mine. Popular in the highlands and islands of Scotland for wild browns and also effective all over the British Isles and further afield. If you fish still water for browns you really should put some of these in your box. 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. Materials list Hook: Kamasan B175 size 8-12 Thread: Fire orange Uni 8/0 Tag: Chartreuse holographic Tail: 50/50 mix of Globrite 11 & 12 Body: Ginger hen hackles with a white hen hackle in front To support the channel, get access to the zoom tying sessions and enter the giveaways head to https://www.patreon.com/flickingfeathers or paypal.me/flickingfeathers

  In his book "Flies of Ireland", Peter O'Reilly attributes this fly to Cyril Conlon. It's a fantastic choice for the duckfly hatch but don't think you can't use it further afield it's great for dark buzzers more generally. I find fishing 2 of them on the droppers with a hedgehog or mini-muddler on the point to keep the team high in the water column to be deadly when the fish are looking up. 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. To support the channel, get access to the zoom tying sessions and enter the giveaways head to https://www.patreon.com/flickingfeathers or paypal.me/flickingfeathers Materials list Hook: Kamasan B160 size 10-14 Thread: Black Uni 8/0 Tag: Flat silver tinsel* Rib: Silver wire Wings: White hackle tip Thorax: Red or Orange seal fur Hackle: Sparse black hen *Fly can be tied wi

The liquorice allsort is essentially a claret bumble muddler variant that originated in Scotland's central belt and has become popular among loch fishers as far afield as the Shetland islands.    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. Materials list Hook: Kamasan B175 or 170 size 8-12 Thread: Black Uni 8/0   Tag (optional): Flat silver, gold or red holographic Tail: Glo brite no.10 Rib: Silver, gold or red wire Body: Claret seal fur Hackles: Black & Claret cock hackle Head: Blue Deer hair To support the channel, get access to the zoom tying sessions and enter the giveaways head to   https://www.patreon.com/flickingfeathers   or  paypal.me/flickingfeathers  

 Another old one I wrote for www.sexyloops.com  Although smallmouth bass are generally thought of as a warm water species, February and March offer some of the best fishing here and it's certainly not warm. I usually switch between big streamers of 12-15cm and small crayfish depending on the water I'm fishing-a few of the rivers are just big long riffles that flow too quickly for presenting a crayfish imitation slowly on the bottom. Received wisdom is that the bass key on crayfish and don't chase bait till the water warms up a bit, but actually this is very river dependent in my experience and some of my biggest smallmouth have come on big baitfish patterns in the early part of February. It pays not to be too fixed on what's "right" sometimes! That said, on the rivers here that have more sedate flows I will always have crayfish flies ready, especially early in the year. Bass like them, and numbers of fish always seem higher. There is something of a numbers vs