Flicking feathers

  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 flexi...

  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 ...

  Arthur MacDonald's Slapper style offers a wonderful, slim profile that is ideal for suggesting a range of trout foods from midges to upwings or drowned terrestrials. Materials list Hook: Kamasan B175 size 10-14 Thread: Black Uni 8/0 Tail: Teal dyed chartreuse Rib: Silver wire Abdomen: Tying thread Thorax: UV black ice dub Underwing: Teal dyed chartreuse Overwing: Deer belly hair dyed chartreuse Cheeks: Jungle cock splits Head hackle: Black 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 or head to https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/flickingfeathers and donate 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.

  Mayfly time is the best time of year in many fisheries, the yellow Wulff is a fly you shouldn't be without when they are around. This variant will serve you well on rivers and still waters alike, especially when the ephemera vulgata mayfly are are hatching. Material list Hook: Kamasan B170 size 10 or 12 Thread: Light olive Uni 8/0 Wing: Grey squirrel tail dyed yellow Tail: Grey squirrel tail dyed yellow Body: Yellow seal fur Hackle: Grizzly dyed WOIGO 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 or head to https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/flickingfeathers and donate 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.

  A few people have asked me about dyeing materials after I have mentioned it in my videos, so I thought I'd make a short video describing the process. It's pretty simple and it won't take you long to get to grips with it. I'd encourage you to give it a try because it opens up all kinds of material options that you just can't get from a shop You'll need: An old pot Something to stir/pick up material Rubber gloves A basin A colander for draining and drying loose feathers/dubbing An old towel Acid dyes- I use Veniard usually but Jaquard are also good White vinegar or acetic acid For more detail you might want to look at AK Best's book " Bleaching & Dyeing Natural Fly Tying Materials". If you decide to get it, please consider using one of my links. Amazon UK https://amzn.to/33IyyhA Amazon.com https://amzn.to/2RMYZ2V To support the channel, get access to the monthly tying sessions, members only content and enter giveaways head to https://www...

  Hedgehogs are great little flies. They're super versatile working as wets, dries or nymphs. This version is probably more of a pulling pattern that will fish best as a wet fly, perhaps on the point, washing line style to hold up a couple of smaller patterns on the droppers. Materials list Hook: Kamasan B170 or 175 size 10-14 Thread: Fire orange Uni 8/0 Tag: Tying thread Tail: Gold & pearl razor flash Wings: Roe deer dyed West of Ireland golden olive (WOIGO) Body: WOIGO seal fur 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 or head to https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/flickingfeathers and donate 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 claret dabbler is a modern classic. It's amazing in a big wave on overcast days, either on the point or top dropper. This variant is no exception. Materials list Hook: Kamasan B175 size 10 Thread: Black Uni 8/0 Tag: Red holographic Tail: Bronze mallard Rib: Red wire Body: Claret seal fur Body hackle: Claret cock Shoulder hackle: Dark claret hen Cloak: Bronze mallard Wing: Bronze mallard Cheeks: Jungle cock   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 or head to https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/flickingfeathers and donate 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.