Tying a Loch Ordie Variant

I've been focused recently on Loch Ordies and all their variations. Hope you enjoy this video which I made for my mate Tam aka The Clarkston Tangler!

Loch Ordie

The original Loch Ordie fly pattern was designed as a dapping fly. However over the years there have been many variations. Mostly used as a top dropper pattern preferably in a good wave!
The pattern seems to have been very popular in Orkney and one of the first known variations was a pattern tied by a Mr W S Sinclair of Orkney at the request by someone of his acquaintance. It was tied with black hen hackle at the back a gingerish hen hackle in the middle with a white hackle at the head
 Fished wet it proved to be a very successful variation. My friends and I have fished this variation on various  Scottish Highland Lochs and can vouch for its success. It's a big favourite of ours.
The number of variations of this fly pattern are so numerous you could fill a box with them!
Pictured here are a  couple of variations which I tied at the vice after they were recently brought to my attention. I reckon they are well worthy of my attention and look as if they might be even be a better option than the pattern used by my friends and I.
Tied on a size ten hook I tied these with feathers from hen capes and on the Leggy Half Ordie I incorporated black knotted pheasant tail legs.
When we get out the other side of this pandemic crisis I will look forward to putting these variations to the test!

Lockdown Flytying Continues

With no end in sight so far to the CV19 crisis my Lockdown flytying continues. As well as the flees pictured here I've also been tying up Daiwl Bachs, PTN, suspender buzzers and spiders. Patterns that I've neglected for a while. I'm also just about to tie some boobies too. I'm gonna make sure I get out as often as possible when this lockdown ends and experiment with patterns that I dont normally use!

The Leven Spider

At the vice this afternoon tying a simple fly pattern with a great reputation!

If you liked the video give it a thumbs up and if you would like me to attempt some more hit the subscribe button and I'll upload more soon!

Loch Style Wet Flyting Video

It's been a while since I attempted to make a flytying video . My efforts in the past have been quite poor. This one recorded from my phone is a bit better however the fly is not properly in focus but I do hope you get the gist of it. I have included a pic of the finished fly to let you see it properly! 

#Lockdownflytying

Did you #Lockdownflytying is trending on Twitter? And no wonder as all the frustrated fly fishers and flytyers continue to find ways of getting through the day! There is only so much Paul Young fishing videos you watch before it frustrates you!
It feels like I might not get up up north  and get to drift or cast on a Highland loch!
So I've been as  busy as I have ever been at the vice!
So I'm well into the #Lockdownflytying scene. I've been tying a few patterns that the inside of my fly box have never seen! Sparklers! They are good fun to tie! Pictured here are a couple of Dunkeld Sparklers and once again a Kingfisher pattern tied on more conventional hooks! The wing material I have has been in my box for years and up until now I've never used it. I dont think it's the best material and it  may have deteriorated with all the years of neglect. I've got some new flash on order so I look forward to it arriving and more #Lockdownflytying Check out my latest tweets here @HillendDabbler

A couple of cdc Sedges!

From the Good Book! Job 41:1 King James Version . 41:1 Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook?
Well I hope to with these flees just off the vice! A couple of cdc sedges! Not sure if I'll get to use them though when the Big Sedge makes its annual appearance in June @ Hillend Loch!
I've tied several similar patterns to these over the years and have always did well.
These two are in a size 12
June is probably my favourite month for fishing Hillend I can only hope that  we are through the peak of this crisis by then!

Kingfisher Sparklers!

Perhaps these are a bit unconventional for fooling broon trout! But I'm gonna experiment with these Kingfisher Sparklers, when we get out the other side of this nightmare! I only tied them on doubles because I've ran out out of suitable hooks!
I reckon everybody has been panic buying flytying hooks because everywhere I looked today online all the popular sizes and makes were all out out of stock!
However I managed in the end to find one box on Kamasan B175s. Those must have been the last ones as I couldn't purchase a second box!
They should arrive by Wednesday. If this crisis continues these hooks wont last long and ill be all over the flytying sites looking for more!

Dunkeld Sparkler

I must say I'm not a purist in any shape or form.

However when I fish for brown trout, my flies of choice are always trad wets! However my head may have been turned recently.

During this lockdown I've been spending more time than I should do on flytying sites and youtube which has made me have a rethink with regards to my approach to flyfishing for brown trout!

These last few days I've read and watched videos of modern day fly patterns which have made me think I should really have a go at tying and fishing these patterns.

Therefore today I tied a couple of Dunkeld Sparklers. 

This one Ive uploaded is the neatest I tied. I'm gonna try them in smaller sizes too. I really like the look of this and see no reason why a wild brown trout would refuse such a pattern.

I'm sure that if our flytying and flyfishing predecessors had the modern materials at their disposal such as we do today then they wouldn't hesitate to use them!
I cant wait to get to the othe side of this current crisis and give a few of these modern trout patterns a go among some of the classic brown trout waters

Lockdown & Priorities

Now that the country is in complete Lockdown due to these unprecedented times I though this would be as good a time as any to resume my blog which I have neglected the last couple of years!
There are a few reasons I've deserted my blog these last couple of years. The main reason being that I haven't been fishing much at all and up until now the flytying gear has been in storage too.
To be quite blunt my interest in Fly fishing was beginning to disappear and that troubles me. Why could something that I was so passionate about be the last thing I would want to do? I suppose other stuff and life in general has taken more importance!
I recently was diagnosed with shingles, a couple of weeks before this current lockdown came into force. Therefore I've been stuck in the house for the best part of  month and it's at times like this that it makes you think and wonder about what's important I life. My family comes first and it's been rather concerning of late as my wife has been working through this crisis as she is at the sharp end working in a pharamacy. My son has recently been made redundant and has a health issue that concerns my wife and I.
However life must go on! Being grounded this last wee while has made me realize that we should make the most of every opportunity we get to do the things that we really enjoy and learn to never ever take anything for granted.
Therefore my thoughts have once again been turning to Fly fishing and flytying!
I've been digging out old photos and videos of past fishing trips etc and organizing my fishing gear etc and planning days away to well loved Lochs when this Covid19 crisis is over!
I've also been reading through my flytying books which has inspired me to get the vice out and start tying again!
Pictured here are variatons of  the Kate McLaren pattern I saw described in George Barron's excellent book! At the end of the line!
We've just got to hope that this crisis will be over sooner rather than later and I for one am looking forward to getting out on the otherside! Here's to more Fly fishing, flytying and blogging!