The Ingredients!

Ive stated many times that I find great inspiration from old flytying books, magazines and articles as I often find old, odd or forgotten fly patterns among their pages.

Recently I was having a rummage through my boxes of old T&S and FF&FT magazines in my loft when I discovered a pile of FF&FT suppliments which I had long forgot and had tucked away in a document box.

I really enjoyed reading through them especially the Scottish suppliments as they carried some fantastic articles about lochs and areas that at the time I had never been to, but have since over the years now experienced. So as you can imagine they were an interesting  read.

While having a read through one of the Irish suppliments dated 2002, I came across an interesting article about fly patterns for the Waterville area of Ireland.

One pattern that caught my attention in this write-up was a pattern that is ridiculously named "The Ingredients." 

As you can see from the photo of one of the few I tied this afternoon it certainly appears to have all the right ingredients to fool troot.

The dressing for it is as follows.

Kamasan B160 size 10 hook.

Black Uni 8/0

A mix of red tinsel/flash tail.

Body of 1/2 red and Black seals fur.

Black hen hackle 

Folded Church window feather.

(This one is not very well marked)

Flat silver rib.

One point of note regards the pattern is that I think this fly's creator could have been a bit more imaginative in naming the fly.

Regardless of its name I look forward to giving this pattern a go next year especially on the Highland lochs and lochans as well as Hillend too.

The Flytying Season

Well the 6th of October has come and gone and that's the Brown Trout fishing season over for another year.
I have to say 22 has been a rather disapointing season for me, mainly because I didn't do much serious fishing and when I did manage to leave North Lanarkshire in pursuit of Salmo Trutta my landing net didnt smell of fish very often.
However as another fishing season ends I take great solace in another flytying season beginning.
I have to confess that I do enjoy flytying every bit as much as flyfishing, Is that wrong?
The pleasure of tying good looking successful fly patterns to me is just as enjoyable as fooling any brown trout.
Flytying in the UK and Ireland has a rich history and is something that inspires and excites me.
There are many volumes of literature on the subject and I have to admit that I have a fair old collection of flyfishing and flytying books in my bookcase.
I especially have a keen interest in regional flytying.
My interest in regional flytying involves studying the history and  tying of trout flies.
However, recently I have taken an interest in tying salmon and seatrout flies and have got really interested in the rich history of Spey Flies.
It truly is a fascinating subject.
As the cold dark winter nights approach us with alarming speed I look forward to spending many hours at the vice in the warmth of my tying room filling my boxes with the usual favourites. However I have an open mind with regards to flytying and I'm always on the lookout for something new and  unique to fire my imagination.
To kick start  the 22/23 flytying season heres a few flies I've tied recently in a Salmon and Seatrout style which I do hope you find interesting.