British Ties

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British Ties
by Robert Morger

Limey in H2O.JPG (35190 bytes)

This collection of flies was sent to me by Keith Passant of Swindon
England. I was really taken by the simple elegance of these flies.
Although Keith ties these flies for Trout and other coldwater species, I believe they will serve me as well as you in persuit of coldwater,
warmwater and saltwater species.

Keith Passant caught working a stream.

Fly #1

This is a Viva variant
Click on the picture for a larger view

Viva Variant
Originator Victor Furse

Hook: Long shank 6-10
Thread: Black
Tail: Green Fluo Wool
Rib: Silver Tinsel
Body: Black Chenille
Wing: Black Marabou.

Tie in the tail / tag which ever you want call it. Tie in the rib and the chenille. Wind the body forward and tie off. Wind the rib, and tie off. Tie in the wing to reach the tip of the tail. Tie off form a head and varnish.

Keith's Comments

This fly was named after a car called the Vauxhall Viva. As I said it has been chopped and changed but still catches fish in its original form which is used by competition anglers still. I have this pattern tied with cock hackle wings, marabou wings, as above but with Jungle Cock eyes, holographic silver ribs, black hair wings but the constant is always the fluo green wool tag. This fly was originally tied with a black hackle for the wing. Prior to that it was a black goat hair and marabou wing. The modern trend for bastardising perfectly good patterns is well advanced with this fly. It appears that as long as the fly has a black body, silver rib, green tail and black wing of whatever material its a Viva.

Fly #2

Cats Whiskers

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Originator David Train

Hook: L/S 6 to 14 lure hook
Thread: White 6.0
Tail: White Marabou
Body: Chartreuse Chenille
Wing: White Marabou
Eyes: Bead Chain to suit hook

Tie in the bead eyes and add a spot of superglue. Waterproof Zap a Gap is good. Tie in the tail. Make sure the excess fibre reaches the eyes and tie down firmly. Return to bend and tie in the chenille. Tying the feather in all the way along the shank avoids a bump when you wind the body. Wind body and tie off behind the eyes. Tie in the wing and match the length to the tip of the tail. Tie off, form a head and varnish.

Keith’s comments

I have had success with this fly just about everywhere. A head of fluo red thread varnished works well as does the same fly tied on wee doubles in 12's and 14's.The fly got its name from the fact that when David tied the original he kept getting the tail wrap around the hook bend. The only thing he could find to avoid this was his pet cats whiskers!! Hence the name.

Flies #3 & #4

Red-eye and Blue-eyed Damsel Nymph

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Hook: Long shank 12 Nymph lure hook
Thread: Olive 6/0
Tail: Olive Marabou
Rib: Nylon monofilament
Body: Marabou
Thorax Cover: Olive Pheasant tail
Eyes: Blue Beads on mono
Under thorax: Lead wire
Thorax: Olive hares fur
Wings: Dyed Olive Mallard Flank

Instructions

Tie in the Eyes. They are formed by Melting the end of a piece of 15lb mono and threading on 2 blue beads then melting the other end. I use a butane cigarette lighter. Take the thread to the bend of the hook and tie in the tail and ribbing. Don't trim the waste tail fibres but twist them and wind tightly forward to 2/3rds the length of shank. Wind the rib. Tie in the wings. Tie in the thorax cover. Wrap 3 or 4 turns of lead wire and varnish or coat with superglue. Allow to dry then dub on the fur and wind on. Bring the thorax cover over and between the eyes, tie off and varnish. I used red varnish to tell me these were leaded.

Red-eye Damsel Nymph

Hook: 12 L/S
Thread: Black
Tail: Olive Marabou
Rib: Oval Silver
Body: Olive & brown hare mask
Legs: Red Game Cock hackle (Brown to you guys)
Thorax Cover: Olive Pheasant Tail
Thorax: Olive Hare fur
Eyes: Red Beads as per the blue

Tie in the eyes making them as per the above pattern. Take thread to bend of hook and tie in the tail. Tie it down all along shank and return thread to tail. Dub on the mix of fur 80/20 olive to brown. Wind forward to the thorax position. Tie in the thorax cover, red game hackle by the tip and then dub on the fur. Wind the fur 2/3 turns and then wind the hackle forward to just behind the eyes. Tie off and trim hackle, bring forward the thorax cover and tie off between the eyes. Finish the head and varnish.

Both these flies I use early season for the stocked rainbows here in the UK. I use them as a single fly normally but will put the Blue eyed damsel on the point and use a PTN on the dropper in a team. I do not use anything less than 6lb nylon when fishing these flies as takes tend to be "vigorous".

Fly #5

Gold Head Cats Fritz

Click on the picture for a larger view

Hook: 12 L/S
Thread: Black
Bead: 4mm gold bead
Tail: White Marabou
Rib: Silver Tinsel
Body: White Marabou
Collar: Chartreuse Fritz (Esatz)

Fly # 6

Gold Head Cats Fritz

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Hook: 12 L/S
Thread: Black
Bead: 4mm gold bead
Tail: White Marabou
Rib: Silver Tinsel
Body: White Marabou
Collar: Chartreuse Fritz (Esatz)

Instructions

Thread a 4mm gold bead on to the hook. Lay a bed of thread and slide the bead on to it so that it is tight. A dab of superglue will hold it firm. Take the thread back to the bend and tie in the tail but again don't trim the waste. Tie in the rib. Twist and wind the remaining marabou forward. Tie off and then wind the rib. Tie off and then tie in the fritz. Wind 2 turns of the fritz tie off and whip finish.

The Orange fritz is the same method but sub the materials colour for colour

These are fished single again on a 12 to 15 foot leader and the retrieve I use is usually a short slow figure 8 retrieve. Fish will pick the fly up and just swim away and all that is needed is to lift into the fish as opposed to striking vigorously.

None of the patterns are my making. I have just copied them. The Fritz cat is a variation of the Cats Whisker. As I said previously the bastardisation of tried and tested patterns continues unabated. Materials change but colours remain true to type.

These flies brought about a conversation on the ONTHEFLY list and eventually brought on the Simple but Fishy Swap. It seems that many of the flies we use have these same qualities, a simple and elegant design that is easy to tie and catches fish. If you would like to see some of these simple but effective patterns check back as the patterns come in for the Simple But Fishy Swap.

So tie up a bunch of these simple effective patterns you know we will.

Click on the picture for a larger view

Author's Bead Head Wooly Bugger with flash for bass, another easy fly to tie. Same fly minus the flash material. These flies are tied on size 1 Eagle Claw Lazer Sharp worm hooks and are used on a sinking tip line for bass suspending along weedbeds and drops.

Robert