AAPGAI Provisional Fly Dressing

The following images and fly tying sequences for the Greenwells Glory, the Munro's Killer and the Pheasant Tail Nymph have been provided by Paul Little to assist those candidates interested in obtaining the AAPGAI Provisional Fly Dressing Qualification.

(Images & Text Copyright Paul Little)

GREENWELLS GLORY

1. Commence the tying thread (Pearsall’s shade 4) a short distance behind the eye and form a bed of thread to receive the wing slips. DO NOT use waxed thread at this point; it will destroy the wing slips during the mounting process.

2. Select two feathers slips from a matching pair of Teal primary wing quills, such that the width is approximately two thirds the gape and the length is just longer than the length of the hook. Place the slips convex side to convex side such that the tips are in line. It is important to use matching feathers and take the slips from the same point on the wing quill. Place the wing slips over the eye, with the tips of the slips pointing downwards. Secure with a pinch and loop, placing a wrap of thread around the hook and slips and pulling upwards. This will apply an even tension to the slips. Do not raise the slips to the vertical at this point.

3. Wax the thread, cut off the waste ends and take the tying silk to the rear of the hook to a position between the point and barb of the hook.

4. Attach a piece of gold wire and bind the loose end down all the way to the point at which the hackle will commence. Remove any of the waste end of the rib remaining.

5. Wind the gold rib in open turns; remember to keep the hand winding the tinsel moving at the same angle as the ribs, do not wind at right angles to the shank after the part of the rib is created on the near side of the hook.

6. Select a Greenwells hackle (a whiting saddle has been used in this instance), strip off the waste fibres and attach to the underside of the hook, with the good side of the feather facing forwards The length should be just longer than the gape of the hook. Move the silk to the eye, raising the wing slips to the vertical with a couple of turns of thread on the way. Don’t worry if they are not at right angles to the shank, this can be achieved using the first turn of hackle in front of the wings.

7. Wind the hackle towards the wing and then to the eye in touching turns an secure the end of the hackle.

8. Remove the waste ends and form a small neat head.

9. The head on view of the fly should look as in the photograph, even hackle and the wings split. The wings will split naturally, do not take turns of thread between the wings to separate them, it will destroy the set.

MUNRO'S KILLER

1. Start the tying thread a short distance behind the eye.

2. Take touching turns of thread to a point just in front of the point.

3. Attach a piece of fine gold tinsel on the back side of the shank leaving enough waste end to secure it along the hook shank to the eye.

4. Take the thread towards the eye enough to make four or five turns of tinsel forming the tag (the bobbin holder has been moved forward while the tag has been formed). Suspend the tinsel by hackle pliers; this will also be used to form the rib.

5. Select a topping with a length just enough to pass the bend of the hook, secure with waxed thread immediately behind the tag.

6. Bind down the waste ends of both the tinsel and tail, keeping the tinsel along the reverse side of the shank and the topping on top of the shank.

7. Select a fine piece of rayon floss, secure underneath the hook shank.

8. Wind the flattened floss to the tag in slightly overlapping turns. If done in touching turns, small troughs may be left in the body. Return the floss to the initial tie in point and secure.

9. Wind the rib in open turns (5 turns will suffice) and secure under the hook shank. If the tinsel is secured atop of the shank, the wing will be pushed upwards when added.

10. Add a small bunch of orange hen hackle (hen saddle has been used here) approximately two thirds the length of the body. Use well waxed thread.

11. Follow this by a small bunch of Jay with fibre length the same as the orange hackle fibres.

12. Remove the waste ends and cover the butts with flattened thread. Take the thread back to the point at which the throat was initially secured.

13. Select a bunch of dyed yellow Squirrel fibres and stack in a hair stacker after first removing any under fur from the base of the fibres with a small brush. Well wax the thread and secure the stacked hair with the tips extending to a point just short of the tail (this is a personal preference).

14. Remove the waste ends of the hair, cutting them on a slight slant. At this point a small drop of thin varnish may be applied to the butt ends for added security.

15. Cover the butt ends with flattened thread giving a neat tapered head. The wax on the head of the fly can be rubbed into the head.

16. Apply two coats of varnish finishing the head (Hard as Nails is preferable). Do not use coloured varnish, one touch on the hackle will soak in and ruin the fly. Always use coloured thread to achieve the desired head colour.

PHEASANT TAIL NYMPH

1. Commence the tying thread a short distance behind the eye.

2. Secure a piece of fine copper wire on the reverse side of the hook. Take touching turns of thread to a point just in front of the point just short of where you wish to attach the tail.

3. Select approximately six or seven cock pheasant tail fibres, align the tips and secure with two turns of flattened thread towards the bend of the hook. Leave enough waste ends to allow these to be tied down along the hook shank for a smooth body. The tying silk should now be approximately half way between the hook point and the barb. Another good reference point could be just where the bend of the hook begins.

4. Select four or five long cock pheasant tail fibres, align the tips and then cut them straight. This will mean that when they are offer up to the hook, all tips will be caught in, if left uncut this may not happen. Attach by the tips underneath the hook shank with well waxed thread with touching turns towards the eye. Continue to bind down the waste ends of the tails, keeping them on top of the hook shank.

5. At this point, the flattened thread can be used to form a tapered under body by taking flattened thread wraps down towards the bend and return.

6. Form the body by winding the herls side by side.

7. Wind the rib in open turns, in the same direction as the herls, but at a different angle. Some dressers prefer to wind these in the opposite direction; in that case the copper rib should be secured underneath the hook shank, not on the back side.

8. Remove the waste ends of the tail and add a bunch of fibres ready to form the thorax cover. Using waxed thread, they are secured leaning over the body. Cover the waste ends ready to form the thorax.

9. Using unwaxed thread, form a dubbing rope and either take a double or single layer of dubbing. If a double layer is required, position the thread at the eye end of the thorax. Remember, little and often is the formula for dubbing.

10. Complete the thorax, making sure that non of the dubbing covers the eye. Remember, do not go too close to the eye with the dubbing, leave enough space to form the head.

11. Well wax the thread again and pull the thorax cover over the top of the thorax and secure. Try not to overlap the fibres of the cover.

12. Trim off the butt ends (rather than a single cut, remove a little at a time, this will give a better shape to the head) and form a nice neat head and varnish if necessary. If well waxed thread is used, varnish may not be required as is the case in this photograph.

13. The dubbing thorax may be picked out forming the “legs” of the nymph.