Author Archive
Fly of the Week – Zig Bug
Zig bugs have been the downfall for many carp over the last few months, specifically designed to look like natural insects or bugs, these flies have the power to seduce carp from almost any lake. Tied to represent beetles, grasshoppers, tadpoles and more, you won’t use anything more realistic than a zig bug. The Zig Rig – which this fly is fished on – lets the angler set the depth very accurately, putting the fly exactly where they want, hopefully in front of feeding fish.
Tying a zig bug couldn’t be simpler, simply take a hook which will withstand the pressure from a large carp, here I have used a Kamasan B980 size 6 as it has a large gape and a very strong hold. Run a layer of thread down the hook to create a solid thread platform, a strong thread is recommended for pulling down onto the foam back.
Take a booby eye cylinder and cut at a 45 degree angle from the one edge, creating a tapered cut along the length of the tube. Tie the the ‘shallow’ side ensuring to securely trap the edge under the thread.
For the body I have used FlyBox.co.uk Small Crystal Hackle, remove some excess fibers to reveal a bare core and tie in at the back end of the hook. Run the thread back towards the eye of the hook and form the body. Wind the fritz along the length of the body, here I have doubles back over the fritz to give it more volume. Tie in and cut off when you’re happy with the mass.
Pull the foam back over the fly towards the eye and simply tie in where you’re happy. Cut the excess foam into a ball shape so it resembles a beetle more closely. Whip finish the thread off and the fly is now fishable.
Written by Kieron Jenkins
Tags: carp fishing, carp fly patterns, fly of the week, zig bugs | 
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Fly of the Week – Green Apps
This green apps bloodworm is a simpler version of the Red Apps Bloodworm tied last week. This fly consists of just two materials excluding the hook and takes just a couple of minutes to complete. Preferably used on small stillwaters on the dropper of a multiple fly cast, the un-weighted green apps bloodworm will fish well under the bung or as a single fly. Kieron Jenkins shows how to tie his favourite version of this deadly fly pattern – Tie them in a variety of colours and see for yourself!
Take a strong hook and attach it in the vice. Here I have used a Kamasan hook, the B170 Size 10 and Flu Green UTC Thread. You can match the colour of your thread to the flexi floss legs you’ll be adding or contrast the colours to give the fly more attraction.
Run the thread down the hook creating a nice layer of thread on the hook, stop just short of opposite the barb and take a strand of flu green flexi floss. Double the floss up and tie in the looped end, securing along the length of the body ensuring that the all the floss is tied down. Make your way back to the eye and take another strand of flexi floss, double it up and tie off in the same way.
Run the thread over the body a few times to create a neat and even body. Simply whip finish when you’re happy and superglue the body to add extra durability.
Hook: Kamasan b170 Size 10
Thread: Flu Green70 UTC
Body: Thread
Tail: Flexi Floss
Front Legs: Flexi Floss
Glue: Airflo Stik-IT super glue
See more fly tying video on Fishtec TV
Written by Kieron Jenkins
Tags: apps bloodworm, Fly of the Week - Green Apps, fly tying, green apps bloodworm, kieron jenkins, tying flies | No Comments »
Fly of the Week – Red Apps Bloodworm
Kieron Jenkins shows how to tie the deadly, but simple red apps bloodworm. Tied with just two materials excluding the hook and the thread, this pattern is one of the quickest, most effect stillwater flies to ever grace our fly boxes. The red apps was designed to imitate bloodworm balling in silt, making a very easy meal for hungry trout. Used as a nymph, under a bung or as a lure, this fly has taken many specimen trout from waters all around the UK including many stillwater records!
Start off by threading six glass beads onto a hook. Here I have used a Kamasan B170 size 10 hook as it gives enough room on the hook to comfortably position six glass beads. Attach your thread just behind the eye of the hook and tie in two strands of flexi-floss. Taper the thread and apply a dab of super glue ensuring to thread the first bead tightly to the eye. The glue will secure the thread and lock the bead in place.
Repeat the process at the back of the hook with another two strands of red flexi-floss. Apply more glue to ensure both the bead and threads security.
Tie an overhand knott in a length of flexi-floss and pass over the front of the hook positioning the knot between the middle of the 6 beads. Pull tight and glue in place, cutting the flexi-floss at your preferred length. You could even leave the middle lengths out if the fly seems too big.
One thing to note with this fly is the beads may twist around the hook, but this isn’t an issue as the two at each end should hold them in place if glued and tied in correctly. Ensure these ‘stoppers’ are secured correctly before fishing with.
Hook: Kamasan b170 Size 10
Thread: Red 70 UTC
Body/Beads: 6x Red Glass Beads
Tail: Flexi Floss
Middle legs: Flexi Floss
Front Legs: Flexi Floss
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Written by Kieron Jenkins
Tags: Fishing Flies, Fishtec, fly of the week, fly tying, red apps, red apps bloodworm, stillwater fly patterns, tying flies | 1 Comment »
Fly of the Week – Mayfly Dry Fly
Most fly anglers long for the day that the mayflies start to hatch. Some of the best fishing in the UK can be found on large, silty or sandy bottom lakes. The trout are very fond of the mayfly in its adult stage and as you can imagine it will provide a very satisfying meal. There are many versions of the mayfly you may like to use such as the humpy, wulff or realistic mayfly pattern. My favourite though is this ‘ducks dunn’ style fly, which the colour and size can be altered to represent almost any upwing fly.
Simply attach your thread to a hook of choice. Here I have used a Kamasan B170 size 10, you need something fairly strong but lightweight, as these flies are extremely large. Tie in four or five strands of pheasant tail as a tail, keeping them fairly long to add to the length of the fly. By the tips, attach another three strands of PT, this will act as a rib to give the fly a very pronounced segmented body.
Dub some light tan dubbing to the hook, tapering in a teardrop shape towards the eye of the hook leaving yourself sufficient room at the head to tie in a wing and hackle. This gives the flies body some volume. Wind the rib through the dubbing and secure off at the thorax.
Lay a bed of thread at the thorax to give a solid platform to tie in the wings. Select four full CDC feathers and marry the tips together and secure on top of the hook laying flat over the back.
Tie in a grizzle hackle at the head and fill the thorax with some hares ear dubbing, ensuring to bulk up behind the CDC feather to get it to kick up. Wind the hackle through the thorax and behind the wings. Secure in with your thread and wind through the hackle ribbing it, securing tightly in place. Whip finish off and you’re complete!
Make sure to varnish the head of the fly as this pattern will get a beating from hungry trout!
Hook: Kamasan b170 Size 10
Thread: Brown 70 UTC
Tail: Pheasant Tail
Rib: Pheasant Tail
Body: Tan Dubbing
Wings: 4x CDC Feathers
Thorax: Hares ear mix
Hackle: Grizzle Feather
See more fly tying video on Fishtec TV
Written by Kieron Jenkins
Tags: dry mayfly, ducks dunn, Fishtec, Fly of the Week - Mayfly Dry Fly, kieron jenkins, mayfly pattern | No Comments »
Fly of the Week – Mayfly Nymph
The Mayfly Nymph is the first stage of a Mayflies life cycle, preferring to live in silty or sand bottoms, this nymph becomes part of a trouts main food source over the next month or so. The mayflies usually last for just over a month with the abundance of them making an appearance in just one to two weeks. Keep your eye out and be prepared for when the fish turn onto them!
Attach a Kamasan B175 hook into the vice and lay a neat bed of thread onto the hook shank. Mayfly nymphs seem to move like it’s olive counterparts, in short fast darts, so adding six or seven turns of lead will help give the flies that movement your looking for. Run the thread over the lead securing it into place tapering at each edge.
At the tail, attach four or five strands of pheasant tail and cut the excess off. Then for the rib, simply tie in three extra pheasant tail strands by the tail to get a thin to thick tapering effect from the rib. Dub some tan coloured dubbing onto the thread and wind up over the lead stopping around 2/3 of the way along the hook shank. Rib the body with the pheasant tail and tie off. Add a thorax cover of pheasant tail, this time tied in with the tips facing backwards so when it’s pulled over, the excess PT will create legs.
Gently dub a lighter coloured dubbing as the thorax covering the lead right to the eye. Pull the PT over as the thorax cover and tie in. With the excess tips over the eye, carefully split the remainder evenly over each side and secure with a few turns of thread. Whip the thread off at the head and varnish.
This fly will guarantee fish when the trout are feeding on mayfly!
Hook: Kamasan b175 Size 12
Thread: Brown70 UTC
Tail: Flexi Floss
Rib: Pheasant Tail
Blody: Tan Dubbing
Thorax Cover: Pheasant Tail
Thorax: Cream Dubbing
Legs: Pheasant Tail
See more fly tying video on Fishtec TV
Written by Kieron Jenkins
Tags: Fly Fishing, fly tying, how to tie a mayfly nymph, mayfly nymph, tying flies | No Comments »
Fly of the Week – Crinkle Tail Hares Ear
Keeping on the theme of the Killer Shrimp Patterns from last week, I’ve tied a fly which can be used on the dropper or a point fly of a full nymphing cast, or as a middle dropper on a team of pullers. The Killer Shrimp have become the main food source of Grafham trout, so why not offer them something attractive and give them a mouthful! This Hares Ear Pattern has caught anglers many fish over the last few season, why not give it a go yourself?
Attach a strong hook into the vice, the shrimp offer a great source of protein for the trout so expect explosive takes immense runs! Here I’ve used a Kamasan b175 size 10 and used brown UTC thread. This keeps the colour scheme that ‘shrimpy brown’. run a layer of thread down to the bend of the hook and take three or four strands of Veniards Crystal tinsel which is available in a hank. Attach a length of gold wire rib to the hook and cut the tail at around 5/6 mm in length. This can be varied to suit the size of fly you’re tying.
Dub a generous amount of Hares Ear to the thread and run half way up the body, forming a fairly uniform rope throughout. Take the gold wire and rib the body with evenly spaced turns. Trim off the wire and dub some more hares ear as a thorax. Take two hot orange goose biots and tie in along the shank of the body. Trim away the waste and tidy up the head.
For the hackle I’ve used a brown partridge feather. To get the best results and keep the head small, gently pull the fibers back from the tip of the feather and tie in near the exposed stalk. Take your hackle pliers and wind the hackle around one or two times, depending on how bulking you want the fly. Simply trim the waste and tie your thread off.
Hook: Kamasan B175 size 10
Thread: Brown UTC 70
Tail: Crinkle flash
Rib: Gold Wire
Body: Hares Ear
Cheeks: Orange Goose Biots
Thorax: Hares Ear
Hackle: Brown Partridge
Written by Kieron Jenkins
Tags: Fly of the Week - Crinkle Tail Hares Ear, fly tying, fly tying materials, tying flies | No Comments »
Fly of the Week – Grafham Killer Shrimp
Over the past three years the talking point of invasive species has almost been directly focused on the Alien Killer Shrimp. The Killer Shrimp preys on a range of native species, such as freshwater invertebrates – particularly native shrimp – and even young fish. Quote: BBC. But, from a fishing point of view, it lets fish gorge on a protein packed food, gaining weight and strength to proved great fishing to all anglers. Especially those on a rocky bank such as the Dam wall!
See more fly tying video on Fishtec TV
Attach a hook into your vice, here I have used a Barbless Fulling Mill Grub hook, this gives a great shape and represents the movement of a shrimp. Run a layer of Brown UTC thread down the shank of the body until the extreme bend in the hook. Take 5/6 strands of brown partridge and attached them as a tail, roughly 5mm in length and tie in a length of gold wire for the rib.
Take a strip of white foam, you can use any colour you like but i prefer to colour my own with pantone pens. Attach the foam at the butt so it can be tied forward as a shellback. Dub a very generous amount of hares ear to the thread and wrap up the shank of the hook to form the body, bulking up in the middle to gain a more shrimpy profile.
Take a couple more strands of grey partridge and tie in sticking out over the eye to form it’s feelers. Pull the foam over the back and secure in at the eye of the fly, leaving some over the eye to help with movement. Gently wind the rib over the foam towards the eye in even, spaced turns. This forms the segmented effect you see on freshwater shrimps.Simply tie in and whip the thread off. To add more life to the fly take your dubbing needle and tease the fur from the body between the turns of wire.
Take your pantone pens and colour the back, here I have used grey and brown but you can use whatever colours you prefer. Colour the back, leave to dry, the fly is then ready to fish!
Hook: Fulling Mull Czech Nymph Barbless Size 10
Thread: Brown UTC 70
Tail: Brown Partridge
Rib: Gold Wire
Body: Hares Ear
Shellback: White Foam
Antennas: Brown Partridge
Written by Kieron Jenkins
Tags: fly tying, killer shrimp fly pattern, shrimp patterns, tying flies, tying the grafham killer shrimp | 1 Comment »
Fly of the Week – The Dabbler
The Dabbler is a classic Irish lough pattern which was devised to fish high in the water to represent everything from olives and mayflies to shrimp. The Dabbler has been a firm favourite on a lot of traditional anglers casts whilst fishing for brown trout on wild hill lakes. More recently with the addition of micro fine fritz and multitudes of dubbing, the dabbler has become a great fly for rainbow trout, usually tied in more enticing colours than those for browns.
Start off by inserting one of your favourite hooks into the vice. Here I have used a Barbless Fulling Mill Grab Gape hook in a size 12. Run a layer of Black UTC thread down the hook in touching turns to create an even platform for the tying to sit. Take five or six strands of mallard from a feather and secure to the hook with a few turns of thread.
For the body I have used Claret Crystal Hackle from FlyBox, a great material which adds lots of movement to the fly without the added bulk to hassle of using a real hackle. Wind the fritz in touching turns towards the eye, ensuring to pull the fibres back after each turn to get a streamline and neater look. Simply tie off before the eye to leave enough room for a hackle and the cloak.
Strip the excess from the bottom of a hackle stalk and tie in. This additional hackle will support the mallard cloak to sit higher on the fly. Wind the hackle around two or three times so that it gives a bit more life to the fly. Take around an inch or so of the mallard feather and strip from the stalk. Simply fold the mallard in half, place flat over the top of the fly and gently push and hold the mallard on the sides of the shank. With a loose turn of thread secure the mallard in place, this will tighten the mallard to the hook and fill in any gaps, cut off the excess once you are happy. Wind a few more turns of thread over the mallard to completely secure and whip finish off.
Dabbler Tying Materials
Hook: Fulling Mull Grip Gape Barbless Size 10
Thread: Black UTC 70
Tail: Bronze Mallard
Body: Claret Crystal Hackle
Hackle: Black Cock
Cloak: Bronze Mallard Folded
Written by Kieron Jenkins
Tags: dabbler, fly tying, the dabbler, tying a dabbler, tying flies | No Comments »
Fly of the Week – UV Crystal Hackle Damsel
The Damsel is one of the most prolific insects which inhabit our lakes here in the UK. This is reflected in what anglers prefer to fish on small waters and reservoirs with most anglers ‘go to’ fly being a damsel of some sort. Variants consist of chain eyes, gold heads or leaded bodies with marabou tails either woven or stacked, both of these additions add the most possible movement. Kieron Jenkins shows how to tie one of the more modern variants using UV Crystal hackle fritz for the body.
Simply start off by attaching a bead of choice to your favourite hook. Here I have chosen the Fulling Mill Grip Gape Hook size 10, with a 3.8 silver brass bead. Attach your UTC Thread to the hook, building up a section of thread behind the bead to stop any slippage then run the thread down the hook creating a solid platform to latch your marabou tail onto.
Take an inch or so of olive marabou from a turkey feather and trim away the end waste. This makes tying the marabou in easier and it also adds less bulk to the body. Run the thread over the marabou to the bead to form a smooth, flat body then take the thread back down to the bend of the hook. Offer up a strand of crinkle flash to each side of the tail for added sparkle and tie in.
For the body I have used FlyBox UV Crystal Hackle in olive colour. The UV adds some extra sparkle in low light conditions, primarily what we get this time of year in the UK! Take the front end of the fritz, the tip where the fibres fall back down the hank. This ensures that each time you wind the fritz each turn falls perfectly into place and sits right. Latch the fritz to the hook and wind – in touching turns – back towards the bead, pulling the fibres back after each turn. Simply tie in, build a little hot spot with the bright coloured thread and tie off.
This pattern can also be tied in many different colour combinations, all black, black and green, white and green, all white… A great versatile pattern for grown on or stocked fish.
UV Crystal Hackle Damsel Tying Materials
Hook: Fulling Mill Heavyweight Champ Barbless Size 10
Thread: Orange UTC 140
Bead: Silver 3.3mm
Tail: Olive Marabou
Flash: Crinkle Flash
Body: Olive UV Crystal Hackle
Written by Kieron Jenkins
Tags: damsel, Fishtec, fly of the week, fly patterns, fly tying, how to tie, tying flies | No Comments »
Fly of the Week – Red Holographic Stripped Quill Buzzer
Super glue buzzers are probably the most used flies in the UK, especially start of the season where midge pupa are in abundance in cold, silty waters. Bloodworm are a staple part of a fishes diet, expect anything from carp to trout to pick up a bloodworm pattern! This weeks fly of the week is the Red Holographic Stripped Quill Buzzer, coated with super glue to give it durability and add small amounts of weight. A good representation of the bloodworm, ideal for the point of a two or three fly cast.
Select an appropriate hook – Here I have chosen to tie this fly on a Barbless Fulling Mill Grip Gape hooks, size 10. Run one layer of thread down the hook shank and stop just short of the extreme bend on the hook. This gives the fly a great shape, almost as if it’s moving.
Take a length of stripped quill, I prefer to strip my own using my thumb and forefinger. Attach this to the bend of the hook with as few turns as possible and then wind in the medium red holographic. Take this to the thorax of the fly in touching turns, tie in and rib with evenly separated turns of the stripped quill. Getting the quill to sit at the bend of the hook on top of the holographic can be tricky, have some patients and get it sitting right (it took me three attempts!).
Tie off the stripped quill and build a neat tapered thorax to form the head of the fly. Take two Flu Orange goose biots for wing buds and latch in the fine ends to the bottom of the thorax at each side of the hook. Making sure the tips of the biots are covered, take your thread to the top of the hook and sit behind the eye. Pull each goose biot up and over the eye in a diagonal position, tie in and whip finish.
Glueing the fly
Simply take your bonding agent, my favourite recently has been the Airflo Stic-IT anglers super glue. A handy little tub of super strength glue with a fine point nozzle to get into those tough creases. Layer a small amount of glue down the body and over the thorax and take your needle to disperse evenly. Once the whole body is covered leave to dry and repeat the process as many times as possible.
Fly Tying Material List for the Red Holo Stripped Quill Buzzer.
Hook: Fulling Mull Grip Gape Barbless Size 10
Thread: Black UTC 70
Body: Red Holographic
Rib: Stripped Peacock Quill
Thorax: Black Thread
Cheeks: Orange Goose Biot
Coating: Airflo Stic-IT Anglers Super Glue
Written by Kieron Jenkins
Tags: airflo stic-it, airflo stic-it super glue, buzzer pattern, fly patterns, fly tying | No Comments »