Wet Flies

Wet flies

by Hubert Janeczek

photos: Miroslaw Pieślak

In connection with the theme of this issue, I was asked by the editors to make some flies. Just tying wet flies gives me a lot of fun so I gladly fulfilled the request of Mirek and company. Fair enough, I decided that these will be half and half spiders and flies with wings popular in the Islands and elsewhere. Although for obvious reasons this will not be a typical from A-Z let me present them in alphabetical order. Perhaps some of you will make a copy for your box, although I realize that the characteristics of our waters, and what's in and around them, are somewhat different.

BLACK GNAT

Hook#12-16

Tail-black rays

Thorax-peacock rays

Wrap-around copper wire

Crossword puzzle wings-leaves

Blackberry-black

A versatile fly, quite easy to make with inexpensive, widely available materials. Concise duck flies make it easy to make wings. Sometimes tied on larger #8-10 hooks specifically for chub fishing.

BLACK & PEACOCK SPIDER

Hook #8-14

Tip-gold,flat lamella

Thorax-peacock rays

Wrap-around copper wire

Blackberry-black hen, quite long

A simple spiderfish popularized by Tom Ivens in his book „Stillwater Fly Fishing”.Also used in rivers under the principle „little black always effective”. Universal imitation of many organisms, including snails and water spiders. In a small size good for grayling. I also recommend a variant with a red holo ass.

BUTCHER(Moon`s Fly).

Hook #8-16

Petiole-red aileron stripe

Torso-silver flat lamé

Wrap-silver oval lamé

Wings-blue shiny darts of mallard duck(mallard blues)

Blackberry-black

A fly native of Tunbridge Wells in Kent County. Created by two angling butchers. The red in the tail was meant to symbolize beef, the silver on the torso the knife , and the wings the traditional blue apron worn by those practicing this profession.

Imitation of hatchlings, fry.

COACHMAN

Hook #10-14

Thorax-peacock rays

Scroll-copper wire

Wings-white strands of ailerons

Blackberry-dark brown hen so-called coachman brown

Fly from the early nineteenth century,invented by the royal coachman.Despite the fact that it does not represent anything special (except perhaps a moth), the combination of materials, and therefore colors , is very attractive to fish, especially in the evening. Also used for chub and ide.

GREENWELL`S SPIDER

Hook #12-16

Thorax-Persall`s Gossamer Silk yellow,lightly waxed

Scroll-oval gold lamé

Blackberry-brown badger (greenwell,furnace)

A wingless version of Greenwell`s Glory, the famous Tweed River fly made by James Wright at the request of Anglican Church clergyman William Greenwell. An excellent imitation of all kinds of olives from nymphs to emergers to spents.

HARDY`S FAVOURITE

Hook #10-14

Tail-rays tippets

Torso-silk in claret color, on it peacock rays

Scroll-gold wire

Wings-striped woodcock darts

Hedgehog-cupcake

Created by one of the Hardy brothers, owners of the now iconic Alnwick-based brand. A fly of the fancy kind, recommended for May and June, especially for still waters.

RED TAG

Hook #12-16

Petiole-red bracken

Thorax-peacock rays

Scroll-copper wire

Blackberry-brown hen

Probably the only pattern of those presented here present in the boxes of our anglers and regularly used by them. A brief history of the fly will be presented in the previous issue of Sz£ by M.Kosiedowski. I will only add that the pattern, for almost 30 years, as the Worcester Gem(the original name) was popular only in the region where it originated. In 1878,a certain F.M. Walbran probably received a copy of the fly from the creator , popularized it on the grayling rivers of the north of England and presumably gave the name under which we know it today. Excellent for many species of fish.

WINTER BROWN

Hook #14-16

The torso-red dubbing from a hare laid so that the orange leading thread shines through at the asshole

Blackberry-feather from the inner part of the woodcock's wing

Head-beam peacock

The classic North Country Spider, a thrifty, soft-ribbed, bookish softhackle. Imitation of all stages of reddish-brown, small insects, including small forkbeards. Recommended as early as April.