Tie these in claret, black, orange, ginger....and any other colours you like but those are my preferred colours.
An ultra simple fly for reservoirs and stillwaters. There are few tying issues, securing the rib at the head can be a little tricky. Once tied and the head secured and varnished, scruff up the dubbing with Velcro and treat the whole fly with your preferred floatant, Gink works well.
Shipman's fish well as part of a team, cast out into a wave when buzzers are hatching off in open water is sort of classic. these can work well when almost any type of insects are being blown on to the water.
Claret Shipman’s
Hook: Down eyed dry fly hook or medium wire wet fly hook, #10 to #14.
Thread: Claret (8/0 or 70D)
Breathers: White antron or poly yarn.
Rib: Flat pearl tinsel. (Medium or large stretched narrow.)
Body: Claret seal’s fur or sub.
This is a dry fly, however, I prefer to tie it on a medium wire wet fly hook for a little extra strength. Thread to match the colour of dubbing, my standard colours are: claret, orange, black, ginger. For a tougher rib try fine silver wire over the pearl tinsel.
1 Hook in the vice, start the thread on the hook.
2 Catch on a slim bunch of white yarn, this is poly yarn. The yarn should sit on top of the shank. Wrap the thread to the bend.
3 Tie in a length of pearly tinsel as a rib. (This can be reinforced with fine silver wire.) The tinsel is tied in along the side or under the hook shank.
4 Tie the tinsel along the side or under the hook shank. Wrap the wing and rib along the length of the shank. Leave a little space for a head at the eye.
5 Leave a little space for a head at the hook-eye.
6 Dub the thread with a slim noodle of seal substitute dubbing. This is a mix of black and claret fibres (Electric Seal Dubbing from Chuck and Duck.)
7 Wrap the dubbing to the eye of the hook. I like touching turns and try to make a fairly slim even body.
8 Wrap the thread under the wing/breathers at the head of the fly.
9 Wrap the rib to the head of the hook in even open turns. Tie off at the head under the wing/breathers.
10 I like to make five turns of rib. If the pearly tinsel looks too wide it can usually be stretched to make it a little narrower.
11 Finish the head with a secure whip finish and varnish. trim the breathers/tail and wing. I go for about half the shank length - these help the fly float, especially if they are polypropylene yarn, so longer is better and they can be trimmed later if necessary.
12 Scruff up the dubbing, gently, with a piece of Velcro,
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