Fishing The Fly Scotland
Index => Fly Tying => Topic started by: Sandy Nelson on 20/02/2010 at 12:01
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All this talk of spiders got me going and i was thinking perhaps i'll share my variation on the Dark Watchett :z16
Hook: Partridge SLD size 14
Thread: Pearsalls no.8
Hackle: The outer covert of a Coot (moorhen is too green, the original calls for jackdaw throat, if you have one :z6, coot is as close as i get)
Body: A length of Pearsalls no.6a and some natural mole hair.
Step 1. Place hook in vice.
(http://i49.tinypic.com/21brko9.jpg)
Step 2. Take wing and select an appropriate feather.
(http://i46.tinypic.com/5lcc2p.jpg)
Step 3. Remove flue from base and Check it for length, the fibres should be the length of the plain shank of the hook.
(http://i46.tinypic.com/5xpz5e.jpg)
Step 4. Start thread 1 turn back from eye and make approx 3-4 turns. Trim the tag end.
(http://i48.tinypic.com/1ku2g.jpg)
Step 5. Take the feather and stroke back the fibres and tie in the feather by the tip, again 3-4 turns and trim the tip.
(http://i48.tinypic.com/2zdujgg.jpg)
Step 6. Tie in length of orange silk (6a) and wrap back to inline with the point of the hook.
(http://i49.tinypic.com/oucc51.jpg)
Step 7. Twist the orange and purple silk together, so it is nicely varigated.
(http://i46.tinypic.com/mru3hv.jpg)
Step 8. Lightly apply a nice sticky wax, to the twisted section.
(http://i45.tinypic.com/2d1occz.jpg)
Step 9. Take a small pinch of mole hair.
(http://i49.tinypic.com/4junbc.jpg)
Step 10. Lightly touch the waxed thread with the mole fur , keep it very sparse but even.
(http://i48.tinypic.com/2rhaik0.jpg)
Step 11. Wind the dubbed thread up to about 3 turns of thread before the hackle. And trim the loose end of orange silk. You should get a nice mix of the purple and the orange showing through the mole.
(http://i49.tinypic.com/30iujki.jpg)
Step 12. Make 2 turns of the hackle from the front, back towards the thread and tie in the hackle.
(http://i47.tinypic.com/1zocad3.jpg)
Step 13. Make two turns of thread to secure and remove the rest of the hackle stalk.
(http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh7/skuesapprentice/step14-1.jpg)
Step 14. Wind thread thread through the hackle carefully, stroking the fibres so none get trapped or folded backwards.
(http://i50.tinypic.com/2w31ee0.jpg)
Step 15. Gently hold the fibres back from the eye and bring the thread forward to the head area, don't tie the fibres down, just bring the thread forward.
(http://i48.tinypic.com/15d283n.jpg)
Step 16. Form a neat head with 3 or 4 turns of thread and then a small whip finish. Stroke the fibres forward so they are perpendicular to the hook then varnish the head carefully with a drop on the tip of a needle so it soaks into the the thread and doesn't wick up the fibres of the hackle.
(http://i50.tinypic.com/2rg020k.jpg)
There you have it the finished Dark Watchett, one of my personal favourites for the Don in spring and autumn. Its best as a middle dropper fly.
(http://i46.tinypic.com/242g6ch.jpg)
Sandy
ps. The original Dark Watchett has the silk the other way round, with the main thread being Orange and the purple is used only for the body. I fancy this as an olive imitation rather than the iron blue, but thats personal preference. Thanks for reminding me Irvine :z16
(http://i47.tinypic.com/2ahhztl.jpg)
Tell you what though, this bloody camera doesn't half show up the flaws in what look like perfect little flies :shock