What Have You Been Tying Today?

[Robert MacDonald-Lewis]

A variation on a pupa pattern that I have done well with recently:

[Robert MacDonald-Lewis]

Sunglasses required:

[Robert MacDonald-Lewis]

A Waterhen Bloa variant, swapped the mole for some CDC dubbing. An interesting experiment.

[Lucian Vasies]

This is what I've been tying lately. Whenever I have some free time and feel a bit bored, I start tying flies for my friends. 😊 So here are few sedge and emergers on size #16, #18 and #20 hooks.







And here is my friend using them:

[Mike Barrio]

Those flies look great Lucian, I think they would fish well on our Scottish rivers 

I like the look of the hook in the second photo, the San Magic Pink Emerger (and those in the third photo) I always feel more confident with a barbless hook that has an upturned point.

[Lucian Vasies]

Thank you Mike,  the hook has an offset shape which I find great for such type of flies, with fantastic hookup rate

[Robert MacDonald-Lewis]

A simple little winged wet I tied up this morning. Had a couple of Peackock wing feathers kicking around my desk, gives a similar effect to Hen Pheasant but maybe slightly stronger marking.

[Sandy Nelson]

Nice.

I quite often tie some classic winged wets or winged hackled dries, just for the joy of making them. There's something rewarding about getting the proportions correct and making something that looks beautifully balanced . Even when I hardly ever use one
 

[Bryan McDonald]

I used to tie a wet fly called the Black Prince, great fly. took a good few trout at Fetternear.

[Robert MacDonald-Lewis]

I know exactly what you mean Sandy, I have found tying Muddlers to be similarly addictive in their own way.

I'll have to have a look at the Black Prince pattern, not a fly I am familiar with.

Today I had another play with a Peacock winged wet. Wanted to use a Peacock heel body so went with the red floss ribbed body for a Goat's Toe.

I was a little stumped for a tail at first. Doubling on hot floss didn't feel right and a GP Crest seemed too light. Then I remembered some Peacock Gold Body feathers and thought they might work. In use they may be a bit fragile, but the look is not bad.

Considered Peacock Blues for the beard hackle, but went with Jay instead.

[Mike Barrio]

That looks great Robert, I'm liking the peacock and red body 

[Robert MacDonald-Lewis]

Still on the wet flies today, with a classic killer.

[Robert MacDonald-Lewis]

A quick and easy March Brown Spider Variant.

[Allan Liddle]

Apologies for not being here for way too long, life and work just seems to take over.

Been doing a decent bit of tying and will post a few soon.

Meantime just a little reminder that the RSAA Fly Tying Day is going ahead again this year.

Saturday 24th January 2026
Inchberry Hall near Fochabers
Great list of tyers:
Graham Forbes, David Mateer, Sandy Howie, Abagail Montgomery, Peter McCallum, Stuart Smith, Kevin Muir, Gordon Armstrong, Robert McDonald-Lewis, Edwin Whyte, Brian Burnett, Steve Rodger and Myself. (Hamish Young and Conan Fyvie TBC).
Sean Stanton will be there selling Francnsnelda materials
Dingwall Sports and Models with tying materials and fishing equipment
Big Orange food van to keep us all fuelled up.

Small entry fee, raffle with some great prizes and always a great day out.

Hope to see you all there. 

[Robert MacDonald-Lewis]

Looking forward to it, always a good wee event.

A failed experiment led to this pattern today. Nothing ground breaking the the dyed fluorescent blue pheasant rump feather is a little different.

[Robert MacDonald-Lewis]

Back play with some Peacock Sword today.

[Robert MacDonald-Lewis]

Another classic winged wet.

[Robert MacDonald-Lewis]

A quill bodied hopper tied up today.

[Robert MacDonald-Lewis]

A new pattern to me, and maybe a little intimidating at first, Barry Ord Clarke's Bee Cee Caddis Pupa. It may be a bit fiddly, but isn't too bad once you get the first few under your belt.

[Robert MacDonald-Lewis]

A play on a hare and pheasant wet I tied up this morning.

[Robert MacDonald-Lewis]

One of my own concoctions today, sunglasses may be required.

[Mike Barrio]

That's a bright one 

[Robert MacDonald-Lewis]

Been playing with some half hogs with different wing materials, usually tie them on a grub hook but thought I'd try a straight shanked hook for this one.

[James Laraway]

couple from the 'modern flies and ancient lochs' book and before you ask - yes they are barbless hooks 

The westie



Stimulator

[Mike Barrio]

Those look great James, very much like the ones in the book