Tying the Wickhams Fancy with Davie McPhail.

[cmfinny1996]

Hi davie,

I was wandering if it matters if I use saddle vrs cape hackle (in general, not for just this patern) because of the budget that I am on. Thank you for your help and I love your videos

[DavieMcPhail]

Hi cmfinny1996,

To be honest I like Chinese hackles more than I like genetic as they give a better shape and especially make a better proportioned fly..

All the best Davie

[krallmi48]

Davie,  If you were tying this fly, or a Lead-wing Coachman, or even a March Brown Wet and wanted to use another wing material (not the traditional wing quill slips), what materials would you consider?

Mike

[DavieMcPhail]

Hi Mike(krallmi48),

A good alternative to a traditional wing would be Calf body or tail, Bucktail, Squirrel or Deer Hair and hackle points or fibres of the right colour to suit the pattern, these are some of what I have used over the years...All the best Davie

[krallmi48]

@DavieMcPhail

Thank you, Davie...

With calf tail/body, would you use permanent marker on the white hair? Or, would you be looking for a natural or well-dyed hair to match the color?

Mike

[DavieMcPhail]

Hi Mark(krallmi48),

No I wouldn't use a marker pen it just wouldn't give you a descent colour so if you could find some dyed it would make a much better fly... All the best Davie

[fabianpescador]

hello by sharing your knowledge this fly in particular is a dry drowning or a greetings

Fabian from ARGENTINA

[DavieMcPhail]

Hi Fabian(fabianpescador),

The version that I tyed is more of a wet fly rather than a dry but just add a bit more hackle and it would be an excellent dry fly...

All the best Davie

[nipplebrady1988]

how do you rate this as a river fly for sea trout?

[DavieMcPhail]

Hi nipplebrady1988,

I would rate this fly very highly for sea trout, it's a good allround fly...ATB Davie

[Juveneur]

Hi Davie,

Your a genius. Who needs a fly tying school with your videos!

Regards

Timmy

[garix51]

Hi Davie, wonderful fly!

What about some videos on materials

(say, body, wings, dubbing, hackles, and so on, their uses and how to choose them)?

Or a DVD with the basic tecniques

( from clamping the hook to tails to wings and so on and the various tips or methods you use)?

I'm really learning A LOT fr your videos!

All the best from Italy

Marco

[DavieMcPhail]

Hi Marco,

This is something that I have thought about doing for many years and which I would hope to do sooner than later a sponser would be a great help..I'm glad that the videos are helping you...

All the best Davie

[MuddlerDaddy]

Hey Davie,

You have superb tying videos ! I have tried tying wings in before but have been having one heck of a time. I have been trying to tie them flat together even with hackle on the fly. I noticed that you tie your wings around your hackle.Does that help to keep your wings straight also. I have had problems with the wings not being straight with the shank !

Thanks Buddy,

Rick

[DavieMcPhail]

Hi Rick,

When I tyed the wing on in the video I'm trying to give the fly a more sedge/caddis look to it which I feel is better if you want to try and keep your fly nearer to the surface, then if I tye them flat its more of a wet and gets down deeper but to be honest some tyers prefer one or another it all comes down to preference at times..

All the best Davie

[DaveJV80]

Great work once again Davie . The more videos I watch of your work the more I am amazed . One heck of a tier

[vikking95]

hi Davie,

I ty fly's sinds i was 7. I saw a starters kit in a magazine, and i thought: AWESOME! Sinds then i'm tying fly's and I'm really enyoy your work. I'm trying to make my fly's exactly how you do and it's seems to go pretty well ( only trouble with the whipfinish :() but any way keep it on :)

[seanmcP123]

i took your advice and bought a whiting bronce hackle. very expensive (nearly 50euro for full cape) but have to say really worth the money!! excellent fly as usual davie!

[mouland08]

Hey Davie,

I fish atlantic salmon and wondered if you could ever do a video on tying bombers, prefeably orange.

[dunamisjc]

"if you're not happy with a fly, you'll not fish it" Great quote Davie. I've tied flies that sit in my fly box that I always pass over, because they don't look quite right.... and of course another great fly.

[EieioMacD]

There is a product called Tuff Film that you can buy in art supply stores. Artists use it to keep drawings from getting smudged. Spray it on your quills to keep them from splitting, It works great on wing cases also. Love your style Davie, I am always looking forward to your next fly.

[1968drum]

hi there Davie,

always enjoy your work. I always have trouble with wings, mainly because the fibers split on me, especially if i have to retie due to misjudging the length and such, this is very frustrating...do you think it could be because of inferior materials...i generally use quill from orvis, being the most accessible. any words of wisdom?

[DavieMcPhail]

Hi 1968drum,

If you use the larger primary quills from the Mallard wings you will find them much better for wet flies but don't worry too much about the wings splitting as they will do this when you fish them anyway and they still catch fish. I have tyed many wings over the years and the one thing I found is not to have the slips of feathers too wide..

All the best Davie

[1nf0fr34k]

Lovely fly again Davie. I see you put a collar hackle in at the end and haven't seen this before on this pattern. IMHO I think it adds a lot to this pattern.

Superb tying, really shows off the skills that we aspire to mate.

[KAMPONIX]

Hi davie,

I have got very important question for you.What do you think about fishing with wet flies in brown trout streams with the down and across presentation ?? I am asking because I heard opinions that down and across is a wrong and unsuccesful method. (for example Oliver Edwards opinion.) does it work for you? Please answer.

[DavieMcPhail]

Hi KAMPONIX,

I have fished traditional wet flies like the Wickhams Fancy down and across with great success as well as upstream also with great success but I have never been told this is wrong as the more methods you have when fishing the more chance you'll catch. My most successful traditional wet fly is the Red Tag tyed on hook sizes 10s to 16s...

All the best Davie

[DavieMcPhail]

Hi Everyone,

I'm glad you all enjoyed the video....

All the best Davie

[smithmccrum]

topper of a flee davie, had to buy another xtra lge fly box, to cope with the tyeing, happy wrappings, davey.

[morseman4]

hi davie,another belter of a fly,,ive just been tying up some mallard and clarets,and now after seeing this im gona wip up some,im gona try making them more wet fly for on the point,but will also do some like this for the dropper,appreciate u takin the time to do these,by the way that tubing is brilliant,the best ive used,being thicker it has bit more weight than the thin stuff,chuffed to bits with it davie,ur a gent.cheers mate

kev

[Brucis51]

Thank You for this great fly!

[leaperfish]

Thank you Davie!

[txflytier]

Hi Davie

Great looking fly. like the wing I have started to try it on some flies while I am tying some flie in between tying a dozen on this and a dozen of that lol a mood killer lol.

Thanks for the great Videos

Chance

[enerytheeighth]

great as usual dave...one of my all time favourites! nobody seems to tie these anymore,i know i do coz i know how deadly they can be,the wingless version is a killer too...for all the folks who have forgotten how to tie slip wings or who have never even tried slip wings...boy im gettin old!

[sohosohigh]

Hey davie, magnificent tying as useual.. I have asked before and now i ask again, is it possible to get you to tye a blue dun? I cant find the pattern anywhere , but i think its quite simple and i would really like to have a bunch of them in my box, as my buddy always was catcing on that pattern a few years ago and now we cant find them anywhere.

[Troutsiders]

Beautiful fly! Going to have to try that in my neck of the woods after tying it. Thanks for sharing, as always!

[drjoe200fooo]

i tried that fly yesterday morning and caught a couple of nice trout on it love the old patterns beautiful fly just beautiful

[toshilama]

Beautiful. Thank you. Going to my desk now to tie a few. Look forward to trying them on next fishing trip. I really get so much from your generously posted, super informative, easily followed instructional videos. Thanks again. Toshilama

[vo2lvo]

good old style fly.Thanks for sharing this one.

[Pablo1900PG]

great fly, I think could be a good one for some rivers here in southern Chile

[jonmath1]

What a beauty! I see lots of applications for this fly on the lakes I fish here in the US too.

Thanks,

Jon

[DerFliegenbinder]

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