Hi Davie,love watching your videos your top notch at your craft.I usually buy my flies and tried to source the coo dung none of the suppliers I use had it.Decided to bite the bullet and ordered a vice and materials pack to have a go at making my own. Thanks for the inspiration Aw the best for 2023,David.
I remember Charles Jardine first publishing the "Sparkle Gnat," it has lived in my fly box ever since. It is without doubt one of my top five river trout flies and very probably has accounted for more caught fish for me than any other pattern.
Fantastic video Davie!! I didn't realize that the cow ding fly could be tied dry like a griffiths gnat. I'm going to tie some winged wet and wingless dry cow dung flies for the box tonight! Cheers!
Brilliant tie as usual Davie. Tied a few of these up yesterday and went fishing today at my local river. Caught 3 small brownies and was really pleased with the flies i had tied as i am only 13. All thanks to you. Cheers All the best Alasdair
Perfect! Thanks so much they have many items I have not been able to find. I also took your advice and found a recipe for the tyers wax. 2parts bow rosin, 1 part beeswax, 1/8 caster oil. But the rosin would probably be equally hard to find so I am glad you sent the link.
Hello Davie I hope you are doing well. It is incredible to see how easy you do your flies. Last night I began to do some ones. Here, time for trouts will begin at the end of May, after rain time is over in the highlands and rivers get calm. I want to have a good stock of good flies. I am just choosing the right patterns that I will do. These ones seem very simple, I will try them. Warm regards, Jose Antonio
Davie, a great tye! Maybe it's time to make some DVDs. Not only will you benefit, but your children and grandchildren would benefit from DVD sales depending on the intellectual property laws in your country. Thanks, Bill S.
No ive changed my mind and I'm trying on a "partridge vince marinaro midge fly hooks sise 24" and attempt the grifiths midge gnat. You have a difrent tag tail so ill chang myn to me self. Again thanks much for another great tying session.
I tie this fly all the time and I always have a few in my box!! This fly floats well and it is a dead ringer for catching Trout in Luxembourg... For sure!!! Great fly, great video!!
I love the Griffiths Gnat. I tied a few up the other night, they never had the pearl tail though. I have never heard of the Cow Dung fly but I will get some of them tied on Saturday morning. I will need to use a thin golden dubbing as a substitute as I don't own Golden or ginger herl. Cheers for uploading this.
Great tips on how to use the resin to float the fly. I have used a Bivisible but never have lifted up the fibers to get a better impression on the water. Thanks!
Hi Davie, thanks so much for your commentary on the griffiths Gnat, I had always assumed it was a midge pattern (don't know why) but realising it is a terrestrial makes so much more sense. I have tied them in the past without the pearl flash but never really fished them and they had lsot their place in my fly box but will tie some up with your pattern in the off season.
another great pattern thanks davie its amazing how a couple little adjustments of a pattern can make it that much better, i guess thats the great thing about tying, i tied a few and some i tried putting the pearl in the front which worked pretty good but didnt make to much difference, thanks again though davie
any time I have ever put a tail on one of these the fish want nothing to do with it. I have tied these in many different colors and different styles, I have even substituted a small Emu feather for the hackle, worked great.
I use these videos as a reference library just to refresh my memory of each recipe while topping up my fly box or in this case filling up a new box as a gift to say thank you for favour The last ones I gave away as gifts where actually requested as payment for work done in our yard by two young lads who cleared away an old Byre for our daughter I used to tie flees for a local angling shop and acquired a reputation for tying Stillwater flies and on Saturday mornings club members formed waiting lines on their way to outings they would have placed orders for specific patterns plus one or two specials that no other club member would have just in case of a blank occurring these specials as they called them seemed to catch fish when all else had failed and of course arguments flared up on the way home about the size of hook used or anything else that could be used in evidence against the winner of the prize that day anyway it turned out that one of the lads found out that I tied flies for his dad many years ago and he wanted some specials for a club outing which I duly tied for him every one was a Davie Mcphail original including a few Clyde style you tied Davie the lad shared a few with his best friend and both had won prizes with them I would love to take the credit for tying majic flies but I can’t I simply followed your instructions with some help selecting the right colours of materials thanks again Davie the way you tell the story of each fly as you create it even from the fishes point of view how they feed on them that’s the majic Jim
Hi Jim, I would say that you should take all the credit as it wasn't me that tyed the flies it was you..I loved the story as I have been in a few of them over the years myself though it always ends up with a couple of beers and a laugh or two..I am glad you still enjoy them and thanks for letting me know how they have done for you and your friends.. All the very best Davie
Whenever I fish those small griffiths gnats I have trouble seeing them on the water. Now what I do is add a small upright orange post about midway along the hook, made of yarn, so I can see it easier. And still catches fish too.
On Vancouver Island we had a lot of the yellow flies buzzing around Cow Patties. I haven't seen any since we moved up north then to Alberta. There is a spot on the Crow that might have them, I will have to pay attention! I'm going to have to look next time I go down there! I wonder if a person could tie several on one longer shank?
Amen, trout dig these flies all summer. Running a dropper midge pupa works well also. I've never tied the cow dung though. Where can I locate some bleached and dyed herl? great video, thanks a million
Hi Gareth C, I have attached a link to a video I made about the wax I use and as well how I prepare it for sticking on the side of my finger ready to be used...I'm glad you enjoy the videos and thank you for the kind words.. All the very best Davie.. ua-cam.com/video/IN4N92G14Xg/v-deo.html
Hello again Davie, I had a friend who complained that the hackle made his flies spin in the water. So what I have started to do for him is to tie the hackle in differently at the front and bring it to the back wide palmer, and then back to the front in between the turns I took on the way back. I thought if the hackle one way made the fly spin, if I put the hackle on both ways it would counter the spin. Much like opposing propellers. Have you ever heard of the fly spinning? All the best, Sean
Hi puck wang, Yes you can as long as it's an extra fine version as anything too big would add too much bulk and weight to the fly.. All the very best Davie
could u not put a small amount uv resin on the underside of the body and lift the hackle up towards the top of the fly so that hackle would stay in position or would that make the fly sink? cheers.
Hi Chris, I've done this with a few flies and it works fine but I prefer to just pull the fibres up when applying a floatant on these flies as this works just as well... All the very best Davie
Hello Davie, I was watching this tying again tonight and noted you are using Mucilin Silicon cream. Well I knew that from years ago, but often when you mention using floatant, you say, "Gink it up...". Do you find a lot of difference between Mucillin green can and the Gink product? Would you say what differences you find, please? Mike
Hi Mike, I am not a fan of Gink to be honest though many are. I have always used Mucilin, I first used the red tin which it originally came in though I have used both and they work fine as I found them to be the same.. All then very best Davie..
@@DavieMcPhail Thank you Davie. I'll try your method of using Mucilin and putting it on a longer time prior to fishing instead of at the stream just before fishing the fly. Mike
Hi James, I'm sorry I've never heard of the Chicken Fly but I'm sure someone will have, I'll ask around for you and if I come up with a pattern I'll let you know... All the very best Davie
oops I'm on an iPad so it's hard to type. What I wanted to ask you isi am starting fly fishing and are there any poles that you recommend? Also, what fish would this fly catch?
I know you have been asked this many times and the answer is Veniard's prepared tyer's wax but are you aware of anything similar that is available in North America? I live in British Columbia Canada specifically and have not been able to find Veniards products anywhere. Alternatively do you know a recipe for tyer's wax? I keep bees and so have plenty of beeswax it just seems a little stiff (even when warm) compared to what you are using.
Hi Davie. Started tying this passed december and have been gathering inspiration from your videos since. Whether it is in mimicking the patterns you tie or using the techniques on others, i find your channel to be a wonderful resource - so thank you for that. Question, though: What kind of varnish is it you use to finish your flies? I haven't found a video where you mention the name or write it in the recipe. I've heard scentless varnishes are ideal but hard to come by… In your experience, does one or the other affect the productivity of a fly? Thanks in advance, and take care.
Hi Scott Serface, I have attached a link to the varnish I use which is Veniards clear varnish and is one of the best, another used by many tyers is Hard as Nails and I've attached a link to it as well..I'm glad that you enjoy the videos and that they have helped you with your flies... All the very best Davie www.drugstore.com/sally-hansen-hard-as-nails--helps-strengthen-nails-natural-tint/qxp21370 www.veniard.com/product897/section154/no1-cellire
Hi Steven, I use a Law Vise which was made by a gentleman called Lawrence Waldron but unfortunately he longer makes them..If you do a search on the net you should be able to find lots of info on it... All the very best Davie
Davie, this fly works really well for me, but for some reason it tends to twist the tippet quite a lot, which is very frustrating! - is this something you find? any tips to avoid?
Hi Steven, When I'm having this problem I would use a stiffer nylon, I like a 9ft tapered leader down to 4lb and then I'll use a stiffer tippet like Fulling Mills fluorocarbon though if the fish are thinking about taking the fly you may have to use a finer one to suit...I hope this is of some help to you.. All the very best Davie..
really helpful, Davie - I'll give this a try. As an aside, I want to thank you for uploading your tying videos - they inspired me to have a go, and are still my go to reference on a regular basis. They have been all the instruction I have needed, to go from never having tied a fly 3 years ago, to now fishing with only self-tied flies. It has added a whole new dimension to my enjoyment of the sport. All the best Steven
Hi, Davie, just wanted to know how long have you been tying, I've been at it off and on about 2 yrs. You make it look so easy. I've learned a lot watching your vids. Thanks.
Hi John Fitzhugh, I started tying in 1983 at age 20 and I still enjoy tying as much now as I did when I first started..I'm glad you enjoy the videos and that they have helped you in some way... All the very best Davie
So great. In all the flys the paon feathers are so nice. A incredibul color. Everytime that I look your flys I think YES WAOO.
Davie, your are an inspiration for many of us, Thank You.
Hi Davie,love watching your videos
your top notch at your craft.I usually
buy my flies and tried to source the
coo dung none of the suppliers I use
had it.Decided to bite the bullet and
ordered a vice and materials pack
to have a go at making my own.
Thanks for the inspiration
Aw the best for 2023,David.
Two of my favorite simple but productive flies. Thanks for showing your ties of them.
I remember Charles Jardine first publishing the "Sparkle Gnat," it has lived in my fly box ever since. It is without doubt one of my top five river trout flies and very probably has accounted for more caught fish for me than any other pattern.
Fantastic video Davie!! I didn't realize that the cow ding fly could be tied dry like a griffiths gnat. I'm going to tie some winged wet and wingless dry cow dung flies for the box tonight! Cheers!
Nice flies, I like the idea of adding some crystal flash to the gnats. :)
Exelent great job thanks for sharing
Brilliant tie as usual Davie.
Tied a few of these up yesterday and went fishing today at my local river. Caught 3 small brownies and was really pleased with the flies i had tied as i am only 13. All thanks to you.
Cheers
All the best
Alasdair
Your 23 now 😮
Ah Davie 2 Wet Fly videos in a row.Wonderful,Wonderful.Beautifully efficient work Sir.
Perfect! Thanks so much they have many items I have not been able to find. I also took your advice and found a recipe for the tyers wax. 2parts bow rosin, 1 part beeswax, 1/8 caster oil. But the rosin would probably be equally hard to find so I am glad you sent the link.
Dear DavieMcPhail love your videos looking forvard to seeing you this winter in iceland you are a great fly tyier and ceep on going with the good work
Hello Davie
I hope you are doing well. It is incredible to see how easy you do your flies. Last night I began to do some ones. Here, time for trouts will begin at the end of May, after rain time is over in the highlands and rivers get calm. I want to have a good stock of good flies.
I am just choosing the right patterns that I will do. These ones seem very simple, I will try them.
Warm regards, Jose Antonio
Nice one Davie a simple but effective looking pr,not a pattern i have fished yet but will give them a try this year.thanks for the demo.
You keep me coming back for more, I just can't help myself!
Davie, a great tye! Maybe it's time to make some DVDs. Not only will you benefit, but your children and grandchildren would benefit from DVD sales depending on the intellectual property laws in your country. Thanks, Bill S.
No ive changed my mind and I'm trying on a "partridge vince marinaro midge fly hooks sise 24" and attempt the grifiths midge gnat. You have a difrent tag tail so ill chang myn to me self. Again thanks much for another great tying session.
Nice pattern Davie thanks for sharing.
Great tip's on the gnat I've never incorporated before, thanks much !
You tie a very nice fly
thanks Davie it was over 35 years ago as I said we used to fish it at carsfairn and caught a lot of trout with it it was a big moth imitation
I tie this fly all the time and I always have a few in my box!! This fly floats well and it is a dead ringer for catching Trout in Luxembourg... For sure!!! Great fly, great video!!
Vielen Dank
für all die schönen Bindeanleitungen
Michael
I love the Griffiths Gnat. I tied a few up the other night, they never had the pearl tail though. I have never heard of the Cow Dung fly but I will get some of them tied on Saturday morning. I will need to use a thin golden dubbing as a substitute as I don't own Golden or ginger herl.
Cheers for uploading this.
Great tips on how to use the resin to float the fly. I have used a Bivisible but never have lifted up the fibers to get a better impression on the water. Thanks!
Hi Davie, thanks so much for your commentary on the griffiths Gnat, I had always assumed it was a midge pattern (don't know why) but realising it is a terrestrial makes so much more sense. I have tied them in the past without the pearl flash but never really fished them and they had lsot their place in my fly box but will tie some up with your pattern in the off season.
Good stuff again Davie!Keep up the good work!
another great pattern thanks davie its amazing how a couple little adjustments of a pattern can make it that much better, i guess thats the great thing about tying, i tied a few and some i tried putting the pearl in the front which worked pretty good but didnt make to much difference, thanks again though davie
any time I have ever put a tail on one of these the fish want nothing to do with it. I have tied these in many different colors and different styles, I have even substituted a small Emu feather for the hackle, worked great.
Always excellent, thank you !
I use these videos as a reference library just to refresh my memory of each recipe while topping up my fly box or in this case filling up a new box as a gift to say thank you for favour
The last ones I gave away as gifts where actually requested as payment for work done in our yard by two young lads who cleared away an old Byre for our daughter I used to tie flees for a local angling shop and acquired a reputation for tying Stillwater flies and on Saturday mornings club members formed waiting lines on their way to outings they would have placed orders for specific patterns plus one or two specials that no other club member would have just in case of a blank occurring these specials as they called them seemed to catch fish when all else had failed and of course arguments flared up on the way home about the size of hook used or anything else that could be used in evidence against the winner of the prize that day anyway it turned out that one of the lads found out that I tied flies for his dad many years ago and he wanted some specials for a club outing which I duly tied for him every one was a Davie Mcphail original including a few Clyde style you tied Davie the lad shared a few with his best friend and both had won prizes with them
I would love to take the credit for tying majic flies but I can’t I simply followed your instructions with some help selecting the right colours of materials thanks again Davie the way you tell the story of each fly as you create it even from the fishes point of view how they feed on them that’s the majic Jim
Hi Jim,
I would say that you should take all the credit as it wasn't me that tyed the flies it was you..I loved the story as I have been in a few of them over the years myself though it always ends up with a couple of beers and a laugh or two..I am glad you still enjoy them and thanks for letting me know how they have done for you and your friends..
All the very best Davie
Whenever I fish those small griffiths gnats I have trouble seeing them on the water. Now what I do is add a small upright orange post about midway along the hook, made of yarn, so I can see it easier. And still catches fish too.
On Vancouver Island we had a lot of the yellow flies buzzing around Cow Patties. I haven't seen any since we moved up north then to Alberta. There is a spot on the Crow that might have them, I will have to pay attention! I'm going to have to look next time I go down there! I wonder if a person could tie several on one longer shank?
Gracias por recordarme esta mosca tan fácil de hacer y tan efectiva Linares Chile
Amen, trout dig these flies all summer. Running a dropper midge pupa works well also. I've never tied the cow dung though. Where can I locate some bleached and dyed herl? great video, thanks a million
Very nice
Отличная муха,Хариус от неё с ума сходит,берет жадно.Спасибо!Удачи!
I love your videos. Can I ask what wax you prefer. Thanks
Hi Gareth C,
I have attached a link to a video I made about the wax I use and as well how I prepare it for sticking on the side of my finger ready to be used...I'm glad you enjoy the videos and thank you for the kind words..
All the very best Davie..
ua-cam.com/video/IN4N92G14Xg/v-deo.html
Hello again Davie, I had a friend who complained that the hackle made his flies spin in the water. So what I have started to do for him is to tie the hackle in differently at the front and bring it to the back wide palmer, and then back to the front in between the turns I took on the way back. I thought if the hackle one way made the fly spin, if I put the hackle on both ways it would counter the spin. Much like opposing propellers. Have you ever heard of the fly spinning? All the best, Sean
How did I get to here? Anyway, awesome work!
thanks Davie
Can this fur hook use chenille as a body? Thank you。
Hi puck wang,
Yes you can as long as it's an extra fine version as anything too big would add too much bulk and weight to the fly..
All the very best Davie
could u not put a small amount uv resin on the underside of the body and lift the hackle up towards the top of the fly so that hackle would stay in position or would that make the fly sink? cheers.
Hi Chris,
I've done this with a few flies and it works fine but I prefer to just pull the fibres up when applying a floatant on these flies as this works just as well...
All the very best Davie
+Davie McPhail thanks davie appreciated
awesome
Davie Could u use olive marabou for the body?
Hi Quincy M-e,
Yes I've used marabou on midge patterns which fished really well..
All the very best Davie
DO YOU FIND IT NECESSARY TO TRIM THE FIBERS THAT ARE BELOW THE GAP OF THE HOOK?
Kamasan size 14 its the same that mustad or partridge size 14?
Super!
Hello Davie,
I was watching this tying again tonight and noted you are using Mucilin Silicon cream. Well I knew that from years ago, but often when you mention using floatant, you say, "Gink it up...". Do you find a lot of difference between Mucillin green can and the Gink product? Would you say what differences you find, please?
Mike
Hi Mike,
I am not a fan of Gink to be honest though many are. I have always used Mucilin, I first used the red tin which it originally came in though I have used both and they work fine as I found them to be the same..
All then very best Davie..
@@DavieMcPhail Thank you Davie. I'll try your method of using Mucilin and putting it on a longer time prior to fishing instead of at the stream just before fishing the fly.
Mike
Are the flies wet or dry flies? thanks
Hi Jose Figueroa,
These are dry flies, though pulling them below the surface I'm sure they would still catch...
All the very best Davie
why thit you note twins peacock whit the threed are most stronger with the body
have you ever heard of the chicken fly it was done in the trout & salmon many years ago it resembled the Carsfairn moth ?
Hi James,
I'm sorry I've never heard of the Chicken Fly but I'm sure someone will have, I'll ask around for you and if I come up with a pattern I'll let you know...
All the very best Davie
oops I'm on an iPad so it's hard to type. What I wanted to ask you isi am starting fly fishing and are there any poles that you recommend? Also, what fish would this fly catch?
hi davie magic fly hope to tie a few thanks
💪
is this a scud hook
Hi Mike,
The Kamasan B160 is a short shank wide gape hook which can be used for many flies and could be used for tying scuds..
All the very best Davie
Мушка супер.
I know you have been asked this many times and the answer is Veniard's prepared tyer's wax but are you aware of anything similar that is available in North America? I live in British Columbia Canada specifically and have not been able to find Veniards products anywhere. Alternatively do you know a recipe for tyer's wax? I keep bees and so have plenty of beeswax it just seems a little stiff (even when warm) compared to what you are using.
SmithersWebDev ４０
Hi Davie. Started tying this passed december and have been gathering inspiration from your videos since. Whether it is in mimicking the patterns you tie or using the techniques on others, i find your channel to be a wonderful resource - so thank you for that.
Question, though: What kind of varnish is it you use to finish your flies? I haven't found a video where you mention the name or write it in the recipe. I've heard scentless varnishes are ideal but hard to come by… In your experience, does one or the other affect the productivity of a fly? Thanks in advance, and take care.
Hi Scott Serface,
I have attached a link to the varnish I use which is Veniards clear varnish and is one of the best, another used by many tyers is Hard as Nails and I've attached a link to it as well..I'm glad that you enjoy the videos and that they have helped you with your flies...
All the very best Davie
www.drugstore.com/sally-hansen-hard-as-nails--helps-strengthen-nails-natural-tint/qxp21370
www.veniard.com/product897/section154/no1-cellire
Davie,
what vise are you using? i like how it doesn't take up much room on the hook.
thanks for the great videos.
Steven
Hi Steven,
I use a Law Vise which was made by a gentleman called Lawrence Waldron but unfortunately he longer makes them..If you do a search on the net you should be able to find lots of info on it...
All the very best Davie
Do you bleach your own Peacock Herl? Then the dying is the same as the video you sent me?
Davie, this fly works really well for me, but for some reason it tends to twist the tippet quite a lot, which is very frustrating! - is this something you find? any tips to avoid?
Hi Steven,
When I'm having this problem I would use a stiffer nylon, I like a 9ft tapered leader down to 4lb and then I'll use a stiffer tippet like Fulling Mills fluorocarbon though if the fish are thinking about taking the fly you may have to use a finer one to suit...I hope this is of some help to you..
All the very best Davie..
really helpful, Davie - I'll give this a try.
As an aside, I want to thank you for uploading your tying videos - they inspired me to have a go, and are still my go to reference on a regular basis. They have been all the instruction I have needed, to go from never having tied a fly 3 years ago, to now fishing with only self-tied flies. It has added a whole new dimension to my enjoyment of the sport.
All the best
Steven
Hi, Davie, just wanted to know how long have you been tying, I've been at it off and on about 2 yrs. You make it look so easy. I've learned a lot watching your vids. Thanks.
Hi John Fitzhugh,
I started tying in 1983 at age 20 and I still enjoy tying as much now as I did when I first started..I'm glad you enjoy the videos and that they have helped you in some way...
All the very best Davie
who makes your whip finish tool that you use?
HiPatrick Curtin,
I use a Matarelli Whip Finisher which I would highly recommend....ATB Davie
Suberb
Very nice