A very simple, very old pattern that still works today. Sometime we forget that at once upon a time, flies were often simple and very effective, but we are never happy with one pattern for long, so off we go making it different again and again! Thank you Davie!
The Red Tag & the Partridge & Orange were the 1st Flies I learned to tie & catch Trout on : ) I think back in 1985. Still my go to patterns , especially when fishing new water. I was very blessed to have learned Tying & River craft from the late Don Robinson of Northumberland / Yorkshire. I later learned the February Red, olive Spider, Partridge Quill, Red Hackle Hares Lug, Snipe & Purple, Half Stone, August Dun, & Woodcock & Hares Lug. These are still staples in the Fly box & have Produced well on Trout in the Adirondacks, Grayling in Alaska, & Cutthroat Trout in Montana. Thank you Davie for making these video's, They bring Joy & learning to All who find them !
If I have forced to fishing with ony two dry flies for the rest of my life one of them for sure will be red tag and the other one probably be Adam's. Great patern. Thanks for tying this for us.
Great fly! Caught lots of trout on this fly in tasmania. The pattern is a well know fly down here, also with the dry version when I have used it in faster water or just want it to float all day I tie in a piece of foam under the peacock. The call that in aus a M.O.A.R.T which stands for mother of all red tags!!! Worth tying
lovely Dave. I like the wee tip in the dry version with tying in the hackle and bending it forward. definitely saves on bulk and looks nice. have a cracking Crimbo and if your in the Angling Centre in the next week or so I might pop by for a chat.
same to you Davie. I got the flyting-beginner-set for xmas present as i wanted but the metal piece where u put the hook broke after tying 4 flies :( gotta get a better new better one. Until then, your vids will get me through the evning. Cheers from sweden
Excellent Davie as always, certainly is simple to ty , would the wet red tag go on a team,? maybe the /1st 2nd dropper with something really buoyant on the point or possible the red tag dry on the point so then you would have both dry and wet red tags on there
Hi Stuart, I've fished the wet mostly on the point but it can go anywhere on the cast as it's just a great fly both on the river and lochs..You could use the dry in combination with the wet though I have fished it on it's own both for Grayling and Browns..I'm glad you enjoyed it.. All the very best Davie....
Thanks Davie for the reply will definitely give it go when I am back home ,offshore at the moment ,I was also watching one of your buzzer and F fly videos and you where using Pearshalls Stout floss and I remembered that I have just one reel of that and its very small so I have attempted to find it on the internet and apart from getting in America I am not having much luck,even ebay has come up dry ,any pointers greatly appreciated please and thanks
ohhh yes red tag ,why is it that when the day is almost over ,and all the wonderful flies you have made in the winter time has been in the water, one end up with the red tag on the leader and bag the fish
Thanks for this detailed video :) Is it possible to use thin chenille in stead of the peacock herls, both for the wet and dry fly patterns? If so, any brand recommandation? Take care
Hi Fab OR, A fine or micro suede chenille would make a good body on a fly like this though it would be hard to get one that would suit a dry fly...I have some from Veniards and Wapsi which are fine enough and come in some good natural colours...I hope this is of some help to you.. All the very best Davie..
The Red Tag Wet is one of my favorite flies. I noticed that the herl you used on the dry fly is not the same as you used on the wet fly. Is there a reason why you changed peacock herl for the dry fly? Would it matter at all to use the same herl for both flies?
Hi Terryll Monroe, If it had been the same size as the wet fly then I would have used the same peacock herl but as the dry fly was far smaller then I used the finer peacock herl to keep the fly in proportion though this is up to you as I'm sure it would still catch with a longer fibre.. Al the very best Davie..
As always nice flies. I have been using a gold bead red tag (size 14) for grayling this year on the river Clyde / Avon, it is a cracking fly. I tied a few of the dry fly ones tonight on sizes 18 and 20. Need to keep practising but they will do just now :) When you apply floatant to this fly, do you just apply it to the hackle or do you apply some to the 'red tag' as well? Just trying to get an idea for how is should sit on the water. Cheers Graeme
One question Dave please or anyone does the wire not add weight which means you need more floatant for the dry version, apreciate supports the herl ??. Thx
I think this pattern is meant to lie a bit deeper in the surface. It often stands out to patterns 'standing on the points', due to the fact that fish can take it beter, with ease.
I am just starting to learn to tie flies, and I think I understood the difference between a wet fly and a dry fly to be dry floats, and wet sinks. Is that correct? I was surprised how fast the "bug" hit me, no pun intended. Sean
Hi Colbee, When tying in most hackles you would tye them in the way that suits their natural flow. Hen hackles are tyed in traditionally with the good side or front of the hackle wound towards the eye and for dries it would be wound towards the eye with the underside of the hackle winding towards the eye..This will encourage both styles to fish the way they should be...I hope this makes sense to you... All thievery best Davie
A very simple, very old pattern that still works today.
Sometime we forget that at once upon a time, flies were often simple and very effective, but we are never happy with one pattern for long, so off we go making it different again and again! Thank you Davie!
I like the fact you are adding a fine copper rib to protect the peacock herl! Nice tying!
The Red Tag & the Partridge & Orange were the 1st Flies I learned to tie & catch Trout on : ) I think back in 1985. Still my go to patterns , especially when fishing new water. I was very blessed to have learned Tying & River craft from the late Don Robinson of Northumberland / Yorkshire. I later learned the February Red, olive Spider, Partridge Quill, Red Hackle Hares Lug, Snipe & Purple, Half Stone, August Dun, & Woodcock & Hares Lug. These are still staples in the Fly box & have Produced well on Trout in the Adirondacks, Grayling in Alaska, & Cutthroat Trout in Montana. Thank you Davie for making these video's, They bring Joy & learning to All who find them !
If I have forced to fishing with ony two dry flies for the rest of my life one of them for sure will be red tag and the other one probably be Adam's.
Great patern. Thanks for tying this for us.
Dave McPhail I'm sure it's all been said but ... awesome!
Moc pěkné.😊
Great fly! Caught lots of trout on this fly in tasmania. The pattern is a well know fly down here, also with the dry version when I have used it in faster water or just want it to float all day I tie in a piece of foam under the peacock. The call that in aus a M.O.A.R.T which stands for mother of all red tags!!! Worth tying
lovely Dave. I like the wee tip in the dry version with tying in the hackle and bending it forward. definitely saves on bulk and looks nice.
have a cracking Crimbo and if your in the Angling Centre in the next week or so I might pop by for a chat.
Merci beaucoup Davie.Bonne fin d'année et continues à nous faire découvrir d'autres montages.....Merci
Last time I fished a red tag wet I hooked a snapping turtle in the mouth...he ate it! This is a good pattern!
Never tied or fished one, but it’s next on the vice
Have a wonderful christmas Davie.
All the best,
Alasdair
Nice one, Merry Christmas to you and your family Davie
Yeah
Same to you Davie and keep those flies comming
I use Red Tag for arctic char in Iceland with good result.
Merry xmas and happy new year.
Awesome, I like to tie this with a small double hook, and rib it with gold wire. swing and hold on!
Chris
Have yourself a merry little x-mas :)
& pleeeeze keep up your outstanding work !
same to you Davie. I got the flyting-beginner-set for xmas present as i wanted but the metal piece where u put the hook broke after tying 4 flies :( gotta get a better new better one. Until then, your vids will get me through the evning. Cheers from sweden
Excellent Davie as always, certainly is simple to ty , would the wet red tag go on a team,? maybe the /1st 2nd dropper with something really buoyant on the point or possible the red tag dry on the point so then you would have both dry and wet red tags on there
Hi Stuart,
I've fished the wet mostly on the point but it can go anywhere on the cast as it's just a great fly both on the river and lochs..You could use the dry in combination with the wet though I have fished it on it's own both for Grayling and Browns..I'm glad you enjoyed it..
All the very best Davie....
Thanks Davie for the reply will definitely give it go when I am back home ,offshore at the moment ,I was also watching one of your buzzer and F fly videos and you where using Pearshalls Stout floss and I remembered that I have just one reel of that and its very small so I have attempted to find it on the internet and apart from getting in America I am not having much luck,even ebay has come up dry ,any pointers greatly appreciated please and thanks
ohhh yes red tag ,why is it that when the day is almost over ,and all the wonderful flies you have made in the winter time has been in the water, one end up with the red tag on the leader and bag the fish
Thanks for this detailed video :)
Is it possible to use thin chenille in stead of the peacock herls, both for the wet and dry fly patterns?
If so, any brand recommandation?
Take care
Hi Fab OR,
A fine or micro suede chenille would make a good body on a fly like this though it would be hard to get one that would suit a dry fly...I have some from Veniards and Wapsi which are fine enough and come in some good natural colours...I hope this is of some help to you..
All the very best Davie..
Well, I tried but peacock looks better :)
One more question: which side of the hackle ends up facing the eye of the hook when wrapped?
Cheers
many thanks!
The Red Tag Wet is one of my favorite flies. I noticed that the herl you used on the dry fly is not the same as you used on the wet fly. Is there a reason why you changed peacock herl for the dry fly? Would it matter at all to use the same herl for both flies?
Hi Terryll Monroe,
If it had been the same size as the wet fly then I would have used the same peacock herl but as the dry fly was far smaller then I used the finer peacock herl to keep the fly in proportion though this is up to you as I'm sure it would still catch with a longer fibre..
Al the very best Davie..
As always nice flies. I have been using a gold bead red tag (size 14) for grayling this year on the river Clyde / Avon, it is a cracking fly.
I tied a few of the dry fly ones tonight on sizes 18 and 20. Need to keep practising but they will do just now :) When you apply floatant to this fly, do you just apply it to the hackle or do you apply some to the 'red tag' as well? Just trying to get an idea for how is should sit on the water.
Cheers
Graeme
One question Dave please or anyone does the wire not add weight which means you need more floatant for the dry version, apreciate supports the herl ??. Thx
I think this pattern is meant to lie a bit deeper in the surface. It often stands out to patterns 'standing on the points', due to the fact that fish can take it beter, with ease.
a question dave, howcome is the second fly a dryfly and the first one wet? Dont you use the same materials?
I am just starting to learn to tie flies, and I think I understood the difference between a wet fly and a dry fly to be dry floats, and wet sinks. Is that correct? I was surprised how fast the "bug" hit me, no pun intended.
Sean
Hey Davie,
Why do you sometimes tie in hackle with the "bad side" facing you, or sometimes the good side..?
kind regards
Colbee
Hi Colbee,
When tying in most hackles you would tye them in the way that suits their natural flow. Hen hackles are tyed in traditionally with the good side or front of the hackle wound towards the eye and for dries it would be wound towards the eye with the underside of the hackle winding towards the eye..This will encourage both styles to fish the way they should be...I hope this makes sense to you...
All thievery best Davie
is this fly any good?