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The Simple Sedge
This is another simple pattern to tie, and again, is a very good catcher of fish, especially when there are sedge flies on the water. Tie in sizes 12 to 18, and colours to match the sedge local to you. Get ready for some explosive takes - I've had little wild brown trout actually leaving the water when taking this fly!
If you compare this fly with the F Fly you will notice that the techniques are identical, it is just the winging material that is different - CDC for the F Fly and elk hair for the sedge. Clearly these materials are very different, behave differently to work with and produce two very different flies. But the essential technique is the same.
You can buy all the tools and materials you need to tie this fly here.
Ingredients for the simple sedge
Dry fly hook, size 14. Here we are using a Kamasan B401
Thread colour of your choice - here we are using brown
Dubbing and colour of your choice - here we are using cream seal's fur.
Unbleached elk hair.
If you compare this fly with the F Fly you will notice that the techniques are identical, it is just the winging material that is different - CDC for the F Fly and elk hair for the sedge. Clearly these materials are very different, behave differently to work with and produce two very different flies. But the essential technique is the same.
You can buy all the tools and materials you need to tie this fly here.
Ingredients for the simple sedge
Dry fly hook, size 14. Here we are using a Kamasan B401
Thread colour of your choice - here we are using brown
Dubbing and colour of your choice - here we are using cream seal's fur.
Unbleached elk hair.
1: Wrap the thread in touching turns towards the hook-bend.
2: Form a dubbing rope.
3: Wind the body back towards the hook eye. Leave a little more room than with the F Fly - the elk hair is a much bulkier material and we want to create a bulky, 'chiselled' head.
4: Prepare the elk hair in a hair stacker, and tie on the hook-shank with a few soft wraps. Adjust the elk hair so the tips are just beyond the hook-bend.
Start to increase the pressure on the wraps,securing the wing position with your other fingers, and make five or six tight turns, as tight as you can manage without snapping the thread!
Start to increase the pressure on the wraps,securing the wing position with your other fingers, and make five or six tight turns, as tight as you can manage without snapping the thread!
5: With your best scissors, cut off the hair at a forty-five degree angle, being careful not to cut through your thread.
6: Tie off on top of your winds with a three turn whip finish.
Using a small brush, paint a coat of nail varnish over the cut, angled hair.This will strengthen the fly, and will also increase the tendency to produce a wake when moved in the water, mimicking that produced by the real sedge fly.
7: Go and catch a trout with it.
Next in the series Griffith's Gnat
Using a small brush, paint a coat of nail varnish over the cut, angled hair.This will strengthen the fly, and will also increase the tendency to produce a wake when moved in the water, mimicking that produced by the real sedge fly.
7: Go and catch a trout with it.
Next in the series Griffith's Gnat