thefeatherbender

[thefeatherbender]

Midge Emerger tied Kilnkhamer style

A midge emerger tied Klinkhamer style that can be fished all year round. Tie it in any size from a # 16 down to as small as you can manage in any colour you need. I recommend and mostly fish, gray and black. Hook: Mustad Heritage C49S # 16 & smaller Tying thread: Sheer 14/0 Gray Body: Tying thread Post: Para Post white Rib: Tying thread Hackle: Medium Dun Thorax: Mahogany Super Fine…

[thefeatherbender]

Two Tone Nymph

An unusual attractor nymph, that has a few interesting techniques, that is excellent for searching pocket water. Tie it in any size and colour that you may require. Hook: Mustad Heritage S82AP # 10 Tying thread: UTC Fl. Chartreuse Tail: Pheasant tail Abdomen: UTC Fl. Chartreuse Nymph back: Pheasant Tail Thorax: Golden Olive Stickle dub Legs: Pheasant tail Wing case: Pheasant tail

[thefeatherbender]

Spring Caddis

A pattern for the arrival of the first caddis of the year. A quick almost unsinkable pattern with a little hot spot and a buggy appearance. Spring Caddis pattern recipe Hook: Mustad Heritage R50X # 14 Tying thread: Sheer 14/0 Olive Hot spot: GloBrite Yarn Orange Body: UNI Yarn Green Highlander Hackle/Legs: Deer hair Wing: Two CDC hackles

[thefeatherbender]

Deer Hair Dry

A must have little pattern that can be fished as a dry, wet or even an emerger. With a quill body and a deer hair hackle, this is a very buggy midge that can be fished all year round. How to tie Deer Hair Dry Deer Hair Dry recipe Hook: Mustad Heritage R50X # 12-18 Tying thread: Sheer 14/0 grey Body: Yellow peacock quill Hackle: Fine deer hair

[thefeatherbender]

Snow shoe Caddis Larva

Using the snow shoe dubbing from the previous video, heres a simple but very effective caddis larva made from a single dubbing noodle. Tie them in whatever various weights, sizes and colours that you require. How to tie Snow shoe Caddis Larva Hook: Mustad Heritage C49 # 12 Tying thread: Sheer 14/0 Grey Rib: Mono Shell back: Body stretch Abdomen: Snow shoe dubbing Thorax: Scud dubbing olive

[thefeatherbender]

Make the most of your deer hair

A little deer hair hack for using absolutely everything on your patch of deer hair. Not only do you get more out of each bunch that you cut of deer hair, but it also makes spinning deer hair much easier with better results.

[thefeatherbender]

My new book is now available in USA

It’s arrived! The Feather Benders Advanced Fly Tying Techniques, is now available in USA and UK. In this 2nd volume, I cover 28 patterns with varying techniques, some completely new and some traditional with my own special twist for mastering them. As with the first volume, every pattern and technique is accompanied with a QR code and link to a video demonstrating every single pattern. Get the…

[thefeatherbender]

Perfect quill wing hack

Using this simple home made tool and technique will help you measure and make perfect sized dry fly quill wings. Many fly tyers find it challenging to get perfect upright quill wings for classic dry flies, without them splitting and twisting. Follow these straightforward rules, and you will will succeed every single time!

[thefeatherbender]

Gallo de Leon

Contour feathers  The contour feathers on a bird are those that cover the body and give it it’s streamline profile, including hackles. These feathers are arranged in an overlapping pattern like roof tiles, with the water repellent tips exposed to the elements and the downy bases hidden away close to the body for insolation. The contour feathers can be everything from brilliantly coloured to…

[thefeatherbender]

Snow shoe dun

This follow up video from the snow shoe rabbit foot prep video, shows how to position and measure the wing and tail for a mayfly dun. Also using the snow shoe underfur for dubbing the body. This pattern can be used for just about any medium and large sized mayflies. How to tie Snow shoe dun Snow shoe dun pattern recipe: Hook: Mustad Heritage R43 #123 Tying thread: Sheer 14/0 Grey Wing: Show…

[thefeatherbender]

Snow Shoe Rabbit Foot Prep

In this short, but useful tutorial I’ll show you how I prep snow shoe rabbit and hares feet ready for tying. Using this simple technique, you can get the most out of your feet for wings and dubbing. Snow shoe hare. Sometimes incorrectly referred to as ‘snow shoe rabbit’ the course fur from the hind feet of this North American hare bears some resemblance to seal’s fur in texture and has a similar…

[thefeatherbender]

Adams hair wing dun

If you are looking for a superb all round mayfly dun pattern, that is easy to tie and will work for just about any mayfly hatch, if you match the correct hook size and colour – you need look no further! The hair wing dun series from Rene Harrop includes this classic, the Adams Hairwing Dun. If the Adams and the elk hair caddis got together and had a child it, this would be the result. Two of the…

[thefeatherbender]

Sparkle Mayfly Dun

This is probably the most important and universal mayfly dun that you can have in your box! The Craig Mathews sparkle dun is a no hackle pattern that can be tied in just about any size and colour to match the hatch. The sparkling trailing shuck makes this pattern a stillborn or cripple mayfly, making it easy pickings for feeding trout. How to tie sparkle mayfly dun Sparkle mayfly dun pattern…

[thefeatherbender]

Hard Head Euro Nymph

A very quick and easy tie for a super effective Euro Nymph. If you are looking for an all round jig that works well, you need look no further! This pattern has been especially effective for brown trout, char and grayling . As tied here ‘slim’ it works best in deeper pocket water , but if you are fishing shallower runs tie it with a larger dubbed collar. This will slow it down on the sink. How…

[thefeatherbender]

Pescare fishing show in Rimini

I will be tying and signing books at the huge Pescare fishing show in Rimini Italy 7-9 February 2025. If you are attending please come and say hello. I will be doing demos all day, every day.  54 Dean Street will have my last three books, including my latest for sale, and my special designed hair stackers. If you have any of my previous books and would like them signed, bring them along and I’ll…

[thefeatherbender]

Para weld Mayfly

An absolute must pattern if you are fishing mayfly hatches! Some very different and interesting techniques for this unusual parachute pattern, including my Para weld parachute technique. Once this technique is mastered, it can be used for any size or colour of mayfly that may match your hatch. How to tie Para weld Mayfly Para weld Mayfly recipe Hook: Mustad Heritage R43AP # 12 Tying thread:…

[thefeatherbender]

Book review UK magazine 'Fly Fishing and Fly Tying'

The Feather Bender’s Advanced Flytying TechniquesBy Barry Ord Clarke(Merlin Unwin Books; £30) Second in the Feather Bender series, the Advanced sequel. Nicely produced hardback. Barry Ord Clarke is a professional photographer, so unsurprisingly this is a very well illustrated book. The tying sequences are detailed and clear, materials and techniques are very well illustrated. I’d say this takes…