Hook - Size 10 -14 short shank.

Body - Back and head - Black foam.

Legs and feelers - Black cock hackles.

Thread - Black.  

 

Tying notes.

Catch well waxed thread in behind eye and run down to a point above barb in touching turns then back up to eye in open turns . Take a strip of black foam 4mm wide by 3mm deep with a point cut on it and catch in 4mm behind eye, take thread down hook in open turns to form 3 or 4 segmentations in foam to point above barb, now catch in a black cock hackle (doesn't matter about length) and run thread back to point behind eye in open turns, still keeping thread waxed. Now wind hackle towards eye in open turns following thread and wind a couple of turns together before tying off 4mm behind eye. Now fold foam over back being careful not to pull to tight at the same time forcing cock hackles down to form legs and tie off, don't cut foam yet. Now form a small loop of foam above eye and catch in 4mm behind eye to form head of beetle and whip finish. The remaining foam should be pointing straight up in the air trim this off flush with body. Trim hackles just short of gape af hook leaving a few long ones pointing forward to form feelers. The idea of the well waxed thread is to stop the body sliding forward when you bring the foam back over to eye.

 

 Fishing notes.

The natural beetle sits right in the surface film and is hard to see, so when fish are rising but you can't see any flies coming off the water they are probably on beetles (have a look in margins). Cast one of these out and hang on.                                                                

                                                                                                      Tight lines ... Terry

 

Blae and Black

Hook - size 14-16 wet fly ( kamasan B170 )

Thread - Black

Tail - Golden pheasant tippet

Rib - Fine oval silver tinsel

Body - Black floss or tying thread

Hackle - Black hen hackle

Wing - Starling grey primary feather

Tying notes.

                                  

Catch tying thread behind eye and run down hook to a point opposite the barb and catch in a few strands of golden pheasant tippet for tail.take three inches of oval tinsel and catch in at same point as tail.Using touching turns of thread take thread back behind eye covering waste ends of tippet and tinsel on way , trim off waste ends of tippet and tinsel. Catch in  four inch of black floss and wind evenly towards tail ensuring that it flattens , creating a smooth effect , then work back up to its catching in point. Catch in loose end of floss and remove. Next take tinsel and wind three or four turns towards eye and catch off UNDERNEATH hook. Select a black hen hackle and prepare by stroking fibres away from tip and catch in by tip, trim waste end. Take hold of hackle by its base and wind three full turns , secure loose end of hackle UNDERNEATH hook and trim waste end before stroking the fibres so that they sit beneath and to the sides of the body. Now select two slips of starling primary feather taken from either side of a matching pair of feathers place them together so their tips are in line and position them on top of the hook with two loose turns of tying thread between thumb and fore finger and draw tight still holding wing in position.When the wing is positioned perfectly upright ,secure with tight thread turns ,trim off waste and finish with a neat head.             

Using floss for the body is the traditional way to tie this fly so i have included it but for my fishing flies i use tying thread as its not as bulky ,both ways catch fish.

 I secure loose ends of tinsel and hackle underneath hook to keep a level base for mounting the wing which helps keep it in line .

                                         

Fishing notes.

The Blae and Black ( Blae refers to the blue-grey colour of its wing ) makes a great imitation of a black midge. This pattern works for me in anything from a small ripple to a good wave cast out 45 degrees to shore with a side ways wind , letting it arc round with hardly any retrieve ,just keeping in touch with fly and watching fly line. Takes are usually solid pulls ( no long tails to nip ).       

 

                      Tight lines ... Terry