A Spey fly tutorial by a master, Brown of Abeerden 24th Jan 1891

Posted on April 17, 2008

This is an article written by Colin (known as scottishtrout from www.classicflytying.com), thanks to him we may learn more about those wonderful Spey flies..

Colin: I’ve been working in London the last few weeks and spent my evenings reading the old Fishing Gazettes (and sipping the odd malt), as some of you may be aware I’ve been researching a book on the tackle makers of Aberdeen (that’s the Scottish one!) for a few years now. Anyway, I was just dozing off with the volume for 1891 when I came accross an article about fishing in Speyside by Mr Marton (the, then, editor of this majestic organ), about half way through I came across the following from Mr. Brown of Aberdeen (well this was in 1891, Mr. Brown died in 1877 so it’s really from Mr Bell the, then, owner of the business) - it pretty much tells you how to tie the generic Spey fly - some of it may come as a surprise to you…

Mr. Brown says:-

“To describe the dressing of a Spey fly generally, and not any pattern in particular, I think the clearest plan would be to follow the tabulated form used in the Badminton volume on “Fishing,” when describing the ordinary standard flies, which would show these particular constructions differ in their in their respective parts from the well known standards. Thus, an ordinary fancy fly, with say a wool or fur body, would have all the parts which are indicated in italics, where as the Spey fly takes only those that are described, viz:-

TAG. – None.
TAIL. – None.
BUTT. – None.
BODY. – Usually consists of common wool mixed or dyed to the shade of colour required, and wrapped round the body tightly. There is no picking out or “furriness” about the body of a Spey fly; and it is begun on the shank in a line with the point of the hook, it has a dumpy disproportionate appearance.
RIBS. – There are invariably three tinsels down the body – a flat, and two threads; one of the threads silver, the other gold (on some patterns these are replaced by coloured silk threads). The flat and one thread is wound round the body in three turns, room being left for the second thread, which is not wound until after the hackle is put on.
HACKLE. – The hackle is perhaps the most distinguishing feature of the Spey fly, and the greatest puzzle both to amateur and professional fly-tiers. It is not, properly speaking a hackle, but it is taken off that part of the cock which might be called the ‘saddle,’ or near the tail. The best feathers hang with a graceful curve from the root of the tail down the side of it, and when the fibres are extended to right angles with the stem, they will be found to be of equal length butt to tip, not tapering as in a hackle. The feather thus described is very soft in fibre, and when dressed on the fly, has a very different appearance to the ordinary cock’s hackle, and a very different effect in the water. Now as the hackle of the Spey fly differs from ordinary hackles, so does the manner of putting it on. The ordinary standard fly has the hackle tied in, or begun, at the small tip or point. The Spey fly has it tied in, or begun, at the butt or thick end of the stem. Having cleaned off the downiest part of the fibre at the butt-end, and left just a little of the gray (as sort of half ‘down,’ half fibre), and having seen that the fibre is log enough to extend about half an inch beyond the bend of the hook – the stem is tied in at the very commencement of the body, along with the tinsels. When the two tinsels – a flat and a thread – have been wound to the right hand, the hackle is taken and wound to the left hand. The tinsel is then wound to the right, parallel with the other two, and across the hackle stem at every turn. When fixed, a needle is required to relieve those fibres of the hackle which may have been tied down by the crossing tinsel. The fly is ready for the..
..THROAT. - which is generally teal, wound in the ordinary fashion.
WINGS. - are generally two double strips of brown mallard, not extending much above the length of the body, and set to permit the natural curve of the feather. The two wings are set quite apart, and are put on separately.
SIDES. – None.
HORNS. – None.
HEAD. – Black silk.

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Lady Caroline

TAIL: Red feathers from golden pheasant.
BODY: Reddish brown wool – with flat silver tinsel, and two threads between, one gold and one silver.
HACKLE: Long grey heron, wrapped round the whole length of the body.
SHOULDER: Two or three turns of the red hackle of the golden pheasant.
WINGS: Mallard: Long and flat.

Carron

BODY: Orange wool; about three or four turns of flat silver tinsel.
HACKLE: Black heron, wound round the whole length of the body.
WING: Mallard; long and flat.

In spring and autumn, when the fly is used of larger size, the body is often made of a greenish yellow wool, instead of the orange; and two or three turns of gallina hackle are added at the shoulder.

Purple king

This very favourite Spey pattern is made as follows:-

BODY. – Light purple wool, ribbed with one flat and two thread tinsels; one gold and one silver
HACKLE. – Brownish black feather from side of cock’s tail, would contrary to tinsels and crossed by one of them.
Teal at shoulder
WING. – Double strips of Mallard, short and set apart to allow hackle to appear between them.

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