Red Tag

Dry fly, for trout and grayling. Beginner. Martyn Flynn.

Peacock herl body with a short red wool tag and a brown cock hackle. Fished dry or wet for grayling and trout.

Materials

Steps

  1. Attach thread Attach the thread at 85% of the way along the shank with a few turns and trim the tag end. Leave room behind the eye for the hackle and a small head.
  2. Wrap thread Wrap the thread to the start of the bend in touching turns. Touching turns give a smooth base for the body.
  3. Tie in: red wool Tie in the red wool, leaving the gape sticking out behind.
  4. Tie in: peacock herl Tie in 3 strands of peacock herl with a few firm thread turns. Tie the herl in by the tips.
  5. Wrap thread Wrap the thread to 78% of the way along the shank in touching turns.
  6. Wind: peacock herl Wind the peacock herl forward to 78% of the way along the shank in 10 turns. Touching turns, so the flue stands out and the body looks full.
  7. Tie off: peacock herl Tie off the peacock herl with a few thread turns and trim the excess.
  8. Tie in: red game cock hackle Tie in the red game cock hackle with a few firm thread turns. Shiny side facing forward, stripped stem tied along the shank.
  9. Wrap thread Wrap the thread to 92% of the way along the shank in touching turns.
  10. Wind: red game cock hackle Wind the red game cock hackle forward to 90% of the way along the shank in 4 turns. Each turn in front of the last.
  11. Tie off: red game cock hackle Tie off the red game cock hackle with a few thread turns and trim the excess.
  12. Whip finish Form a small head, whip finish with 5 turns and cut the thread.

History

Usually credited to Martyn Flynn of Worcestershire in the 1850s, who tied it as a dry fly for grayling and called it the Worcestershire Gem; it was also known as the Worcestershire Wonder. It later reached Australia, where it became a standard brown trout fly, above all in Tasmania. The date and originator are repeated widely but rest on secondary accounts.

Fishing it

It suggests nothing in particular; at most, Martin Joergensen thinks, a small beetle. Fish it dry on a dead drift, or let it sink and fish it as a wet fly. Alastair Gowans singles it out as a dry fly for grayling and also lists it among the wet flies for autumn grayling.

Sources