Blae and Black

[scotfly]

The Blae and Black, a great traditional Scottish wet fly. Fish with confidence anytime, but especially when black buzzers are on the menu. In larger sizes it is also more than useful as a Seatrout fly. Blae is a Scottish word to describe the colour Blue Grey, the colour of the wing, I'm sure most of you knew that though.

Instructions assume right-handed tyers

HOOK ? Traditional Wet Fly #12
THREAD ? Black 8/0
TAIL ? Red Ibis Substitute
RIB ? Fine Flat Silver Tinsel or Oval
BODY ? Black Floss
HACKLE ?Black Hen
WING ?Any ?Blae? coloured wing, I?ve used Jay

STEP 1
              Attach the thread and mount the hackle at the point shown. If you prefer you can tie the hackle in after the body is completed.

STEP 2
             Tie the rib in under the hook shank.

STEP 3
            Tie the tail in on top of the hook shank.

STEP 4
            Tie the floss in at the tail then wrap the thread to the shoulder tying down the butts and tag ends as you go. You should have noticed that when I tied in all the materials I left the butts/tags the same length as the body. By doing this you will have a smooth underbody with no bumps. Also when you tie in the floss wet it first. If you tie it in dry, when it gets wet it will expand and weaken/ loosen the underbody, by wetting it first you are in effect building expansion into the fly.

STEP 5
            Wrap the body to the shoulder and tie off. Follow with the rib and tie off.

STEP 6
           Wrap the hackle, tie off and trim the waste.

Then grip the fibres gently and pull down the sides and take a couple of wraps to hold them there and also to form the base for the wings.

STEP 7
             Tie in your prepared wing slips using the ?pinch and loop? See here for  tying in wings? http://www.wildfisher.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=4490.0

Don?t forget to check the alignment of the wings.

Before whip finishing and varnishing for the completed fly.

[Crawhin]

An old favourite of mine too. Has always caught best for me either with the tippets tail or no tail at all. I also like to use starling for the wings (I thought that this was the original wing material) and a starling hackle slight long, spider style, which gives more movement to the flee. Great early season where there's a bit of mid-day movement on the water.

[Traditionalist]

An old favourite of mine too. Has always caught best for me either with the tippets tail or no tail at all. I also like to use starling for the wings (I thought that this was the original wing material) and a starling hackle slight long, spider style, which gives more movement to the flee. Great early season where there's a bit of mid-day movement on the water.

Can be very good with a golden pheasant crest as a  tail, this is an even better shuck representation than the tippets. A fes strands of clear antron is also excellent. For small flies Starling primary is better than most other feathers.  Hen blackbird works even better on this fly, just like on the Greenwell?s Glory.

TL
MC

[scotfly]

I still think it looks better with the golden pheasant tippets Dennis :wink:
Great flee for anybody that's never tried or tied it.
Cheers

Ardbeg

And I still say red tail!!  :lol: :lol:

An old favourite of mine too. Has always caught best for me either with the tippets tail or no tail at all. I also like to use starling for the wings (I thought that this was the original wing material) and a starling hackle slight long, spider style, which gives more movement to the flee. Great early season where there's a bit of mid-day movement on the water.

With most of my traditional flys that call for a blae wing, I usually use whatever wing comes to hand first. I've yet to find a trout that knows the difference between a Jay, mallard, teal or whatever other blae wing I have handy.

[scotfly]

Something like this you mean 

A little play I've been having, combining Roy Christies reverse style flys with Ian Moutters Paraloop hackle and adding an extended shuck.
Roll on Mayfly time 

[Wildfisher]

I prefer the red tail myself. Red / black and silver – deadly combination.

[haresear]

Re the tail. I'm with none of you  and don't use a tail (nor a rib).

Alex

[Wildfisher]

Re the tail. I'm with none of you  and don't use a tail (nor a rib).

Does that not make it a black gnat? 

[haresear]

Probably, along with a plethora of other names.


Alex

[Ian_M]

I think the blae & black with red tail (plus optional jungle cock cheeks) is called a Colonel Dowman.