The Wild Fishing Forum

That venerable old fly the Wickhams Fancy is about as versatile as it gets. There?s a wingless version, a wet version and this one, the dry version. All are good, proven, fish catchers.
I?ve used metal tinsel for the body here because I prefer the colour of metallic tinsels better, they have a duller more subtle glint to them, and if they?re tarnished a little, so much the better, IMO.
For the wing I?ve used Teal wings, with the paler underside to the outside. You could though use any similar ?blae? feather.

Instructions assume right-handed tyers.

HOOK ? Kamasan B170 #14
THREAD ? Black 8/0
WINGS ? Teal Wing
BODY HACKLE ? Red Game Cock
TAIL ? Red Game Hackle Fibres
RIB ? Fine Gold Wire
BODY ? Flat Gold Tinsel
HEAD HACKLE ? Red Game

STEP 1
Attach the thread and lay a base of thread, return the thread to the tie in point for the wings.

(http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g8/scotfly/flies/Dry-WF.jpg)

STEP 2
Select your wing slips, measure for length and tie in.

(http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g8/scotfly/flies/Dry-WF-1.jpg)

After securing lift the wings and make a few thread wraps in front (to the right) of them to lift them into the upright position.
You can if you wish make a figure of eight wrap between the wings to split them slightly, but I use a different technique which you?ll see at a later step.

(http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g8/scotfly/flies/Dry-WF-3.jpg)

STEP 3
Trim the butts, then tie in the body hackle. The body hackle should be a little shorter in fibre length than the head hackle which will be tied in later.

(http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g8/scotfly/flies/Dry-WF-4.jpg)

STEP 4
Tie in the rib

(http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g8/scotfly/flies/Dry-WF-5.jpg)

STEP 5
Tie in the tail fibres.

(http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g8/scotfly/flies/Dry-WF-6.jpg)

STEP 6
Tie in the flat tinsel for the body.

(http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g8/scotfly/flies/Dry-WF-7.jpg)

Then wrap to form the body. Take the tinsel one turn past the hackle and tie off.

(http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g8/scotfly/flies/Dry-WF-8.jpg)

STEP 7
Wrap the hackle down the body in even turns.

(http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g8/scotfly/flies/Dry-WF-9.jpg)

STEP 8
Catch in the hackle tip with the wire, then rib through the hackle and tie off.

(http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g8/scotfly/flies/Dry-WF-10.jpg)

STEP 9
Tie in the head hackle.

(http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g8/scotfly/flies/Dry-WF-11.jpg)


I tie the hackle in on top of the shank and take the stem between the wing slips to split them.

(http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g8/scotfly/flies/Dry-WF-12.jpg)

Trim the waste stem.

(http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g8/scotfly/flies/Dry-WF-13.jpg)

STEP 10
Wrap the hackle through to the head and tie off.

(http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g8/scotfly/flies/Dry-WF-14.jpg)

STEP 11
Trim the waste, form a neat head, whipfinish and varnish for the completed fly.

(http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g8/scotfly/flies/Dry-WF-15.jpg)

(http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g8/scotfly/flies/Dry-WF-16.jpg)

(http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g8/scotfly/flies/Dry-WF-17.jpg)