Lead Wing Coachman - step by step
- Details
- Published on Thursday, 02 August 2012 06:45
- Written by Dennis Shaw
The Coachman, an old classic pattern worthy of a wetting. Normally associated with Sedge fishing but, I think, worth a try anytime. Like most patterns it is subject to many variations, in fact, probably more than most. The most famous one being the Royal Coachman, introduced by American John Haily. The one I have chosen to demonstrate here is the Leadwing Coachman. It differs from the standard Coachman in that it has a dark wing.
Instructions assume right-handed tyers
Materials list
HOOK – Wet fly 10-16
THREAD – Black 6/0
TAG – Flat Gold Tinsel
BODY – Peacock Herl
HACKLE – Brown Hen
WING – Grey Mallard
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STEP 1 Attach the thread, take 6-9 thread wraps and tie in the hackle. |
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STEP 2 Continue wrapping toward the hook bend, catching the tinsel for the tag in as you go, I like to go slightly round the bend with the thread. Then wrap back to the position shown. |
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STEP 3 Wrap the tinsel in touching turns to form the tag and tie off. |
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STEP 4 Catch in two strands of Peacock Herl for the body. Wrap the thread to the shoulder of the fly. |
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STEP 5 Twist the Herl into a rope and wrap to form the body. Tie off and trim waste. |
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STEP 7 Using your index finger and thumb pull the hackle fibres down and the secure in this position with two or three thread wraps. |
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STEP 8 Prepare your wing slips for tying in. Hold the paired slips in your right hand and judge for length. |
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STEP 9 Then transfer the grip to your left hand. |
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STEP 10 Then tie in with the “pinch and loop” |
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STEP 11 Trim the butts of the wing and whip finish. Don’t forget to check the wing is parallel with the hook, if it isn’t the fly will not swim correctly. |
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STEP 12 Varnish for the completed fly. |
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Just a few of the many variations of the Coachman. |
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Dennis Shaw was born into a fanatical fishing family at Dalbeattie in Southwest Scotland. He graduated from the local "Barr Burn", with the proverbial cane, wool and bent pin for eels, to fishing the local rivers and lochs. Now married with a son and daughter and fishing the chalkstreams of Southern England, Dennis is always yearning for "home". He has been tying flies for over 35 years yet still learns something new every day.