If you only had one fly, what would you choose?

That’s the question I’ve asked of several of my favorite tiers around the Globe. The take up has been very encouraging, so much so I’m going to try and feature a different tier every now and again as long as I keep this blog going. I can promise you that a treat awaits!

The rules are, choose and tie the fly and answer a couple of questions – Thats it! simples.

First up is John Richardson.

John lives in the Village of Fallin, near Stirling in Scotland. His local rivers are the Forth and the Tieth, a stones through away from his home. He fishes both, but tries to fish the Tay as often as time allows and also has plenty of time under his belt on the Naver in the far north of Scotland.

What attracted me to Johns tying was his consistency which obviously comes from long practice and his lightness of touch in producing many, many salmon hair wings. Often with a slight quirk of his own.

His variations on the Franknsnealda phenomenon are many and wonderful, but interestingly not the fly he chose.

John learned his craft from a gentleman called George Flemming who ran a local youth fishing club introducing John and a few others to tying trout flies. Most of his friends weren’t interested but John took to it like a natural and moved to salmon flies quite quickly. As John puts it.. “fishing was in my blood and all my family were great men at it”

I asked John if tying flies was his living, his answer was “I wouldn’t say it was my living, more of a passion and I couldn’t live without it. The flip side is less time for fishing but I enjoy being involved in every aspect of the sport. Its the best pastime about, simple!”

John’s chosen fly is the Tay Raider, a Cascade variant that has done well for him and his friends on their local rivers. The ever popular yellow and orange colors are enhanced here with a peacock tinsel body.

Here it is.. tied by John

Hook.. as you wish

Thread.. Black UTC 70

Silver tag with a glo-brite 5 butt.

Tail is mixed yellow and orange buck tail with a couple of strands of stretched pearl flash.

Body is Uni peacock mylar with a silver rib.

A wing of black fox body fur highlighted with more flash is finished with yellow and orange hen hackle, Jungle Cock and a shiny black head.

John has a few words of advice for new tiers, or any tiers come to that.. “I think good fly-tiers have it in them, and if I was going to say anything to a novice it is, be patient and try not to overdress, as little is very much a lot”

Good advice and damn nice fly John! Thank you.

Paul Slaney

I should really give this up, wrapping bits of fluff on a hook for fun just can’t be normal