A tip worth the weight!
As I was tying a batch of north country spiders that had wire ribs the other day the following came to me – and although this may be well known by some of you and written about elsewhere I though it was worth of passing on because I have not heard it mentioned before, and, in the words of Blackadder, this idea is so cunning you could pin a tail on it and call it a fox.
It is easy to spot weighted flies that have bead heads or super heavy lead underbodies (such as Czech nymphs) – however if you tie patterns that can be both unweighted and also moderately weighted with an underbody of wire then it is difficult, if not impossible to tell them apart when you look in your fly box on the bankside. As depth is one of the critical factors in catching fish how can you then select the correctly weighted version of a fly?
Well I now use the following rule. If one of my flies is tied unweighted then the rib is tied in clockwise – so if you look at the body of the fly it will look like this
=/=/=/=/
However if you have put a weighted underbody on the fly then the rib is tied in anticlockwise and the body of the fly will look like this.
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This is from my perspective as a right hander but of course if you’re left handed it will be the other way around.
Now at a quick glance it is simple to see which is the heavier fly and appropriate for getting down to the correct feeding depth of the fish.
A tip to help create folded wings
This year’s FDG competition fly is the Teal Blue and Silver which requires a folded teal flank wing. Now if you are anything like me this requires at least one extra pair of hands and even with more hands than an octopus the folding process still misaligns all the tips of feather barbs! I learnt about the following tip/technique to help overcome this problem and whilst I apologise about the quality of the photos (I’m not a photographer) I think they should give enough of an indication about the process being described.
1 Cut the fibres from a teal flank as per normal for a folded wing (three times wider than the final width of wing needed).
2. Lay the fibres down, with the outside (best surface) face down on a piece of sponge or foam (the soft stuff normally discarded from packaging is perfect).
3. Take a dubbing needle and press down on the feather one third of the way down its width. The foam will compress and the feather will crease naturally bringing one third of the feather on top of the rest.
4. Use your finger to flatten the feather.
5. Repeat the process with the dubbing needle on the edge of the unfolded third of the feather.
6. The feather has now been folded into thirds with neat creases and no movemenet of the tips of the feather. Pick up carefully and tie in the folded teal flank wing.
Hanging by a thread
A selection of threads to get you started using the chart!
Thread, silk, cotton whatever you call it, it is probably the most important part of a fly other than the hook. Have you ever experimented with different threads early in your fly tying career leading you to choose a favourite thread? I certainly did. Human nature being what it is means we often stick with that same thread through thick and thin and only changing it when we can’t get it anymore. Well I started to wonder what those other threads were like, of course my favourite thread got jealous and we had a bit of an argument along the lines ‘how could you leave me after so long’ which was quickly resolved when I was only doing this in the name of science and the fly dressers guild.
Therefore for those with an enquiring mind but don’t want to upset ‘the thread indoors’ do you ever wonder how the different threads compare against each other? What does 70 denier mean and is this the same as 8/0. Does 8/0 thread break with 2lb of pull or 2ozs?
Well I decided to try and pull together a definitive chart. I hope that I have got all of your favourites in here – if not send me details and I’ll add them to the chart. It is not complete, by any stretch of the imagination but it’ll do for now and I’ll add extras if anyone wants to send me a spool of thread to test. I have tried to get the manufacturer specifications for each of the threads and where there are gaps either the manufacturer doesn’t know or isn’t saying! One other thing I also need to point out is that Gudebrod has stopped making fly tying threads and only a few suppliers in the US and UK still sell this – but seeing it is still found in some fly tyers boxes I’ve put it in.
If we are going to make any sense of the comparison table we are going to have to go back to basics with the fundamental questions of what does those strange symbols and language mean on a spool of thread? Well basically they are a notation for the fineness or sheerness of the thread.
The first attempt at some sort of thread notation was the ‘naught’ scale. This was based on a system where the number 0 or "naught" was the base point (i.e. the company standard) and as the thread became smaller additional zeros were added indicating that the thread was finer. As an example, a thread with six zeros (000000) translated to a 6/0 thread. As other manufacturers appeared they followed the same system however each company had a different standard for its base point. As more brands became available, the accuracy of the "naught” became pointless unless comparing within the same company. Now it is often I say this but thank goodness for the French as they ‘invented’ the Denier scale.
For those who didn’t know Denier is a measure of the fineness/sheerness of thread. It is based on the number of grams per 9000 metres. Therefore a 70 denier thread weighs 70 grams. Therefore the finest thread has the smallest number.
Of course it couldn’t stay this simple. The international drive for decimalisation and the use of SI units (mm, km, kg instead of inches, miles and pounds) created the Decitex, which is the weight in grams per 10,000 metres and is the officially adopted unit of thread fineness (NB of course it has been adopted by the EU which means that nobody actually uses it but it is here in my table just for completeness).
There is a correlation between denier and breaking strength of nylon and polyester thread. The smaller the denier numbers the lower breaking strain sounds obvious and of course it is – however when you get onto comparing Kevlar and GSP (Gel Spun Polypropylene) threads they are much stronger than their equivalent nylon of polyester threads therefore they can have a higher breaking strain for the same denier.
Fineness or breaking strain of a thread is not the end of the matter, there are other issues such as can the thread be split for dubbing loops?, does the thread lie flat if twisted against the roll of the individual fibres?, how slippery is the thread? and does it grip all materials well? The list goes on – but basically you will need to try the threads to find the ones you like and suits your tying style (just like choosing a rod to match your casting style). Hopefully this table will point you in the right direction to start trying other threads. Good luck if you do!
| Thread Brand | Aught Size (X/0) | Denier | Decitex | Breaking Strength (oz) | Thickness (.000) | Material |
| Danville Flat Waxed Nylon | N/A | 210 | 233 | 46 | 2 | Nylon multifilament |
| Danville Fly Master Plus 140 | N/A | 140 | 156 | 32 | 1.8 | Nylon multifilament |
| Danville Fly Master Plus 210 | N/A | 210 | 233 | 48 | 2.8 | Nylon multifilament |
| Danville Flymaster | 6/0 | 70 | 78 | 11 | 1.5 | Nylon multifilament |
| Danville Nylon 3/0 Monocord | 3/0 | 116 | 129 | 26 | 2.6 | Polyester |
| Danville Spiderweb | N/A | 30 | 33 | 5 | 2 | Nylon monofilament |
| Euro Thread | 12/0 | 45 | 50 | 15 | 1.3 | Polyester |
| Giorgio Benecchi Fine | 8/0 | 150 | 167 | 29 | 2.2 | Polyester |
| Giorgio Benecchi Fluorescent Thread | 4/0 | ? | ? | ? | ? | Polyester |
| Giorgio Benecchi Ghost | N/A | 60 | 67 | 11 | 3 | Nylon monofilament |
| Giorgio Benecchi Strong Medium Thread | 6/0 | ? | ? | ? | ? | Polyester |
| Giorgio Benecchi Super Strong | 10/0 | 50 | 56 | 38 | 1.3 | Gel Spun Polypropylene (GSP) |
| Giorgio Benecchi Superfine | 10/0 | 120 | 133 | 22 | 2 | Polyester |
| Giorgio Benecchi Ultrafine | 12/0 | 70 | 78 | 15 | 1.9 | Polyester |
| Gordon Griffiths (Veniards) Cobweb | N/A | 134 | 149 | 67 | 4.1 | Polyester |
| Gordon Griffiths (Veniards) Shear | 14/0 | 72 | 80 | 10 | 1.8 | Polyester |
| Gordon Griffiths (Veniards) Wisp | 8/0 | 108 | 120 | 15 | 2.2 | Polyester |
| Gudebrod | 10/0 | 50 | 56 | 43 | 4 | Nylon monofilament |
| Gudebrod | 10/0 | 45 | 50 | 9 | 1 | Polyester |
| Gudebrod | 3/0 | 176 | 196 | 38 | 4 | Polyester |
| Gudebrod | 6/0 | 143 | 159 | 43 | 6 | Nylon monofilament |
| Gudebrod | 8/0 | 67 | 74 | 15 | 1.8 | Polyester |
| Gudebrod G | N/A | 210 | 233 | 55 | 7 | Nylon monofilament |
| Gudebrod G | N/A | 330 | 367 | 59 | 3.5 | Polyester |
| Gudebrod GX1 | N/A | 70 | 78 | 89 | 1 | Gel Spun Polypropylene (GSP) |
| Gudebrod GX2 | N/A | 130 | 144 | 112 | 2 | Gel Spun Polypropylene (GSP) |
| Gudebrod Kevlar | 3/0 | 115 | 128 | ? | 3.5 | Kevlar |
| Gudebrod Nylon D | 6/0 | 143 | 159 | 31 | 2.3 | Polyester |
| Lagartun X Strong | N/A | 75 | 83 | 16 | 1.2 | Polyester |
| Lagartun X Strong | N/A | 95 | 106 | 17 | 1.4 | Polyester |
| Lagartun X Strong | N/A | 150 | 167 | 32 | 1.9 | Polyester |
| Lagartun XX Strong | N/A | 50 | 56 | ? | ? | Gel Spun Polypropylene (GSP) |
| Lagartun XX Strong | N/A | 75 | 83 | ? | ? | Gel Spun Polypropylene (GSP) |
| Lagartun XX Strong | N/A | 100 | 111 | ? | ? | Gel Spun Polypropylene (GSP) |
| Lagartun XX Strong | N/A | 130 | 144 | ? | ? | Gel Spun Polypropylene (GSP) |
| Marc Petitjean Split Second Thread | 8/0 | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| Pearsall's Gossamer Tying Silk | 6/0 | N/A | N/A | ? | ? | Natural Bombyx Silk |
| Pearsall's Marabou Floss Body Silk | ? | N/A | N/A | ? | ? | Natural Bombyx Silk |
| Pearsall's Naples Silk | 4/0 | N/A | N/A | ? | ? | Natural Bombyx Silk |
| Pearsall's Stout Floss Body Silk | ? | N/A | N/A | ? | ? | Natural Bombyx Silk |
| Roman Moser Power Silk | 6/0 | 110 | 122 | 72 | 1.3 | Gel Spun Polypropylene (GSP) |
| Roman Moser Power Silk | 8/0 | 55 | 61 | 38 | 1.3 | Gel Spun Polypropylene (GSP) |
| Sparton Fluorescent | N/A | 162 | 180 | 32 | ? | Polyester |
| Sparton Macro | N/A | 225 | 250 | 48 | ? | Polyester |
| Sparton Micro | N/A | 72 | 80 | 20 | ? | Polyester |
| Sparton Professional | N/A | 135 | 150 | 35 | ? | Polyester |
| UNI Big Fly Thread | N/A | 400 | 444 | 100 | 3.5 | Polyester |
| UNI Caenis | 34/0 | 20 | 22 | 3 | 1.7 | Nylon monofilament |
| UNI Cord 12/0 GSP | 12/0 | 50 | 56 | 39 | 0.9 | Gel Spun Polypropylene (GSP) |
| UNI Cord 7/0 GSP | 7/0 | 100 | 111 | 89 | 1.4 | Gel Spun Polypropylene (GSP) |
| UNI Cord 8/0 GSP | 8/0 | 75 | 83 | 68 | ? | Gel Spun Polypropylene (GSP) |
| UNI Flexx | N/A | 1620 | 1800 | ? | ? | Spandex |
| UNI Floss | N/A | 600 | 667 | 44 | ? | Polyester |
| UNI Kevlar | N/A | 200 | 222 | 134 | ? | Kevlar |
| UNI Micro Tinsel 3/0 | 6/0 | 215 | 239 | 44 | ? | Tinsel |
| UNI Micro Tinsel 6/0 | 3/0 | 135 | 150 | 17 | ? | Tinsel |
| UNI Mono Thread Fine | N/A | ? | ? | 22 | 4 | Nylon monofilament |
| UNI Mono Thread Medium | N/A | ? | ? | 59 | 6 | Nylon monofilament |
| UNI Nylon 210 | N/A | 210 | 233 | 53 | 2 | Nylon multifilament |
| UNI Nylon 70 | N/A | 70 | 78 | 15 | ? | Nylon multifilament |
| UNI Stretch | N/A | 270 | 300 | 53 | ? | Polyester |
| UNI Thread 1/0 Neon Fluorescent | 1/0 | 234 | 260 | 35 | ? | Polyester |
| UNI Thread 3/0 | 3/0 | 220 | 244 | 32 | ? | Polyester |
| UNI Thread 6/0 | 6/0 | 130 | 144 | 29 | 2.9 | Nylon multifilament |
| UNI Thread 8/0 | 8/0 | 72 | 80 | 15 | 2 | Polyester |
| UNI Thread A+ | N/A | 315 | 350 | 48 | ? | Polyester |
| UNI Trico 17/0 | 17/0 | 40 | 44 | 5 | 2 | Polyester |
| UNI Yarn | N/A | 436 | 484 | 34 | ? | Polyester |
| Virtual Nymph Dyneema | 12/0 | ? | ? | 96 | ? | ? |
| WAPSI GSP 100 | N/A | 100 | 111 | 111 | 1.2 | Gel Spun Polypropylene (GSP) |
| WAPSI GSP 50 | N/A | 50 | 56 | 37 | 0.8 | Gel Spun Polypropylene (GSP) |
| WAPSI UTC 140 | N/A | 140 | 156 | 44 | 1.6 | Nylon multifilament |
| WAPSI UTC 210 | N/A | 210 | 233 | 53 | 3.2 | Nylon multifilament |
| WAPSI UTC 280 | N/A | 280 | 311 | 62 | 2.7 | Nylon multifilament |
| WAPSI UTC 70 | N/A | 70 | 78 | 13 | 1.1 | Nylon multifilament |
It’s Not Unusual
Sometimes a fly pattern just looks right when we see it for the first time. We just know that it will catch fish. Most of us are well aware of the majority of patterns and their variants so being shocked seeing a pattern for the first time and getting the urge to give it a swim as soon as possible is quite unusual or so I thought.
I was idly tying at the vice and browsing the web for some background noise/inspiration when I came across a Rex Hunt video (yes that annoying antipodean, a bit like an Aussie John Wilson, who keeps saying Yibbada and kissing fish). He was fly fishing for brownies on a lake near Ballarat. He was using an imitative pattern – attempting to copy the mayfly larva and stick caddies that abounded in the shallows – therefore with my UK thinking cap on I was expecting the fly to be a GRHE or a PTN – but imagine my surprise when the fly was called a ‘Tom Jones’.
A Tom Jones? I’d never heard of this fly but it was really getting among those wild fish and I had to find out more. I was expecting it to be just a variant of a well established fly but imagine my surprise when it turned out to be the most ‘killer’ fly I had seen in a long while.
The Tom Jones must be a Welsh fly – right? Wrong! It is as Aussie as Fosters and it has a very long history in its native Australia. It was developed in 1971/2 by a English ex-pat called John Lanchester who was a member of the Southern Fly Fishers. His original pattern was tied to represent Redfin fry (or Perch fry as we know them in the UK) that infested the big hole below the wall of Cairn Curran Reservoir in the State of Victoria. Since then it has become THE benchmark by which all other flies on the Victorian stillwaters are judged – so much so that G.E.P. Rowney, in his book, "Pursuit of Fly Tying", calls the fly one of the most successful flies in the book!
The Tom Jones fly is equally at home tempting fry feeders or as a searching pattern on rivers and stillwaters. It seems to be one of those wonder flies because it has a slim profile, subtle colours, and yet its fuzzy outline make it an imitator of nothing specific but seems to be a little like everything. When viewed from a fishy perspective it seems to imitate scuds (freshwater shrimp), damsels, stick caddis etc.
The fly is so good that in the 1999 World Championship in Victoria the guide to the French team, Luke Despoja, introduced it to them and using Luke's own version in the lake sessions, they won second place in the event!
It has many modern variants with and without bead heads as there are fishermen (rather like the GHRE) but the following are the John Lanchester original dressing (as best as I can track it down) and the most popular modern version that can be found in most Australian’s wet fly boxes. I have also added in my version using a substitute for the impossible to source kangaroo/wallaby fur , that is unless someone out there has some of Skippy they would be willing to part with!
Tom Jones (John Lanchester’s Original)
Hook: Longshank 8 or 10
Thread: Black
Tag: Red Floss
Tail: Black Squirrel (plus 6 or so fibres of red cock hackle if rainbows were the quarry)
Body: Olive Green Rayon Chenille
Wing: Olive Green Kangaroo fur
Rib: Gold Lurex
My version of John Lanchester’s Original Tom Jones
Tom Jones (Australian Modern Variant)
Hook: Longshank 8 – 16
Thread: Black
Tail: Black Squirrel
Body: Olive Kangaroo, Wallaby or Rabbit Dubbing
Wing: Tuft of Olive Green Kangaroo, Wallaby or Rabbit Fur
Rib: Copper Wire
A Modern Tom Jones tied and photographed by Antony Boliancu
A Modern Tom Jones tied by John Lanchester and photographed by Philip Bailey
Tom Jones (My Variant)
Hook: Longshank Barbless8 – 16 (size 14 Partridge Flashpoint Dry used in the photo)
Thread: Black
Tail: Black Squirrel
Body: Olive Rabbit Dubbing
Wing: Tufts of Natural Mature Seal’s Fur drawn between thumbnail and forefinger to curl the hair.
Rib: Copper Wire
My version of a Tom Jones
Tying Sequence
1. Tie in the black squirrel tail.
2. Tie in the copper wire
3. Start the dubbing
4. Wind up the body to about half way along the hook shank.
5. Wind in the rib to the same point.
6. Tie in the first wing of seal’s fur. The wing should be sparse
7. Wind in the second half of the dubbing
8. Wind in the rib to the same point. Tie off the the dubbing and wire rib and cut off.
9. Tie in a second wing of wallaby fur, again sparsely, leaving enough space for the head.
10. Form the head with the tying thread. Varnish the head.
