video - Usk Naylor

[Hans Weilenmann]

The Usk Naylor is an early season pattern, originated on the river Usk in Wales. The pattern is best fished on a slow swing.



Usk Naylor
Hook: Kamasan B175 #12-14
Thread: Pearsall's Gossamer #8 (purple)
Hackle: Andalusian Blue hen (or dark dun)
Tail: Bronze mallard barbs
Tag: Tying silk
Rib: Wire, fine gold
Body: Bronze mallard barbs

Video here - please view in HD, if able:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtcAg_TyiCE

Cheers,
Hans W

[Mataura mayfly]

When I first saw the photograph, I though "Hans has mistakenly named the tail bronze Mallard when it is Pheasant tail barbs", very nicely marked bronze Mallard Sir (cannot be any of mine! ) Second, I had to watch the video to see how the heck the tail and body could be the same material and yet appear so different in the photo. Poor fool me! Not only the same material- it is the same barbs!

Very interesting fly Hans,certainly fooled me, but very clever use of same materials to gain different results.
What type of wire was that? It appears a little in the video like it is a flattened or twisted wire?

[Kelly L.]

Gorgeous fly. I LOVE IT.

[Hans Weilenmann]

What type of wire was that? It appears a little in the video like it is a flattened or twisted wire?

Well spotted, Jeff. The wire is old Veniard stock. While it started out round, it has 1mm flattened sections, all along its length. As these flats are not aligned the result is a fine wire with added sparkle, as light reflects at different angles.

Cheers,
Hans W

[Mataura mayfly]

That light reflection was what caught my eye.
What a neat idea. Obviously it was too expensive to manufacture or the new synthetics replaced it with the same kind of glitz but with less weight.

[Hans Weilenmann]

That light reflection was what caught my eye.
What a neat idea. Obviously it was too expensive to manufacture or the new synthetics replaced it with the same kind of glitz but with less weight.

Jeff, here is a close-up of the wire in question:



Cheers,
Hans W

[CreationBear]

Lovely tie--and the Andalusian Blue is a real revelation, hackle-wise.