Bored? Why not tie something? Here is a step by step for a Cruncher, a modern reservoir pattern that is a must have when there are hatching buzzers about. A competition anglers favourite and often on my middle dropper. Instructions attached to each photograph. Most of our members should have the basic materials for this fly.
Step 1 Lay down a bed of silk and tie in the wire rib along the length of the hook to create a smooth underbody.
Step 2 Tie in the tail with just a couple of wraps of thread.
Step 3 Wrap the butt ends of the tail fibres to form the body and secure.
Step 4 Wrap the rib in open turns. This rib has been wound in the opposite direction to the body material to make it stand out more and increase durability of the fly. Cut off waste ends
Step 5 Tie in two or three strands of peacock herl and wrap a neat thorax. Avoid handling the part of the herl that is going to be wrapped as it makes for a neater thorax. Secure and remove waste ends
Step 6 Tie in and wrap two full turns of the hackle feather.
Step 7 Form a neat head and whip finish.
Options, This fly is very versatile and can be adapted to cover many different situations. Changing the body colour, the thorax material and the rib are just a few things you can do. Some options are shown here:
Nemo Cruncher:- add a red tinsel or holographic rib. Pull two strands through the hackle to form cheeks
Gold UV Cruncher :- Add a thorax of Gold and black “UV” micro fritz
Silver Tinsel Cruncher:- Silver fritz and a much lighter hackle (Silver doesn’t show up well in the photo, sorry)
Hot spot cruncher:- Red Glo-brite floss as a thorax. This fly caught me a 7lb grown on fish at Bewl a couple of years ago.
2023-24 Fly-Tying Competition
The patterns for the 2023/24 Fly Tying Competition have been published in the Summer issue of Flydresser and are also set out in
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Event Details
2023-24 Fly-Tying Competition
The patterns for the 2023/24 Fly Tying Competition have been published in the Summer issue of Flydresser and are also set out in the Fly-Tying Competition page of this website, together with the full details on how to take part. The competition is open to members of the Guild and caters for varying levels of skill and experience. It’s a good way of building and testing consistency in your tying.
Entries must be received by 5.00 p.m. on Saturday 30 March 2024 at the following address: The General Secretary, The Fly Dressers’ Guild, 2 Briar Close, West Byfleet KT14 6QF.
The John Watts is the FDG’s annual boat fly-fishing competition. Past participants will attest to it being a friendly and enjoyable day, attracting members from a variety of
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Event Details
The John Watts is the FDG’s annual boat fly-fishing competition. Past participants will attest to it being a friendly and enjoyable day, attracting members from a variety of Branches and wide-ranging parts of the UK. Although traditionally an inter-Branch event, it is also open to individual members of the FDG.
The competition is contested by teams of four. Each Branch may enter up to two teams and individual entrants will be placed into pairs or teams of four if feasible. All competitors must be paid up members of the Guild. The competition is fished from boats to fishery rules with certain exceptions. It is fished entirely on a catch and release basis. The tally will be followed by a light buffet and prize giving at the fishing lodge.
Members who would like to enter but are inexperienced boat anglers or are reluctant to fish with a serious comp angler can tick the corresponding box on the entry form and will be paired with a friendly, helpful Guild member.
To take part, entrants will need to complete the entry form and return it with the corresponding payment as soon as possible as per the instructions on the form. Entries are restricted to twenty teams of four and will be accepted on a first come, first served basis. More details on the event, including the entry form and competition rules, are available below.