Tying grayling bugs is easy

Up until a couple of weeks ago I had never--and had no intention-- of tying my own flies.
But things were about to change.
My good friend Buzz said he was too busy.
What with work and family commitments, he just didn't have the time to knock up some grayling bugs for me.
"Why don't you tie your own" he said. "Its not that hard.
I will point you in the right direction".
I think the real reason for his lack of enthusiasm was a tadge of  jealousy on my success with the "ladies" and thought "sod this I ain't spending all my time sitting on my butt tying flies for him while he is out on the river enjoying himself.
 Let him tie his own" ( Only joking Mark--I just made that bit up )

So it was a message to Toby ( Funkyfly)
Then a next day delivery saw me sitting looking at a mass of bits and bobs.
This lot, hopefully, when put together, would result in something resembling a food item and fool my quarry. I felt that it was going to be a daunting task.

Anyway I sat there fiddling around with the stuff, not really excited about it all--it seemed  just like a chore to me, something I could do without.
"I just want to go fishing" I thought to myself
"I spend enough time sitting on my ass at the computer without having to do this"
After looking at a few clips on YouTube I tentatively started my fly tying career.
"Proportion-Proportion" I was told.
I suppose that meant-don't overload the hook with stuff, keep it down to the minimum.
I was soon wrapping some thread round a hook.
On went a bead,a bit more thread wrapped down to the bend,couple of strands of pheasant tale and a wee bit of squirrel dubbing--my first fly was finished.
"That wasn't too bad" I thought--I quite enjoyed that-must tie some more"
Twenty flies later, all of my own invention, I decided that was it for the day.                                      
The weather looked good for tomorrow. "Lets give them a bash down the Clyde."

 

 

                                                   My first efforts at tying grayling bugs.
                                                   No works of art here.

 

A little black fly caught me a wee grayling, first cast and a burnt orange fly accounted for 2 more grayling one of them hitting the scales at 0.875 kg --I,m going to call it a 2lb'er.

 

Best fish of the day.

 

Was my success due to my new fly tying skill ? Who knows

But I must give some of the credit to my fishing pal for pointing me in the right direction

Thanks Buzz-see you down on the river.