Easthope Flies

05/04/2026

Sometimes it’s the simple ties…. Just a body, tail and wing on this, the possibility to lay so many different ways on the water just by chance, attention to detail isn’t always needed
The postless parachute is perfect for representing a wing, it splays the fibres but maintains an overall natural shape, carp hooks for strength and we’ve got a guide fly! Quick to tie, strong and effective to fish!

22/03/2026

When it comes to emergers the tendency is to tie in every feature like a jackpot for the trigger happy fish … this is not how it works and what I have found is it confuses the fish! and they either poke at it inquisitively or refuse it.
Stage one
just a nymph making contact with the surface film everything is sub surface bar the foam thorax cover that hold the position
Stage two
The nymph frees its legs and they go top side, no longer visible under the water but the dimpled impressions of the parachute hackle tell the fish that this is what has happened.
Stage three
the body is removed from the shuck, the shuck starts to look empty and shadows are cast on the surface as the majority of the fly is now top side, wings are not present but it’s the legs that hold everything up
Stage four,
for the transformation process to be complete the fly has to pump blood into the veins of the wings, until this happens the wings are not strong enough, and sit like an empty tent canvas on the ground without any beams giving it structure, the shuck is no longer attached and will start to separate away
I carry all of these stages and often one will outfish the others but all will look natural, vulnerable and tempting to the fish feeding on emergers and will inevitably induce takes

18/03/2026

A little experiment using cling wing for something it wasn’t designed for, sub surface flies, the result is awesome, it’s begging for a sparce postless parachute on this particular pattern to suggest a fly that is just about to emerge, but even deeper down the fish are bound to recognise it as natural food

07/03/2026

Fly of choice at my two favourite reservoirs at the start of the season, size 16 grip nymph 12413BL. filled a whole box of these and now filling the stock box, yep you’re in the team!

01/03/2026

Okay, so spent wings with cling wing are great, but no surprises there! Because that is what the material was intended and designed for. Using it for a healthy dun pattern, just ready to leave the water seemed like it was going to take a lot more creativity, especially as the wings would not be in contact with surface, but as it happens cling wings also makes the most fantastic detached bodies,
Yep definitely making a load of these for May

15/02/2026

15/02/2026

A new normal for presenting dry flies? Cling wing allows for crisp hackleless flies that sit on the surface, the fly itself often peeping under the water and no treatment of any kind is needed. It’s about time we had something in fly tying that inspired new patterns and new approaches, from the feedback after the show last weekend I would say this might be what we,ve been waiting for, yellow mayfly video uploaded to my channel for a glimpse at this new material

05/10/2025

An announcement on the 2025/2026 fly tying lesson schedule is well overdue, unfortunately we had to move cabin at short notice,
This was of benefit to us! when we start the lessons we will have a cabin that is insulated and serviced with electric the proposed date for beginner lessons to start is the 1st week in November,I have imposed a smaller limit on class numbers but there have been no change in the fee from last year, £10 for a 2 hour session with materials and equipment provided
We will also employ the same laid back approach as last year, if you don’t turn up, you don’t pay but niether is your space on that session at risk, and we will work with individuals to cover anything missed
The nights these lessons will happen on will be confirmed after we know numbers and preferences of those interested.
Please dm me or respond on this post to express your interest
I Look forward to hearing from you !

20/07/2025

There is no doubt that in some situations, the suggestion of a trailing shuck can really improve the take rate on emergers. some ways of achieving this are better than others, I have tried the majority, if not all, and I'm still left thinking there must be a better easier way.
This is not just a solution that looks great, in Fact the practicality is certainly on par. This material is buoyant, not so much that it floats high and dry, but it naturally lays within the meniscus. if there was ever an emerger that ticks the boxes when the shuck can be the fine line between success and failure, this is it

21/06/2025

I often say tying flies is a labour of love, but these 30 flies somehow took that to a whole new level, they are destined, not for a customer, or even anyone that I know personally. But to 15 men who are being introduced to fly fishing this weekend. fishing is not a cure for anything, but it is medicine, As I know only too well, and I hope these flies help contribute to the the marvellous work that reel recovery are doing to help these men
Tight lines gents!

23/03/2025

23/03/2025

As the season is pending, the order books are filling up with dries and emergers, so stocking up the stock boxes while i'm doing them. one glance at the photo below and you may have identified the fly it is imitating, but for the right reasons?
its the first of 3 patterns that i use to mimic any emerging up wing. In this case a BW0, this is "Eastie's legs out emerger" and there is no wing imitated here.
I consider wings on emergers to be contradictory, the best case we can hope for when a wing is pressent on an imitation is that it is ignored or mistaken for another part of the fly by the fish. the worst case is that it is spotted and it ends in a refusal.
this fly uses only 3 materials kapok dubbing, gsp thread and a good quality genetic hackle, and is efficient tying at its best
the postess parachute has a dense patch at its heart, this can be representative of the head of the fly, pushing thriugh the miniscus, with the hackle only there to represent the legs and to correct the pressentation of the fly.

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