Shetland Wool Soft Hackle

[davidriley]

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Kamasan B120 size 14 hook. Uni-thread 8/0 orange. Body of thread wrapped with Jamieson & Smith Shetland Wool FC68 ribbed with fine dark copper wire. Whiting Brahma hen medium dun hackle. Note - Wool has no name but it is very dark brown with strands of different bright colours.

I enjoy tying simple wool flies. I think they tend to look buggy and represent nothing in particular but have their moments.

[Ron Eagle Elk]

Very nice looking fly. I am also a fan of wool bodied flies and find the colors available from Jamieson are wonderful. So many different color strands in one piece of wool yarn.

[DOUGSDEN]

Well put David! Your pattern is absolutely fantasctic and sooo very buggy looking!
I am a wool newbie. It is hard to dub/work with?
Dougsden

[davidriley]

Although I quite often use Jamieson’s of Lerwick Shetland Spindrift wool, which many fly tyres are aware of, especially if the are Tenkara or Fixed Line fly fishermen - famous for the ‘OysterI shade used in the Utah killer bug. These days I like tying with Jamieson’s & Smith (Shetland Wool brokers) 2ply jumper weight wool shades. Most are plain colour but there are one or two which are a slight ‘mix’ which interest me.

Have a look at their website - https://www.shetlandwoolbrokers.co.uk/2 ... 622?page=6

When tying, I tie in the 2 ply wool as one piece but wrap it very tightly. Sometimes I rib it but not always. If it is ‘roughed up’ it gives that ‘halo’ effect. Alternatively you could break the wool up and create a dub.
However if I am using the Jamieson’s Spindrift wool it is not always practical to tie in the two stranded wool on small hooks so I split it and use one strand. Be aware that if pressure is applied on the single strand it will split but you will find the other strand will be less likely too.
I hope this makes sense.

I buy all my Shetland Wool direct but I think in the USA you may have to buy from their American agent.

It makes excellent buggy nymphs too.

[DOUGSDEN]

David,
Excellent response my friend! More than I could ever hope for!
I am particularly intrigued by your comments in the last paragraph on the 2 ply wool strands and how you apply them! I will check out their web-site soon and look at their product line!
I appreciate the useful info you have shared with me and the others!
From America and in awe of the British tradition,
Dougsden

[davidriley]

Dougsden

You are welcome. One thing I forgot to say was that with either Shetland Wool brand it is possible to split the wool into two strands and make a blended version by adding two strands from different wools together.
Incidentally if you email your full name and address to me - dsriley1(at)gmail(dot)com - I will send you a selection of different wools. I have loads of the stuff. I don’t want any payment for it. Not sure how long it will take for post to get to you as it’s Christmas and the postal workers keep going on strike here. It normally takes a week.

Here is a simple wool spider

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Grouse hackle and Jamieson & Smith orange rust mix. Uni-thread 8/0 orange.

David

[Mike62]

"A simple wool spider". What a great way to say it. Me, I spend too much time trying to explain the stuff I just tied; ...when, as it turns out, was just a 'simple wool spider'! (insert Homer Simpson 'Doh! moment here).

Beautiful stuff, David. I have enough Jameson's to last a lifetime, and a grain bags full of wool ripped from the hides of all the various critters I've had in the barn over the years. Mixing the colors is almost as much fun as tying with the stuff. Nicely done, sir.