Alec Harvey's Top Hat Fly

[@paulmetcalf6899]

In the North East of England, this fly is called the wicked white top hat. Ps, it Fishes well as a straight buzzer also.

[@robertalexander7286]

Try it in dark btown as well, works when they wont touch the black.

[@jwoodflyfishing]

Big fan of brown and rusty brown. Thanks for the tip, can’t believe I haven’t tried that!

[@grandwonder5858]

Do you use that jig all by itself to catch trout or do you use it with some kind of live bait or even dead bait? BTW, what do you use for the white dots? Nail polish?

[@jwoodflyfishing]

Grand, This fly is designed so it floats on the surface. It is intended to be used all by itself, trout are attracted to it visually. As described in the video, the white dots are made with either colored UV resin or nail polish.

[@grandwonder5858]

@@jwoodflyfishing Okay, thanks for the input. I appreciate the info.

[@willyspinney1959]

This is a deadly fly pattern in the spring and early summer. Cast it and keep in contact, but don’t move it and the fish will find it.

[@jwoodflyfishing]

Thanks for the comment, always great to hear from viewers.

[@grandwonder5858]

A jig that looks like a hat! Who the heck comes out with that idea? What the............!

[@jwoodflyfishing]

Grand, This fly was designed y a UK fly angler.

[@grandwonder5858]

@@jwoodflyfishing Thanks for the info. I'm gonna try to tie it. Do you by chance know a bobbin large enough to hold a regular spool of sewing thread? I like regular sewing threads because they are strong enough to withstand me pulling on them and they are cheaper than fly-tying threads.

[@jwoodflyfishing]

@@grandwonder5858 I don't recommend sewing thread for tying flies, it does not posses the same properties as fly tying threads. If you're breaking your tying thread constantly back off on the amount of pressure you're putting on it as you tie and/or go to the next heavier size. A good practice exercise to learn how much pressure a particular thread will take is to start it on a hook and intentionally break it. Do this over and over until you can feel that point just before it breaks. Tying threads are more costly per yard than sewing threads but of all the materials in a fly the tying thread is the least expensive. Check out this video kzbin.info/www/bejne/f5_cZo2umMulirc

[@johnhutchison2268]

This is a deadly pattern. Use it own it’s own or as the point fly with two other buzzers. Keep the whole set up small on size 14 or 16 hooks. Use it when the trout are taking buzzers caught in the surface film