H&L Variant Fly Tying Instructions by Charlie Craven

H&L Variant Fly Tying Recipe:
(Click the links below to purchase the materials from our store)
Hook: #12-16 Tiemco 100SP-BL
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Thread: Black Veevus 14/0
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Tail: Calf Body Hair
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Body: Stripped Peacock Herl
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Thorax: Peacock Herl
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Wing: Calf Body Hair
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Hackle: Brown Whiting Rooster Cape
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VISIT OUR WEBSITE: charliesflybox...

[@RollinRollinReelin]

Thanks Charlie great tie!

[@RollinRollinReelin]

Wow sir! Beautiful!!

[@mikehulsey4813]

There is something about old school hairwing flies that just excites the hell out of me. Charlie is by far one of the best tiers I’ve ever seen demonstrate this on KZbin and I’m always blown away by just how much calf body hair and hackle he is able to cram in those size 16 hooks!

[@JohnShelton-mh9ns]

Love the old school patterns! Excellent job CC. Let us viewers know if we ever need to pool together and send you some flies to go fishing with… cause the ones you tie belong on the wall in a shadow box!!!

[@tinoyb9294]

I've never tied this fly even though I've known about it for 45 years, probably because I, too, hated dealing with calf tail. Thanks for the calf body tip! Now, maybe I will take another crack at the Wullf flies.

[@sonja9001]

Ten point landing for this twisted up masterpiece. God it looks like it has white frosting on it. Thanks CC. Hey what about a C&C Variant some time soon.

[@shanehertzog5812]

Charlie you are an excellent fly tyer. I started fly tieing about 30 years ago. Australia.

[@ruebdogg1]

Charlie is my fly tying materials dealer...I'm hooked man!

[@paulbridgers3820]

Another amazing fly from the master, always a great day when he puts up a new video. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and skill with us.

[@GeorgeSemel]

I love the old Hair Wing flies; yeah, they take a bit more time and fuss to tie, but that is where good material makes it easier from the start. Back in the day, gee's I am old now, I loved bouncing this one on the streams of the Adirondacks in NY State and the Upper Reaches of VT, NH, and Western Maine. Browns and Brook trout like j chewing on it. Funny thing I was not fishing for Small mouth bass yet I hooked my biggest one on this very fly in a sized 10, that I didn't tie, on my old 8' 5 wt Fenwick Glass fly Rod. Fran Betters sold me some flies. I loved that shop. It was a fun summer back in '72. Going to have to tie some.

[@julesborges7396]

I actually saw Ike in Newport, RI when I was a kid (yes, I'm old.........). Remember reading that this was his favorite fly.

[@craiggranquist1848]

Very nice tie Charlie, you make that look easy😁

[@paulgray2750]

The trick i saw somewhere(don't recall where) was to use a hair-straightening iron on the clump of calf-tail before stacking it. Never tried it but it looked like it worked in the video.

[@jerrymohrlang7134]

Great tie, Charlie. Nobody ties better than you. I often use a Vevus black holo tinsel for the body which gives it a subtle wet look.

[@jefferyswails6899]

I'll be tying some of these up, cool little fly, awesome tutorial!

[@kirkdonnelly7982]

Such a sweet pattern well done as always Uncle Charile !!!

[@jn7457]

Great tie! It’s fun to watch a master at work!

[@snakeoiler2921]

Awesome, thanks for the add of a great classic

[@Hunter711pa]

Cool pattern Charlie I wasn’t familiar with that one thanks for the video

[@dominiqueleblanc2193]

Great pattern. Can't wait for the snow to melt.

[@phillmartin6196]

What is snow ?

[@Flyfeesh]

@CharliesFlyBox Maybe a worthless comment, maybe not; I know when Andy Carlson was production-tying Purple Hazes, he would stack his calf hair in the corner(s) of a postcard box, the type of box a tourist trap pack of 12-24 postcards used to come in, maybe still do. As you'd say, "Hope this helps!"

[@nmflyfisher]

I like to tie mine with grizzly hackle

[@alc609]

Calf hair stacking is difficult, best thing to do is clean, clean, clean then tilt your stacker on a 45 and tap, and like you said use a larger stacker

[@tinoyb9294]

The old method for stripping a quill was to rub it off with a pencil eraser, but you didn't seem to have much of a problem.