Tying a Snake Fly (Lure) with Davie McPhail

www.fullingmill.co.uk/Products...
Materials Used;
20lb Braid
Hooks, Size 8
Thread, Black Uni-8/0
Body, Black Rabbit Dubbing
Wing, Black Rabbit Zonker Strip, Silver and Gold Flash
Eyes, Silver or Chartreuse Chain Bead Eyes
Head, Balck Glister Dubbing

[@miasoldboy180]

The subtitles are hilarious 🤣. Quality tying as usual Davie

[@nagarajc971]

Divash.n 🥰

[@marcusamyotte5672]

Always enjoy your videos. Thanks for sharing. Cheers

[@zenbooter]

Hello Davie. Love this fly. Would cause whopping disturbance in some waters I don’t get enough time to fish in. Most recently I’ve been aiming to tie similar baits, now I’m moving in this direction. Thanks for your tricks.

[@seanmooney3907]

hey Davie, Nice snake, Don't like snakes much but the fish probably do so I may tie some of these to use up some rabbit strips I have. I have a huge bag of flesh color. I am going to try to dye some different colors. Thanks for sharing. All the best to you and yours. God bless, Sean

[@robwalker8317]

Hi Davie, dont know whether you've forgotten or whether I've missed a video but be sure nice to see your sea trout version of the snake. Cheers Rob

[@jamesskinner1996]

Hi Davie; In Pacific North West this fly is known as a 'String Leech'. It's been around since the 70's at least. Norm Norlander of Norvise fame has a video on it, difference being he uses doubled spider line with the line threaded in a few spots through the rabbit, ending with the bight of the line below the rabbit strip tail. Then you can add a hook of your choice by threading the loop through the hook eye. Dull your hook? Just replace it. Gamakatsu Octupus hooks work great, it's point is offset, which I think is really killer. Love your flies Davey, thanks

[@garryreiddoonvalleytroutfi218]

been meaning to try tying the snake for a while pal,so going to give it a bash following your video

[@davidarno2196]

jolie montage!merci.

[@Lukasz_Fishing_Ireland]

Very nice! Love them in white :)

[@dongil123]

Great dressing and fly tying at its best thanks Davie.

[@eddykeers4921]

Hi Davie, what is a good hook with a large eye big enough to pass the braid through, apart from the fulling mill hooks? Cracking tie by the way, all the best

[@lawrencemacd63]

Cracking snake Davie 🐟🎣

[@markboyle8192]

Is it ok to use 30lb Gel Spun rather than hollow braid?

[@chopseee]

very similar to some steel head patterns that a friend of mine bought while fishing in british columbia

[@oldharry09]

Hi Davie I'm from Fife do u sell flies mate your flys look great regards sean

[@jimking7400]

Fantastic tying as always Davie. I have a rabbit pelt and would like to try your pattern. How thick in mm would you recommend cutting the zonker strips?

[@DavieMcPhail]

Hi Jim, I would say around 4mm would be fine though I would mess around with the width to see how it fishes as I love to do this myself with patterns like this..I'm glad you enjoyed the video.. All the very best Davie

[@jimking7400]

@DavieMcPhail thank you for the information. I was at my tying branch the other night. Wax on my finger, which I'd seen from your video on how to do this. A guy said, "You wax your thread like I've seen Davie Mcphail wax" 😉

[@elainepringle90]

Hi Davie. I’ve been at a few fisheries roundabout Ayr and a lot of the other anglers have been fishing with a white rabbit. Are these tied in the same way?

[@DavieMcPhail]

Hi Elaine Pringle, They are tyed much the same and white is as poplar as the black but so is olive.. All the very best Davie..

[@Jay-xc5uf]

Lovely fly davie didnt know that about the eyes make sense though and where did you get that little whip finish be great for finishing the midge?

[@DavieMcPhail]

Hi Jay, I have attached a link to a video I made on this small whip finisher for you to see..I'm glad you enjoyed the video and thanks for the kind words... All the very best Davie.. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eZDOd4p3iLWigcU

[@Jay-xc5uf]

@@DavieMcPhail thank you davie

[@derekpowell1762]

Great fly not sure how the fisheries I go to will react to it but I'm going to give it a go

[@cammybrown1626]

Tie a mini version.. Use a wide gape barbless as bacl hook and snap front of.. No one will know and is just as deadly if not more on shy fish

[@cammybrown1626]

Just a note learned how to tie this from this video when released and have made many many many varieties since...i don't tie it this way anymore...but they all fish the same on the right day

[@John71R]

Hi Davie, is the length of 10cm to the back of the hook or to the end of the tail ?

[@DavieMcPhail]

Hi John, It's mainly to the back of the hook but to be honest I measure it by look most times. I would also tye smaller ones around the 5cm size as they do fish just as well... All the very best Davie

[@davidharvey5672]

interesting form, enjoyed this. is the wax you use beeswax?

[@DavieMcPhail]

Hi David Harvey, I used Veniards Prepared Fly Tyers Wax, Veniards is a wholesale company so any shop that stocks their materials should be able to help you...I'm glad you enjoyed the video... All the very best Davie

[@GT-yw8ue]

Davie random question do fulling mill use your videos as instructional videos for their fly tyers? Wondered how they got patterns and things assumed it was offshore.

[@DavieMcPhail]

Hi GT, Yes Fulling Mill and even many other fly tying companies will watch my videos as well as many other tyers that share their flies here on KZbin to learn how to tye new and even old patterns as they will get asked to tye them..I used to work for a fly tying company as a designer and this was the easiest way to teach them to copy the flies though I hadto go to the factory to teach as well.. All the very best Davie

[@GT-yw8ue]

@@DavieMcPhail That’s amazing yeah you’re the most copied fly tyer on youtube for sure Davie.

[@zenbooter]

Hello again Davie. It's about the braid cord. What is the diameter ?, A mill or so? Thanks so much.

[@DavieMcPhail]

Hi Tommy, The backing diameter is 0.024” / 0,61mm and is 30lb which is on the spool I have.. All the very best Davie

[@zenbooter]

Davie McPhail Thank you Davie. I am getting the materials together and started to look into various options. For example, venetian blind cord . It comes in a variety of diameters some under a mill. What I have on hand is chartreuse in 35 lb. and white in 20. I’ll work it out. Anyway thanks again. Very grateful you posted this fly. For a long time, years, all I fished was streamers, my favorites being Grey Ghost, Black Nose Dace and Mickey Finns’.

[@neehobelic689]

How strong is that braid in the beginning?

[@DavieMcPhail]

Hi Neeho Belic, It's 30lb backing braid that I used on the fly... ATB Davie

[@alanrussell3906]

Hi Dave , where did you get the green chain eyes and the rabbit for the snake , if you can help me with this , thanks Alan

[@DavieMcPhail]

Hi Alan, If I remember right I bought them from the Glasgow Angling Centre a few years ago, I had a look on their site but I couldn't find them..I also had a look online and found some from another shop so I have attached a link to them for you.. www.anglingactive.co.uk/flybox-bead-chain-eyes.html All the very best Davie

[@alanrussell3906]

@@DavieMcPhail brilliant Dave thanks again,

[@etclarke]

would it be possible to tie a suspender snake, or would the weight of the 2 hooks etc make this implausible?

[@DavieMcPhail]

Hi etclarke, If you removed the bend of the front hook and the eyes you could add some foam to suspend the snake fly as I did this years ago with zonker patterns... All the very best Davie

[@etclarke]

Thanks Davie. I caught 15 slamming brownies on a fulling mill snake this afternoon on my local stillwater, not one was under 4lb! I know this fly is frowned upon, but it works really well, it is probably caught me over 200 fish in the last year. I have found the takes to come right at the top of the retrieve, which was what made me think about a suspended version! I will tie one up once i've bought a vice. tight lines eddy

[@etclarke]

it turns out that fulling mill made one off my idea davie!

[@guentermair6415]

Hi DavieLove this Lure well done. I struggle to find any Hollow Braid and ended up cutting up a few braided Loops. Can you please tell me where I can purchase it or the name/brand of manufacturer.Regards And Thank you!Guenter

[@DavieMcPhail]

Hi Guenter, I have attached a link to the backing I used in the video though I'm sure there's many other companies that may use the same one just incase you can't find it... All the very best Davie www.fishingmegastore.com/leeda-profil-backing-line-20lb-100m~13469.html

[@guentermair6415]

Hi Davie All I could find was 30lb backing which I think is too thick. Many thanks for the link. Ps. When I lived in Greenock I used to buy my flies from Brian Peterson's Shop. The were called Light bright Flies ( Dunkelt,various Butcher, Zulu, Patterns but especially there was a Viva pattern with JK eyes which was tied on a double hook and if I am not mistaken those where all Competition Flies(not sure bout the Viva double hook?) Hook size on flies was 12/14 I used to fish with those Flies at our Club Water in Port Glasgow for Brown's and caught loads of them. My question is have you heard or tied any of those mentioned? Many thanks and Tight Lines Guenter

[@redshaftedflicker]

I'd give braided fishing line a try, the string leech is one that is similar to this pattern and that is what I use. 30# doubled over will do.

[@thomasdiver1142]

What length of a leader would be best to fish this fly

[@DavieMcPhail]

Hi Thomas, It is a long fly with bead eyes so I wouldn't have it too long, if I was using a 7 weight line then I would use a leader length shorter than the rod though I would shorten it if casting against the wind.. All the very best Davie..

[@thomasdiver1142]

Davie McPhail thanks davie will give it a try next time im out great looking wee fly

[@brodyb8331]

Hey Davie, I have been seeing that vice a lot what is the brand and model?

[@DavieMcPhail]

Hi Brody Burnham, The vise I use in this video is called a Law made by a gentleman called Lawrence Waldron but unfortunately he has stopped making it.. globalflyfisher.com/tie-better-tying-tools/the-law-of-attraction All the very best Davie

[@troutmc1000]

One just sold for 2800 dollars madness

[@brodyb8331]

+patrick mc carthy It's a lot of money but looks like very nice! + Davie Mcphail

[@troutmc1000]

+Brody Burnham there must be copies off it out there

[@brodyb8331]

Yea now that you say it there probably is.

[@lewisward4359]

Where can you purchase the braid? Looks like old fly line

[@DavieMcPhail]

Hi Lewis, I have attached a link to the braid that I used in the video but there's many brands that you could use.. All the very best Davie.. www.theessentialfly.com/profil-backing-line-white-20lb.html

[@lewisward4359]

@@DavieMcPhail Thanks.

[@MorrisOutdoors98]

what do you use this fly for

[@Sittin.]

+Marshall morris I will use it to try catch seatrout tomorrow :) Thanks again Davie.

[@DavieMcPhail]

Hi Marshall morris, I'm tying these for a friend that fishes for trout in Ireland but they would easily catch seatrout as well though hair winged versions are fished more...I'll be tying some of these in the next few weeks so I should get a chance to film one... All the very best Davie

[@MorrisOutdoors98]

+Davie McPhail would they work for rainbows, or browns? I fish a lot in the cheat river in southern west Virginia in the United states of America

[@kypesandstripesoutdoors]

Marshall morris Hey dude! I'm not Davie lol but I live in WV and can say yes these work well for Bows and Browns! I tie a variation that has monstered fish around my area. Very effective and fun to fish. Don't be afraid to throw some meat at these WV trout.

[@selethiel1]

+Marshall morris Fished a 9kg pike on this pattern in the Vorma, Norway

[@allanmcclenaghan1209]

dave mcphilflytying Allan McClenaghan Hamilton lanerkshire have loads of strips can you forward me on some of that braid is it like dacron or the stuff for braded loops I don't have eny the stuff for the braid loops I have plenty dacron nice tye are you in the country if you can help me I'll give you a call I'll leave a message if no one in I would appreciate it Allan McClenaghan Hamilton Jimmy has my address or I leve it on your answer machine all the best regards Allan McClenaghan Hamilton thanks dave your always so nice on the phone regards to the family cheers mate

[@DavieMcPhail]

Hi Allan McClenaghan, Give me a call when you get the chance, I am at home just now... All the very best Davie

[@iantrotman3832]

That is an abomination not a fly Davie, expected better...