Tying Fran Betters' Usual with Davie McPhail

Tying Fran Betters' (Usual) with Davie McPhail..

[@striperjohn]

Davie, hope you are well. just wanted to watch you tie this again. It is a great fly. A good searching pattern here in the summer months. Stay well professor.

[@rpctrane]

Thanks for the great illustration on tying this wonderful pattern. The Ausable, which flows through Wilmington where Fran had his shop, is a rugged freestone river with lots of pocket water and conflicting currents. The trout can be very aggressive. Fran's flies reflect this ruggedness and are all very effective. Under these conditions, the Usual is often pulled under at the beginning of the drift and allowed to rise back to the surface like an emerger.

[@scottnock5241]

Davie, it’s a great pattern! I ware em out in PA and WV! My buddy a personal friend of Fran turned me on the this fly years ago in WV, it’s my go to. Whipping some up now to fool some Brooke trout..

[@Balleny]

Hi Davie, I'm sure you heard that Fran passed away, very sad. It's good you are keeping his memory alive with your fantastic videos. Best, Andy

[@ghislaindesrosiers8074]

Thanks again,love the way you tie.Please don't stop the good work,your my guru now!Ha Ha!Ilike to split the rabbit snow shoe by the toe and separate them,the fiber is all there in a easy way ...ready to use.Cheers from Quebec!

[@jkgkjgkijk]

I know it's eleven years old....I like the offering of the head cement to the thread. I have been using my stash of griff's thin. It sucks into the whole fly if you use the applicator at the hook eye. I learned something! Thanks. This is a why didn't I think of that fly. Probably floats like a cork.

[@dryfly5360]

Hi Davie, The Usual is my "go to fly" here in New England. I love snowshoe rabbit, and us it in place of deer or elk hair when tying stimulators. It's almost unsinkable. Your videos are great! keep them coming.

[@tdematteo01]

Davie: Outstanding fly. I tie mine in olive mostly. I saw Fran this week while in NY. He was in his shop tying but is on Hospice and morphine. It was real sad as I have learned so much from him and time all his patterns. Nice job, and a compliment to a wonderful guy and fly. Ted

[@sirmegallot3276]

The picky West Branch Delaware fish love this fly! I use a sparse polypropylene shuck and superfine dubbing for body, so it is a sort of combination between a sparkle dun and the usual. The Sparkle Usual!

[@tomfisher3117]

What an excellent video! Thank you ! Fran better's also tied Muddler minnows down to a size 14. Fished them dead drift. That works well as does his Ausable Wolf and Bomber. He wasn't a technical tier but his ties really catch fish. Great job Davie!

[@russellmckendry5912]

Davie, You must have heard it all before, but we admire you and are extremely grateful to you. I came from Scotland to New Zealand over 40 years ago and now I write little fly-tying articles for NZ TroutFisher magazine. They are primitive by comparison with what you give us but, if you have time to look at a PDF I would be glad to send one or two to you. With my best, Russell McKendry.

[@striperjohn]

Davie, a nice recognition for one of our pioneers. I was gifted a copy of his book recently and it is the pride of my library? What is the best way to keep up with your latest contributions to KZbin? All the best and again I appreciate all you do for us out here. Striperjohn

[@tdematteo01]

The Ususal is an outstanding dry fly and stays high and dry. My go to is his "Haystack". I think you tied one on you tube earlier and crossed hrough the hair wind some CDC? I started doing that too. Starting out tying with his book about 10 year ago and learning from it has taught me so much. If you can tye on calf tail wings and split and post them right, deer hair will never be a problem:). Take care. One day I might try a post but my camera is not up to it. Ted

[@LordDigz12]

Snowshoe is such a great material.

[@JanWeinhold001]

Hi Davie, thanks again and again for your wonderful tying videos. I tied in the last weeks some Usual flies and other snowshoe flies. It is for my Sweden trip in July. I tried their floatability im my bath tube - and they mostly sunk after seconds. I used some Gink, but that "glues" the fibers. Do you have any recommedation for me. I am sure that I tied the right part of the Snowshoe foot and the amount of hair should be ok. also. All the best Jan

[@rolyatecnal]

Nice tie of a killer pattern.

[@8626John]

Great job on a classic fly, Davie. When you fish this, do you use floatant on it?

[@trav1049]

Hi Davie great fly pattern, I would like to try this on my local river can you tell me where I can get the Snowshoe rabbit (natural) ?

[@JanWeinhold001]

Hi Davie, thanks for quick answer. Are you using theMucilin Dry Fly Spray or the paste? All the best Jan

[@TotallyFlyTying]

Hi Davie, Do you know where I can purchase that book you mentioned in the UK? I've had a look online but only found American Sites. Certainly looks like a good book, Many Thanks, ~David

[@grahamlonergan8964]

My first YTube post. Thank you for all the vids Dave

[@chasselynch5733]

❤

[@JanWeinhold001]

Thanks, Davie. Jan

[@patrickhiggins3764]

If anyone is interested there was a gentleman by the name of Polly Rosborough who I would consider to be the Fran Betters of nymphs. Polly was a professional tyer because that was how he made his living along with trapping and such. He is known for the simplicity of his design as well as his methods of fishing. He wrote a book called 'Tying and Fishing the Fuzzy Nymphs', he's no longer with us and he lives on through his flies and his book. His most famous creation is called the ;Casual Dress'. Check it out, might be interesting. 'We are a people separated by a common language' Patrick.

[@seanmooney3907]

Thanks for that information. I just picked up his book at amazon and am eagerly awaiting its arrival. I love to tie fuzzy nymphs as it makes them look like the gills moving in the water. All the best to you, Sean

[@TheCanary24]

👍

[@comesahorseman]

Not a fussy fly to tie; not at all.

[@ds2985]

Hi davie love your videos can u use this fly in a river

[@TotallyFlyTying]

Hi Davie, I'll have a look on eBay. Thanks again, ~David Strawhorn

[@nitemoovs]

I met Fran 30 years ago. I knew him well. I don't fish much anymore. Its different now and I don't like it. First it was all about the gear (thanks yuppies) but the Gen Xers I see on rivers are worse. They don't really fly fish. I stop by a river or turn on a fly fishing show and they are all high sticking with gobs of lead and nymphs like a bunch meatfishing Europeans. No sense of history. No place anymore for old crumedgeons who fish dry flies and hatches. Where have you gone Ray Bergman.

[@michaelmuzzy8401]

i feel the same

[@dryfly5360]

Hi Davie, The Usual is my "go to fly" here in New England. I love snowshoe rabbit, and us it in place of deer or elk hair when tying stimulators. It's almost unsinkable. Your videos are great! keep them coming.