Tying The Black Gnat

[@matthewjeffres1289]

Simplicity rules! Great video! Reall enjoying your KZbin and Instagram channels! Have a great weekend

[@DressedIrons]

Simplicity definitely rules!! Glad you like the videos. Thanks for the support. - Ian Anderson

[@KirkDiet]

That is a great magic trick you did palmering that feather on the head! This is the first time I've seen a tier leave the thread/bobbin hanging at the back of the head after tying in the hackle and then palmering forward bringing the thread forward with each wrap of the hackle. Although, the wrapping of the hackle seemed like magic the way you put so many wraps in that little tiny space of a head. Very fine work! Beautifully tied fly! Thanks for sharing.

[@DressedIrons]

Thank you for the comment. The technique for applying the collar hackle is one that many people use but is not demonstrated often. The thread helps force the hackle wraps to stay just in front of the previous wraps. Hope it helps. - Ian Anderson

[@thomasclements2905]

Why is it that the simple easy flies seem to work the best? Great video.

[@DressedIrons]

Thomas, I agree. It seems the simpler the fly is the more effective. Also, have you even noticed the more chewed up the fly is it seems to catch more fish? Fly fishing conundrums. Check out the Gartside Soft Hackle I published this past Sunday for another simple and effective streamer! - Ian Anderson

[@thomasclements2905]

When people come into the shop and say they want to start tying flies I always tell them to go with one that only uses two or three materials and fish whatever they tie. Confidence comes with fishing what you tie, anyway fish can't count the number of legs or five or seven wraps of hackle on a fly. What you want is to be consistent. Sometimes practice doesn't make perfect, but you get close.@@DressedIrons

[@DressedIrons]

That is one of the great things about fly fishing, your flies do not have to be perfect to catch fish. Keep it simple and keep it fun. - Ian Anderson

[@themazamen]

Dahlberg is such an interesting story. He's one of the most innovative fly designers for warm water fish and the inventor of a fly that arguably revolutionized top water bass fishing, but yet he never gets mentioned in the laurels of fly fishing media. According to Larry, he had to sue Whitlock for infringing and taking claim for a fly design that Larry shared with Dave when guiding him. Larry is also just as innovative and. It comes to spinning gear lures. The Whopper Plopped is a must have in everyone's box that has been copied by .any manufacturers. In the end, he's probably should be in the FFA ball of fame and maybe considered for the Mount Rushmore of fishing.

[@DressedIrons]

Certainly in the FFA and I think there is some room just past Lincoln to fit Larry in! He certainly has contributed a great deal to the fishing world, both fly and conventional. One of my all time favorite bass flies is the Flash Dancer. A fly Larry developed when he was a teenager and guiding ladies in Wisconsin who could not really fly fish. The ladies would get that fly out there and the Smallmouth would just hammer them! He put out a DVD about 10 years ago, Larry's Workshop I, which is well worth the viewing. He shares a lot of his thought process in some of his innovations. Glad you like the video and thanks for the comment. - Ian Anderson

[@davidhughes2622]

Very nice fly 🤠. Just a question, have you tried this with ostrich hearl? For panfish how did it go? 🎣🤠 Dave Hughes

[@DressedIrons]

David, thank you for the compliment. I have not tried this fly with Ostrich herl. I assume you mean using it for the body instead of the chenille. It would be interesting to see how it does. I have seen some people use rabbit fur in the tail instead of the Marabou. - Ian Anderson