Published Jul 31. 2007 - 17 years ago
Updated or edited Nov 30. 2015

Jan's GP

One day, while fishing my favourite water, Barnsfold in Lancashire, which is surrounded on one large side with a good head of pine trees round the reservoir, I noticed quite a few terrestrials being blown on to the water. The trout were going crazy for them.

Jan's GP - A Swarm

Jan's GP - Side View

Jan's GP - Top View

In 2003

I went to my first fly-tying lesson with Dave Ryding showing me the basics. Well, I was completely hooked then, couldn't stop tying and tying. Fortunately, I had two awesome fly tying friends, another, Eric Sayer, who sadly passed away. I used to see him two or three times a week. Having learned the basics, I started to experiment with fly patterns, some good and some not so good. You know how it is, the waste bin is a graveyard for terrible flies!

One day,

while fishing my favourite water, Barnsfold in Lancashire, which is surrounded on one large side with a good head of pine trees round the reservoir, I noticed quite a few terrestrials being blown on to the water. The trout were going crazy for them. But then as I started to notice what they were, I couldn't make my mind up wether it was a beetle or some kind of Wood Wasp. Finishing my day, I came home and played around for a few days looking to imitate what I had seen previous but without much success.

A funny story

came about when I awoke one morning at 3.00am and could see in my head how to tie the fly. One hour later the fly was finished, the greatest feeling in my life, my general purpose terrestrial. I then quickly proceeded upstairs to wake my wife and show her. At 4.00am this seemed a bit crazy to her but I managed to appease her with a cup of tea.

The next day

I took the fly to Barnsfold, cast out , and let the fly drift from left to right. Suudenly, a trout hit the fly that hard, I was unprepared and was broken off ! I couldn't believe it so I quickly tied another one on to my fly-line and went out again, within minutes I had a nice 3lb Rainbow in my landing net. Ninety minutes later, I had a total 22 takes resulting in 16 Rainbow, my best ever fishing experience. Frank Casson, who owns Barnsfold Waters, came over and asked jokingly, was i "fishing on maggots" because nobody on the reservoir was catching anything. I gave him the rod and showed him the terrestrial, which he believed was fantastic. He cast the fly out once more and caught a Rainbow himself. He then turned round, laughed, and said, jokingly, "i'm going to ban the fly".

Over the next

few months the fly has proved a great success, taking many trout, and which I have given readily to other anglers who themselves have had great success. Many of the flies have found themselves on other waters, ranging from reservoirs to rivers, producing great results. The windier the water - the bigger the fly. It's so exciting watching the trout take them so viciously. They are easy to tie and you can make many different coloured variations and sizes.

Fishing's fishing,

and we all know how hard it can be - the fly's not the answer to everything, it's not a wonder fly - but you always feel confident you can take a fish when the conditions get hard.
Please e-mail me and let me know how you get on, good luck, jany@blueyonder.co.uk
Special thanks for their encouragement and help: Bob Petti, Frank Casson, Peter Whittle and Dave Ryding.

Materials

Hook:
TMC 2488 or Kamasan B405, #10 - #16
Thread:
Benecchi Ghost Thread
Body:
Dubbed Mustard Seal's Fur
Wings:
Brown Dyed Cock Hackle Points
Thorax:
Brown Genetic Cock Hackle
Back:
Brown Ethafoam Sheet cut to suit hook size

Tying Instructions

  1. Tie the thread on at the head and catch in a length of the brown ethafoam
  2. Take the thread to a point round the bend, trapping the foam along the shank
  3. Dub the seal's fur up a point opposite the hook point
  4. Bring the foam over and tie down firmly
  5. Add wings pointing up and back Dub approximately 1/8" up shank in front of wings
  6. Bring foam forward and tie down firmly
  7. Take thread behind wings, 3 - 4 turns, to angle them at about 45 degrees
  8. Take thread to base of foam, tie in hackle, take thread to eye
  9. Tie hackle in tight close turns to just behind eye and tie it off
  10. Bring foam over and tie down
  11. Cut off foam and finish behind the eye leaving the actual eye clear
  12. The back and thread that is showing are coloured with a Letraset brown marker pen.

Comments

Around the same time...

Around the same time as Jans GP came out someone was asking about a pattern for Conrad Voss Bark Nymph, a pattern by Mick Huffer appears in Fly Fishing and Fly Tying September 2008 issue on pages 58 to 63 inclusive along with two variations one is a simple tail variation the other a floating or surface attractor. Step by step tying instructions with pictures and a good general write up including how to fish the fly. If you do not know Mick Huffer look him up on Google great tyer, very good fisherman and an all round good guy. Cracking fly works a treat in bright sunshine just about everywhere.
All the Best and I hope this gets to the guy who asked about it.

Beware of any veiled...

Beware of any veiled requests or "We can not get this marerial in the US. Some items have dissapeared from the shelves of fly tying materials in both Canada and the US, on Ethical Grounds. P.E.T.A backed. Do not agree via any web means to obtain items requested and offer to send these out by post or any other means. These veiled request are appearing more and more on You Tube and other sites. Don't get your fingers burnt.

Martin Joergensen's picture

Ken, We don't sel...

Ken,

We don't sell anything. We're an online non-commercial fly fishing magazine.

Martin

From: Ken Do ...

From: Ken

Do you sell the GP Fly

I live in the us and...

I live in the us and cannot find some of the materials to tie the fly. Can you give me the name of a shop(s) where you are located so i can purchase the materials required to build the fly.

Thank you

Orion Aon, try the B...

Orion Aon, try the B405 hook it might suit you better, or play around with different types that you think are right for you their are know rules thanks Jan

I don't think that t...

I don't think that the TMC 2488 is the right equivalent hook. The 2488 is a straight eyed curved hook. I really like this pattern, I'm going to tie some up and try them here in the States.

Hi Terry over in the...

Hi Terry over in the UK we have shops called hobby craft they sell dozens of A4 sheets of foam in many many colours. Have you got anything like that over there, their must be hobby shops somewhere , if not i will send you some brown foam. thanks Jan

Where can i find thi...

Where can i find this ethafoam in color? I can find the white packing foam, but I can't find this foam that you use in your pattern.

Hi claudia ...

Hi claudia
the fly works well just left drifting with the wind, or jerking back slow and stopping. Try different ways. Keep intouch Jan

i promise to do just...

i promise to do just that. i think i am going to save youre flie until its a bit warmer. its not fair to try it out now.

Claudia.

thanks claudia im gl...

thanks claudia im glad you like it please keep intouch let me know how you get on

your great looking f...

your great looking flie, from now is tied in denmark :) hope it brings me some nice rainbows as well, as for you.

Thigt line Claudia.

Fantastic Fly mate....

Fantastic Fly mate.

Ted Carter Fishing T...

Ted Carter Fishing Tackle Preston will be stocking this fly

Hey Jan, had to find...

Hey Jan, had to find this for myself since you didn't send it to me! Wanna bring one of these wee mammas to 4Oaks for me? Can't wait to see if it works in Scotland as good as you say!

Nice one though mate.

you're having a laug...

you're having a laugh aren't ya.

Well done mate!

Well done Dad , did...

Well done Dad , didn't know you had it in you !

HI Bruce the wings a...

HI Bruce the wings are as long as the hook shanks, put two wings together convexed same length facing out hold to the hook shank to get length and tie in Thanks Jan

Jan: How long are th...

Jan: How long are the wings? Are they as long as the hook shank?

Looks Good Jany...

Looks Good Jany

Great fly - must be ...

Great fly - must be a winner !

Sweet fly....

Sweet fly.

.

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