Thomas Nick

A rugged, waterproof, lightweight camera can be a great fishing companion. And do much more than a phone can

This isn’t a forgetful or amnesic pupa, but has earned its name because it’s tied using Amnesia mono

Two tungsten beads on a loop of monofilament adds weight and eyes to this fly

Introducing a way of making nymph bodies using elastic bead cord and a knotting technique

Lab equipment flies tied using plastic pipettes.

A mobile tailed baitfish pattern tied with organza and synthetic fibres

Getting a decent macro image of a dry fly sitting on water is one of the hardest shots to pull off

We should fish crayfish imitations more than we do. Crayfish can be used to target trout, bass, carp and other species

This type of braid is found in electronics stores, but is a great new addition to the fly tyer’s arsenal of useful copper products

A scaled-down version of the author’s own Headbanger Caddis, a cased nymph caddis pattern

A scud pattern with 26 individual legs is no task if you make this small, ingenious tool out of wire.

Another Nick Thomas fly using bead chain for weight and orientation

Monofilament of many kinds can be used as a fly material as it can be seen in this simple Knot Bug

An upside-down latex worm, which is easy to tie and very efficient in high and dirty water

The Springtail has a soft and bendy body made from a boiled coil of colorful, elastic jewelry string

The Taco Emerger was inspired by the split case patterns which are popular in the US

I like rubber legs on dry flies. Their suggestion of something edible is the fish equivalent of ringing a dinner gong.

At the vice no one can hear you scream.

This is a fly that was designed for a wooded canyon on one of the author’s favourite small rivers where the water has carved out a deep narrow channel through the limestone

This neat little beetle’s body is made from extruded neoprene cord, which is widely available and a really useful tying material

The story about how the Toothpick Stone Clinger was inspired by turning over rocks and taking pictures

The name of this fly is to be taken ad verbatim. You do need a highlighter pen to tie it

The hoglouse is also known as a sowbug or a cress bug, and is a very common freshwater crustacean. Here’s an easy imitation using an interesting tying technique.

Sometimes simple is best. Simple and scruffy in fact. Nick Thomas shows you how to tie a both simple and scruffy fly.

Minnows upcycle small lifeforms into a tasty package of protein for bigger fish to eat, so minnow imitations make effective flies

Why go to the trouble of photographing a fly that is soaking wet? Well, in many cases it can dramatically alter the appearance of the imitation.

Satin ribbon can’t be used in as many different ways as organza, but it definitely makes some juicy looking fish snacks.

A simple technique to fan out dry fly hackles to form wings the Comparadun style.

A shrimp pattern can be either a caricature or an imitation. The Slinky Shrimp falls somewhere in between

Inspiration for a new fly design can come from anywhere. The May West is an example of a combination of materials that came together to create a new fly

This is a dual purpose stonefly pattern tied on a jig hook. It can act both as a dry fly and an indicator

An extended body caddis pupa tied with latex ribbon - the al dente tagliatelle of fly tying materials.

As everyone knows crab-like means moving sideways, not forwards or backwards. The Canvas Crab fly moves sideways as crab flies should.

The Partridge Parachute Emerger – or PPE for short – is a soft hackle dry fly, all limp and spindly

This scud pattern uses a simple sewing technique to add the legs that are a common trait for these widespread crustaceans, which are high in the fish menu in both fresh- and saltwater

A productive zonker pattern tied with synthetic fur. Easy to tie, easy to cast.

This nymph pattern teaches you how to make a sparkling hackle from organza ribbon – in two different ways even!

Fly fisher, author and creative "pattern inventor" Nick Thomas lives in South Wales

The Combover is a generic mayfly nymph imitation. It gets its name from the hairstyle, now thankfully rarely seen.