Fionn Flies - Donald Stewart

02/06/2026

Continuing on the emergers

One of my favourite flies tied as an emerger with a fast becoming a favourite colour shade of the Veniards Wisp Olive thread.

The Greenwell

Rather than the usual Greenwell or Furnace hackle I like to use a spot of firey brown dubbing as a collar on these flies.
If you see any sort of Olives hatching out get one or two of these on your cast!

Hook - Osprey size 14
Thread - Veniard Wisp Olive
Rib - Veniard French Wire no 27
Collar - Wapsi SLF rusty brown
Wing - 6 or 7 (depending on quality) natural CDC plumes






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Veniard

18/05/2026

A wee while ago, Nige from Lakeland Fly Tying (go look them up for superb Whiting capes, saddles and other things) sent me up an unusual but very nice Olive Grizzle Hen cape.
It’s a muted golden olive colour and as usual stuffed with hackle feathers that can all be used.

I decided to use it on one of my quill bodied spider patterns.

I think the fly has come out very well using this cape, partnered with Veniards
Stripped peac**k quill in golden olive colour and a touch of Veniards SLF dubbing.

I just know the Cumbrian trout will love these flies as much as the Scottish Loch and River fish do!

Cheers Nige!

Hook - Veniard Osprey barbless size 14
Thread - Wisp Olive
Body - Veniard Stripped Peac**k Quill Golden Olive
Thorax - Veniard SLF dubbing Olive
Hackle - Lakeland Fly Tying Whiting Grizzle Hen Olive






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Veniard

05/05/2026

Another fast fly to tie and one that’s better when it’s not picture perfect!
My version of the Iron Blue Dun Emerger
Lots of ways to tackle this prolific insect but I find this one fits the bill very well
Nice and dark, you can lighten it up a lot by using red thread and much less dubbing as well.
The key for me is to have it dark at the wing buds though and leave a thread tag at the base of the fly.
This fly covers lots of bases.

Hook - Kamasan B170 size 14
Thread - Uni purple
Body - Mole fur (vary the amount until you have a covering you are confident with)
Collar - Wapsi black boosted hare
Wing - 6 plums of CDC






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Veniard

24/04/2026

Fast approaching one of the best events of the year for us fly tyers
A really relaxed and fun weekend for us fly tyers, made even better by seeing so many folks that come as see us every year.

https://scottishfair.com/fly-tying-demonstrations-and-competitions/?fbclid=IwdGRjcARYpSxleHRuA2FlbQExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkCjY2Mjg1NjgzNzkAAR4QIK1mWAj3EC6sJpAxwdGDBYk9x4mJPbVprZpMALEfUOgWlLKZkkug73IHIw_aem_lweOePfHCmvlYiuyA5UNhA

This activity will take place in a special fly tying mall. An opportunity to watch some of Scotland’s best fly tyers in action and to ask questions. Come along and see how it is done. Junior Come and Try

03/04/2026

A Clyde Style staple

The Blae & Black

As simple and effective as they get

Hook - Size 14 and 16 (5 of each)
Thread - Veniards Black wisp
Wing - Wood pigeon
Hackle - Natural Black hen

The trick to this fly is keeping them as slim and slender as possible, once down and back up with the thread, two winging loops and once round the back to raise the wings, two wraps on the hackle going forward and as I always do two wraps to lock the stem backwards again (this really strengthens the fly and give excellent longevity over a large number of fish caught).

Simple, give them a try!






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Veniard

02/04/2026

Delighted and honoured to be invited to this great show again

I’ll see you all in November!






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Veniard

28/03/2026

The PTN or Pheasant Tail Nymph is as simple a fly as you can get but they are oh so effective in many different colours.

This one is a Golden Olive version, I like to use the wing case tips as the legs on my PTN’s and this gives me great confidence in the fly.
I tie the case in with the tips at a length just short of the bend of the hook, add the dubbing then bring the tips over the thorax and sweep back in equal numbers either side before the whip finish.

Hook - Size 10-16
Thread - Wisp in cinnamon
Tail - Veniards golden olive pheasant tail
Rib - Veniards French gold wire no 26
Body - 4 strands on Veniards golden olive pheasant tail
Thorax cover - 8 strands of Veniards golden olive pheasant tail
Thorax - Waspi SLF light olive

A great fly to learn proportions on, give them a try yourselves.






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Veniard

26/03/2026

I first tied this little fly a couple of years ago and have found it can be brilliant in a midge hatch when the fish are ignoring everything else you throw at them.

I had a few very good days last year on my local Stillwater with it indeed.

I just call it the Pearl jungle c**k midge, I’ll need to come up with a better name assuming I’ve not tied another fly without realising it! Given its duck fly appearance it wouldn’t surprise me if it’s close to a lot of the Irish duck fly patterns I’ve yet to discover…..

My tying is:-

Hook - Veniard Osprey lightweight grub size 12 VH252
Thread - Wisp black
Rib - Veniard silver French wire no27
Body - Opal Mirage
Thorax - Wapsi hare dub Red
Hackle - Natural black hen
Eyes - Jungle C**k






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Veniard

13/03/2026

Sometimes (just sometimes) us traditional tyers do tie food for rainbows.

It’s a necessity honest 😉🤣🤣






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Veniard

08/03/2026

What a fantastic weekend sitting tying flies and chatting at the Glasgow Angling Centre spring weekend open show.

I will pay for it next week but I’m so glad I took my own chair, everyone on tyers row and staff within the shop helped me a lot this weekend and I’d like to thank them all for doing so, I wouldn’t have made it without you guys especially my pal Ed Ford.

As is usual for me at these events I demonstrated how to tie in wings to wet flies to so many fellow tyers, it’s so good seeing the upsurge in this technique again.

It was also great to have the legend Paul Young coming up to have a chat about fishing the Clyde with Clyde Style flies.

Today the tyers had a wee challenge competition, with a fly set by Phil Varney ceo of The Fly Emporium, it was a pattern I had never tied before, a Stimulator.
Our entries were judged blind by the pros at the shop and I was lucky enough to come out on top, in fact it was a Veniards 1, 2 with Ed coming second.

A great end to the weekend with plenty of bed rest to look forward too now!






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Veniard