ALAN
BITHELL
England
Alan has been fly dressing and fishing for 14 years. He demonstrates fly dressing at the various fishing and game fairs around the country during the summer, and spends time during the winter visiting various fishing clubs and associations, giving fly dressing shows spiced with a little conjuring (which is his other passion).
He mostly fishes for wild trout and grayling in the Ribble, Hodder, and Aire Rivers in Northwest England.
The traditional patterns on these rivers are the now famous North Country Spiders, and they are as effective as ever.
Included here are modern style spiders using holographic tinsel bodies. Detailed instructions for any of the following flies are available through the above email address.
Alan
is the "Fly Dressing Instructor for The West Lancashire Branch (U.K.)
of The Flydressers' Guild. It is a very
interesting fly dressing (tying) club site located in England.
Visit Alan's Home Page at www.geocities.com/alanbithell/TitlePage.html
Select one of Alan's Flies below.
Step Over Wing Mayfly
(With Instructions)
Be sure to visit our on-line store at http://www.flytyingworld.com/angling/index.html
Tier: Alan Bithell
for your tying needs.
Hook:
#18 - #14.
Silk: Brown 0/6 or 0/8.
Wing: Coastal deer hair.
Body: Light brown synthetic dubbing.
Hackle: Blue dun - trimmed except for fibers extending from the sides.
Select another Fly:
Step Over Wing Mayfly
(With Instructions)
Return to
Alan's Introduction.
Tier: Alan Bithell
Select another
Fly:
Step Over Wing Mayfly
(With Instructions)
Return to
Alan's Introduction.
Tier: Alan Bithell
Select another
Fly:
Step Over Wing Mayfly
(With Instructions)
Return to
Alan's Introduction.
Tier: Alan Bithell
Select another Fly:
Step Over Wing Mayfly
(With Instructions)
Return to
Alan's Introduction.
Tier: Alan Bithell
Select another Fly:
Step Over Wing Mayfly
(With Instructions)
Return to
Alan's Introduction.
Tier: Alan Bithell
Select another
Fly:
Step Over Wing Mayfly
(With Instructions)
Return to
Alan's Introduction.
Tier: Alan Bithell
Hook: #22 - #10 (long shank curved)
Note: The top image is a dry
Nymph #2 and the bottom image shows it after being submerged in water. Note how dramatic the color changes.
It appears to show the internal organs when wet. The background was changed to enhance the contrast, but did not effect the colors.
What you see is what you get.
Pictured at below right is another view of Nymph No. 2.
Select another
Fly:
Step Over Wing Mayfly
(With Instructions)
Return to
Alan's Introduction.
Tier: Alan Bithell
Select another
Fly:
Step Over Wing Mayfly
(With Instructions)
Return to
Alan's Introduction.
Tier: Alan Bithell
Note: I tie this in lots of size and colour variations to represent different spinner falls.
Select another
Fly:
Step Over Wing Mayfly
(With Instructions)
Return to
Alan's Introduction.
Tier: Alan Bithell
Hook:
#14 - 18.
Select another
Fly:
Step Over Wing Mayfly
(With Instructions)
Return to
Alan's Introduction.
Tier: Alan Bithell
Select another
Fly:
Step Over Wing Mayfly
(With Instructions)
Return to
Alan's Introduction.
Tier: Alan Bithell
Dress your usual mayfly tail and body, then take a very large cock hackle and follow the sequences in the drawings.
Give it a try!
Select another
Fly:
Step Over Wing Mayfly
(With Instructions)
Return to
Alan's Introduction.
Hook: #10 or 12 1x short shank.
Body: 2 Strips of foam cut from a sheet.
Wing: Hackle tips.
Hackle: Blue dun.
Legs: 10lb mono shaped with heated tweezers.
Hook: #14 - 18.
Silk: Pearsall’s primrose.
Body: Hare’s ear fur.
Hackle: Wing covert feather from a golden plover.
Hook:
#24 curved shank.
Silk: Black Danville.
Body: Black foam, shaped with flame and fingers.
Wing: Pearl tinsel.
Hackle: Grizzly.
Notes: Wind hackle around foam after tying foam in as a
parachute. Then the foam is pulled forward to the eye and tied in. 
Hook: #16
Tail: Moose (dyed Olive)
Body: 2 Strips cut from Foam Sheet
Thorax: Olive Dubbing
Wing: Moose (dyed Olive)
Hackle: Natural Red Game 
Hook:
#10 long shank curved.
Underbody: Self adhesive lead sheet.
Head: Gold bead 3/32".
Body: Brown and pink Antron yarn, woven with pink under hook
shank.
Underbody: Self adhesive lead sheet covered with orange tying
silk.
Body: White acetate floss (woven over rear 2/3 of body).
Thorax Cover: Cock pheasant tail fibers.
Thorax: Olive dubbing.
Legs: Tips of cock pheasant tail fibers (used for thorax cover - split and tied back).
Hook: #16 - #12.
Head: Gold bead.
Underbody: Self adhesive lead sheet (up to 3 layers).
Tag: Iridescent plastic strip (from craft shops).
Hackle: Partridge back feather.
Body: Hare’s mask fibers.
Hook: #22 - #14
light wire.
Tails: Microfibetts or cock hackle fibers.
Rib: Pearl tinsel.
Body: Fine synthetic dubbing (match the
color of the natural).
Thorax Cover: Fine strip of buoyant foam (Foamies).
Wings: Cream or gray Antron yarn (BT’s dry fly winging yarn is great for this).
Silk: Pearsall’s orange 6b.
Hackle: Brown tinged feather from a gray partridge back. 
Hook: #18 - 14.
Silk: Black 0/6.
Body: Red holographic tinsel.
Hackle: Partridge.
This is a generic pattern fly that can be tied to match your local hatch.
Instructions
Step One: Prepare hackle by stripping away the fibers from the base and stroking the fibers from one side toward the base.
Step Four: Wind hackle over front 1/3 of hook shank (hackle omitted for clarity).
Step Five: Pull the hackle fibers forward over the hackle and tie in at the head.
Select another
Fly:
Step Over Wing Mayfly
(With Instructions)
Return to
Alan's Introduction.
Be
sure to visit our on-line store at http://www.flytyingworld.com/angling/index.html 
Step Two: Tie the hackle in on edge catching the stalk and the fibers which has been stroked down.
Step Three: Adjust the position of the hackle then lock down with several tight turns.
for your tying needs.
