Fly Dressing Syllabus

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APGAI IRELAND TEST SYLLABUS – FLY DRESSING

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INTRODUCTION:

This syllabus is designed to assist candidates who are preparing for the examination and is based on the experience of those who have successfully prepared for and taken the exam.

The most important benefit of preparing for the exam is the expanded knowledge and increased proficiency you will gain. It is important to note that the Association does not advocate any particular style of fly tying as being superior. Our primary concern is that you are a good fly tier, a good teacher and that you have an outstanding knowledge of fly tying techniques, history and entomology. You will find the examination rigorous and demanding.This is so in order to uphold the integrity of the testing and qualification process.

THE TEST:

The qualification process consists of four parts; the assessment procedure is preceded by compulsory attendance at a Development Workshop which will be followed some weeks later by a written exam, an oral exam and a practical fly tying test. The oral and practical tests will take place simultaneously.

THE ORAL EXAM:

The oral portion of the exam consists of questions concerning tying techniques, hooks, equipment, materials, teaching methods and entomology.

ENTOMOLOGY:

You will be examined on your knowledge of basic entomology and should be able to explain and teach the reasons for using a particular fly at a given time as well as understanding the important elements of the life-cycle of each group.

You should be familiar with the annual cycle of insect life on both rivers and loughs in Ireland, including the following groups:

• Ephemeroptera – Mayflies and Olives
• Trichoptera – Sedges – Murrough, Green Peter, Grey Flag, etc.
• Megaloptera – The Alder Fly
• Plecoptera – The Stone Flies
• Diptera – Including the common bluebottle, house fly and midges. More important to anglers being the midges, chironomids, Black Gnat, Reed Smut, Crane flies (Daddy long legs)
• Hemiptera – Waterbugs, Corixa
• Odonata – Dragonflies and Damselflies
• Terrestrials – Grasshoppers etc

THE WRITTEN TEST:

HOW TO STRUCTURE A FLY TYING SESSION OR CLASS:

You will be examined on how to plan, structure and conduct a basic fly tying class for:

1. an individual pupil
2. a group class

THE PRACTICAL FLY TYING TEST:

Prior to the examination you must submit a set of twelve sample flies of your choice, with two identical examples of each pattern covering the six categories listed below:-

1. Dry fly (winged type)
2. Wet fly (winged type)
3. Nymph
4. Salmon shrimp fly
5. Hair winged fly
6. Lure/streamer

The practical part of the examination is straightforward. You can either tie flies or you can’t. The secret is to have a good knowledge of the skills required and get plenty of practise. Know the techniques required to tie the flies listed and be prepared to demonstrate and explain the techniques with comfort and ease.

The practical exam will last for up to an hour and a half, during which you will be expected to demonstrate and teach the tying of six flies from the list below. Time management will be an integral and marked element of the assessment. In all cases you will concentrate on correct proportions, choice of suitable materials and secure, reliable tying techniques. You will be expected to give a clear and concise commentary to match the demonstration and the techniques employed.

List of flies, SIX of which you may be asked to tie during the examination:

WET FLIESPeter RossConnemara Black Wickham’s Fancy Green Peter Claret Bumble Dabbler Parmachene Belle

DRY FLIESAdamsWonder-Wing Klinkhamer Special Humpy Spent Gnat Mayfly Split Wing Olive CDC and Elk

NYMPHSOlive NymphPheasant Tail GRHE Goldhead

LURESMuddler MinnowClouser Minnow Ace of Spades

SALMONHair Wing PatternIrish Shrimp Pattern (tied with doubled hackle)

CORE TECHNIQUES:

Some or all of the following core techniques will be examined:

• Securing the thread
• Pinch and loop techniques
• Ribbing
• Dubbing, including dubbing loop and twister
• Floss bodies
• Tinsel bodies
• Hackling – collar, palmered, doubled, beard, dry-fly, parachute, dabbler, blue jay
• Winging – matched pair slips, folded/rolled, roofed, hair-wing, built-wing, hackle-tips, Wulff wings, synthetic, CDC, deer hair, hair control, split wing.
• Spinning deer hair
• Whip finish (including both tool and finger method)
• Heads

TOOLS & MATERIALS

Please bring your own fly tying tools. Hooks and materials for the assessment will be supplied by APGAI (Ireland). The list below is a guide:

Vice
Scissors
Dubbing needle
Hackle pliers
Whip finish tool
Dubbing twister
Bobbin holder
Bobbin threader
Hair stacker
Tweezers
Varnish
Selection of threads in 6/0, 8/0
Beeswax
Tacky Wax
Table lamp

BOOK LIST

The following list, which is not in any particular order, will help you broaden your perspective. It is not possible to emphasise any particular one. Availability alone may be a substantial limitation as some titles are only available second-hand. You should focus on those that appeal most to you and appear most helpful. Those in bold type are classified as Instructional and those in plain type as Reference. Instructional books marked with an asterisk are regarded as particularly helpful. You may bring some Reference books with you into the examination (for pattern guidance).

INSTRUCTIONAL:
TITLE	AUTHOR	PUBLISHER
Tying Flies in the Irish Style*	E.J. Malone	Smith Settle
Flytying for Beginners*	Peter Gathercole	Aurum Press Ltd.
Beginners Guide to Flytying*	Mann & Griffiths	Merlin Unwin Books
Flytying Techniques *	Jacqueline Wakeford	Black
An Introduction to Flytying	Pat O’Reilly & Derek Hoskin	Crowood
The Fly-tying Bible	Peter Gathercole	Aurum Press Ltd.
Fly Tying Methods	Darrel Martin	David & Charles
Tying Dry Flies	Randall Kaufuann	Western Fisherman’s Press
Fly Dressing I	Dave Collier	David & Charles
Fly Dressing II	Dave Collier	David & Charles
Further Guide to Fly Dressing	John Veniard	A & C Black
How to Dress Salmon Flies	T.E. Pryce-Tennatt	Black
Salmon Flies	Poul Jorgensen	Stockpole Books
The Art of the Atlantic Salmon Fly	J.D. Bates	Swan Hill
Tying Flies with CDC	Leon Links	Merlin Unwin Books
Fly Tying Made Clear and Simple	Skip Morris	Frank Amato Publications
The Art of tying the Dry Fly	Skip Morris	Frank Amato Publications
The Art of tying the Nymph	Skip Morris	Frank Amato Publications

 

REFERENCE:
TITLE	AUTHOR	PUBLISHER
A Man May Fish	T.C. Kingsmill-Moore	Colin Smythe
Waterside Guide	John Goddard	Merlin Unwin Books
The Flytiers Companion	Mick Dawes	Swan Hill
Tube Flies	Mark Mandell and Les Johnson	Frank Amato Publications
Shrimp and Spey Flies	Mann and Gillespie	Merlin Unwin Books
A Dictionary of Trout Flies	John Roberts	Collins
Hairwing and tube flies for Salmon	Chris Mann	Merlin Unwin Books
Saltwater Flies	Deke Meyer	Frank Amato Publications
Flies of Ireland	Peter O’Reilly	Merlin Unwin Books
Irish Trout & Salmon Flies	E.J. Malone	Colin Smythe
Fly Fishing in Ireland	Peter O’Reilly	Merlin Unwin Books
An Anglers Entomology	J.R. Harris	Collins
The World’s Best Trout Flies	John Roberts	Tiger
Matching The Hatch	Pat O’Reilly	Quiller Publishing Ltd