Tying The Wickham’s Fancy

This fly was invented in the late 19th century in Hampshire. It is effective as both a wet or dry fly. The flat, gold body is ribbed with fine, gold wire. The wound “hackle” and the tail are both made from gingery-red cock feathers. To tie the fly, the bend of a size 8 hook is secured in the vice. Then a layer of thread is wound along the straight hook shank from the eye down to near the bend. A tail is added by securing a few fibres of red-brown cock hackle to the end of the shank with thread. The pointed ends of the fibres should protrude beyond the bend of the hook. A length of fine gold wire is also tied in at the same point. The thread is then wound back over the waste ends of the tail fibres and wire up to the eye and back again. This forms an even base along the body. An even, shiny gold body is created by first tying in, then winding gold tinsel up the shank. Another hackle is secured to the hook just behind the eye with the thread. This is then wound in open, yet tight turns back along the body. When it reaches the end of the tinsel, gold wire is wound back up to the eye, trapping the hackle. Once there, the wire is secured with thread and the waste wire cut off. Finally, another red-brown cock hackle can be added and wound just behind the eye (not down to the shank). Alternatively, a section of starling or mallard feather can be tied in on top of the shank to represent a wing. This sweeps back over the body like a cloak. After any waste materials and thread have been cut off, a dab of varnish is placed on the thread at the eye-end to secure everything.