H & L Variant
Fly of the Month 10.19
Variants
The label of variant associated with a fly pattern means a significant variation of another fly pattern. There are at least two examples that we are aware of. One is the variation of a fly pattern due to a different body. Fly patterns such as the Adams Variant, the CDL Adams Variant, the House & Lot (H&L) Variant and the Whitcraft Variant are all dry fly variation due to a different body. The other is the variation of a fly pattern due to oversized hackle. The Badger Variant, Baigent Black, Black Variant, Brown Variant, Cream Variant, Dun Variant, Gray Fox Variant, Olive Variant and Yellow Variant are all variation due to oversized hackle that provide extraordinary fry fly floating capability. The Coachman Variant and the Pool’s Hackle are also variation due to oversized hackle – in this case the soft, long hackle of wet fly patterns.
The Gray Fox Variant, for example, is the same as the traditional Gray Fox except with oversized stiff, dry fly hackle at 1 ½ times longer. The additional extension of each fiber of the hackle spreads the capillary action over a broader footprint in the surface tension of the water. These variant fly patterns float higher and longer than the traditional fly pattern. And since many of the variant fly patterns are based on standard patterns, the long hackle variant is a style rather than a fly pattern.
Baigent Variants
Dr. William Baigent, of Yorkshire, reputed as one of England’s most successful anglers, had eleven patterns. They were all dressed in “natural Old English game cock feathers”, with long hackles, giving them buoyancy and high riding qualities. He claimed by the position of being slightly higher above the surface the rays of light played upon the iridescent fibers and made them attractive to fish by “life and form.” The eleven patterns included four spinners; four variants, light-dark red and rusty; and a black, a brown and an olive. Thus, we will refer to the variants as Baigent Rusty, Baigent Black, Baigent Brown and Baigent Olive.
As a further development he registered a set of twelve patterns as “Refracta Dry Flies.” The hackles were separated; short, for pattern legs, and long, for floating qualities, to disturb the water and produce an altered refraction. This fly pattern design may have been yet another type of variant.
Baigent’s fly patterns date to around 1875. According to Baigent, when dry flies were beginning to be used, he commenced dressing them “more lightly and with longer but less hackle and called them ‘long-hackled, sparsely dressed flies’.” His fly originally was, “Baigent’s Variant of Pool’s Hackle.” The Pool’s Hackle was a wet fly with long sparse hackle. When they became known they were referred to as ‘a new variety of floater” and later as “Variants”.
The Multi-Colored Variant was originated by Albert D. Barrell, of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, a fishing writer and for many years editor of a newspaper fishing column. He died about 1940. If Barrell did not originate the fly, at least he popularized it with his writing. As originally tied, it was hackled with one of those bastard Barred Plymouth Rock hackles which combine brown and gray in a mottled feather. As commercially tied, it has two hackles, one brown and one gray (Adams-like).
The Southcote Variant with long, dark, smoky gray hackles that and out in a bristly way and small gray wings pointing forward with gold tinsel body, which reflects the color of its surroundings and conveys their appearance, was named after George Southcote, the nom de plume of Sir George Ashton, author of Mostly About Trout published in 1921, and Letters to a Young Fly Fisherman published in 1926, who lived near the River Avon in Wiltshire, England.
A variation on the Coachman is the Coachman Variant which is a wet fly with a bright green tag from an unknown inventor.
Variant Group:
Adams Variant, CDL Adams Variant, H&L Variant, Whitcraft Variant
Badger Variant, Black Variant, Brown Variant, Cream Variant
Dun Variant, Gray Fox Variant, Olive Variant, Yellow Variant
Baigent Black, Baigent Brown, Baigent Olive, Baigent Rusty
Multi-Colored Variant
Southcote Variant (winged)
Pool’s Hackle (wet), Coachman Variant (wet)
Tom Adams and Alen Baker
References:
Smedley, Harold Hinsdill. Fly Patterns and Their Origins, 1944
H & L Variant
Hook : Daiichi 1720 Size 12,14
Thread : Veevus 14/0 Black
Abdomen: Natural Stripped Peacock Herl
Thorax : Peacock Herl
Hackle : Rooster dry, Coachman Furnace
Wings : White Calf Tail
Tail : White Calf Tail
Directions :
Variants
The label of variant associated with a fly pattern means a significant variation of another fly pattern. There are at least two examples that we are aware of. One is the variation of a fly pattern due to a different body. Fly patterns such as the Adams Variant, the CDL Adams Variant, the House & Lot (H&L) Variant and the Whitcraft Variant are all dry fly variation due to a different body. The other is the variation of a fly pattern due to oversized hackle. The Badger Variant, Baigent Black, Black Variant, Brown Variant, Cream Variant, Dun Variant, Gray Fox Variant, Olive Variant and Yellow Variant are all variation due to oversized hackle that provide extraordinary fry fly floating capability. The Coachman Variant and the Pool’s Hackle are also variation due to oversized hackle – in this case the soft, long hackle of wet fly patterns.
The Gray Fox Variant, for example, is the same as the traditional Gray Fox except with oversized stiff, dry fly hackle at 1 ½ times longer. The additional extension of each fiber of the hackle spreads the capillary action over a broader footprint in the surface tension of the water. These variant fly patterns float higher and longer than the traditional fly pattern. And since many of the variant fly patterns are based on standard patterns, the long hackle variant is a style rather than a fly pattern.
Baigent Variants
Dr. William Baigent, of Yorkshire, reputed as one of England’s most successful anglers, had eleven patterns. They were all dressed in “natural Old English game cock feathers”, with long hackles, giving them buoyancy and high riding qualities. He claimed by the position of being slightly higher above the surface the rays of light played upon the iridescent fibers and made them attractive to fish by “life and form.” The eleven patterns included four spinners; four variants, light-dark red and rusty; and a black, a brown and an olive. Thus, we will refer to the variants as Baigent Rusty, Baigent Black, Baigent Brown and Baigent Olive.
As a further development he registered a set of twelve patterns as “Refracta Dry Flies.” The hackles were separated; short, for pattern legs, and long, for floating qualities, to disturb the water and produce an altered refraction. This fly pattern design may have been yet another type of variant.
Baigent’s fly patterns date to around 1875. According to Baigent, when dry flies were beginning to be used, he commenced dressing them “more lightly and with longer but less hackle and called them ‘long-hackled, sparsely dressed flies’.” His fly originally was, “Baigent’s Variant of Pool’s Hackle.” The Pool’s Hackle was a wet fly with long sparse hackle. When they became known they were referred to as ‘a new variety of floater” and later as “Variants”.
The Multi-Colored Variant was originated by Albert D. Barrell, of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, a fishing writer and for many years editor of a newspaper fishing column. He died about 1940. If Barrell did not originate the fly, at least he popularized it with his writing. As originally tied, it was hackled with one of those bastard Barred Plymouth Rock hackles which combine brown and gray in a mottled feather. As commercially tied, it has two hackles, one brown and one gray (Adams-like).
The Southcote Variant with long, dark, smoky gray hackles that and out in a bristly way and small gray wings pointing forward with gold tinsel body, which reflects the color of its surroundings and conveys their appearance, was named after George Southcote, the nom de plume of Sir George Ashton, author of Mostly About Trout published in 1921, and Letters to a Young Fly Fisherman published in 1926, who lived near the River Avon in Wiltshire, England.
A variation on the Coachman is the Coachman Variant which is a wet fly with a bright green tag from an unknown inventor.
Variant Group:
Adams Variant, CDL Adams Variant, H&L Variant, Whitcraft Variant
Badger Variant, Black Variant, Brown Variant, Cream Variant
Dun Variant, Gray Fox Variant, Olive Variant, Yellow Variant
Baigent Black, Baigent Brown, Baigent Olive, Baigent Rusty
Multi-Colored Variant
Southcote Variant (winged)
Pool’s Hackle (wet), Coachman Variant (wet)
Tom Adams and Alen Baker
References:
Smedley, Harold Hinsdill. Fly Patterns and Their Origins, 1944
H & L Variant
Hook : Daiichi 1720 Size 12,14
Thread : Veevus 14/0 Black
Abdomen: Natural Stripped Peacock Herl
Thorax : Peacock Herl
Hackle : Rooster dry, Coachman Furnace
Wings : White Calf Tail
Tail : White Calf Tail
Directions :
- Mount the hook in the vise
- Begin thread wraps three eyelengths from eye and take tight and touching turns to the point above the hook barb. Continue tight and touching turns to the one third mark and let the bobbin hang.
- Select a small portion of calf tail for the tail of the fly. Cut away from the hide and holding in your left hand begin pulling the underfur and short hairs away. Continue until hair is clear and place in stacker with the tips down and rap several times to even up the tips. Remove gently from stacker and hold between your thumb and index finger to measure the length to tie in. Once the distance is established change hands and hold at a forty five degree angle on your side of the hook shank with the tips facing away from the hook eye. Begin with a gentle wrap of thread and continue to wrap toward the hook bend. Once you are happy with the placement and length of the tail, begin wrapping more firmly in tight touching turns toward the eye. Slightly past the half way point, stop the wraps and trim the waste calf tail by cutting square to the hook shank. Let the bobbin hang.
- Advance the thread to the hook bend and return three eyelengths toward the eye. Select a portion of calf tail and clean out the fuzz and short hairs. Stack with a hair stacker and remove. Tie in the wing on top of the hook shank and trim the waste to match up to the tail. This will form a smooth transition for the abdomen. Select about one half of the calf tail and split into an "x" with thread wraps. Secure the wings with thread wraps around the base of each wing. Let the bobbin hang.
- Select a stripped peacock herl (natural) and tie in at the hook bend. Wrap forward to the thorax and trim any waste herl. Coat the stripped herl with head cement.
- Select a peacock herl and tie in immediately in front of the stripped herl and make five or six wraps to the wings.
- Select a rooster hackle and strip away about one quarter inch of barbs. Tie in at the wings and take the thread to behind the eye. Make tight and touching turns with the hackle of about four behind and four in front of the wings. Trim the waste.
- Form a small head of thread. Whip finish to complete the fly.