Royal Coachman

[flytie09]

Royal Coachman

This ain't your grandpappy's Royal Coachman. A variation from Canadian Steelheader and fly tying wizard, Jin Woo Lee. Jin ties exclusively in hand, without the aid of a vise. Unfathomable to most of us mere mortals. Some of his flies with married wings make you scratch your head and ask...how he do that?

To see more of Jin's amazing work....check out his Instagram page. His handle is @whiskeyjin.....

This gives you an idea.......





This is one of his simpler patterns. Even with a vise...it's a challenge.



Hook - Blue Heron #2
Tip - Extra small gold oval tinsel
Tag - Red floss
Tail - Wood duck flank
Body - Peacock herl, red floss and peacock herl in three equal sections
Rib - Extra small gold oval tinsel
Hackle - Light brown schlappen
Throat - Fiery brown schlappen
Wing - 2x pairs of white saddle hackle tips
Head - Red wool yarn

 

[duker]

I've seen pics of Jin's flies before, and they are simply gobsmackingly beautiful. And tied in hand to boot. That's just pure art, that is.

Yours too Mike--I always look forward to seeing what you've tied and its history.

Scott

 

[Ard]

Have you guys ever tried it without the vise? I'll risk sounding like a story teller but way back in years, somewhere around 86 or 87 I did some. I had never considered it but my fishing buddy instigated me into trying using the "Lee Wolff did it" line. I did a little reading and I owned some wonder wax so I gave it a go. It's not as bad as it sounds. I even did some dries............

 

[bumble54]

Have you guys ever tried it without the vise? I'll risk sounding like a story teller but way back in years, somewhere around 86 or 87 I did some. I had never considered it but my fishing buddy instigated me into trying using the "Lee Wolff did it" line. I did a little reading and I owned some wonder wax so I gave it a go. It's not as bad as it sounds. I even did some dries............

I believe the late Megan Boyd 1915-2001 tied most of her early salmon flies in hand, later photo's do show her at the vice. There is a video out there, somewhere, showing her tying flies in hand. If I can find it I will post it.

 

[flytie09]

Megan tied flies with a vise I believe. This was hers that sold at Bonham’s auction for $1100.
She tied at her childhood home all her life. She didn’t have electricity until the mid 1980s.... by that time she was unable to see any more to tie.

 

[duker]

Have you guys ever tried it without the vise? I'll risk sounding like a story teller but way back in years, somewhere around 86 or 87 I did some. I had never considered it but my fishing buddy instigated me into trying using the "Lee Wolff did it" line. I did a little reading and I owned some wonder wax so I gave it a go. It's not as bad as it sounds. I even did some dries............

Geez, Ard, I've got enough trouble using a vise. Do you still have any of the ones you tied in hand? We'd love to see pics. I just know Mike could tie some beauties in hand.

One of my favourite movies is "Anatomy of a Murder"--Jimmy Stewart plays a small-town lawyer who's also a fly fisherman, and during the big trial he's tying what looks like a big streamer fly in hand. He tucks it into one of his law books when he examines a witness. Given that the movie was based on a novel by John Voelker, aka Robert Traver, author of "Trout Magic", it's not surprising his protagonist would be a fly tier.

Scott

 

[Ard]

Very doubtful Scott, they were done in the 1980's at the urging of my fishing buddy Steve. Back then there was a video, one of those huge plastic cassettes with tape reels in them and on the tape Lee Wulff tied his Wulff dry flies I believe they were without using a vise. Steve thought of me as being a good fly tier and shared the video and on several occasions voiced his opinion that he thought I could do that too so I did.

If you promise to watch it I will chose a pattern - lay out materials and then record a video tying a fly without my vice. I can tell you in advance that the fly will not be a size 16 Ginger Quill and that the video will be longer than 10 minutes. Even with an arthritic condition affecting my right hand (broken badly at age 30) I think I can still pull it off.

I'll think on either a feather wing streamer or large dry fly them prep materials and give it a go this weekend.

I am officially disabled due to the water pump needing to be replaced on my Honda BF90 Jet and without the boat there is nowhere for me to fish. Boat has been down since Monday and it took until Wednesday evening for me to diagnose the issue. I thought my cooling lines (of which there are many) were clogged with either silt or debris but found that my impeller housing had been destroyed by some means. I'm talking about a small pump housing and impeller located up on top of the Jet housing, not the main drive impeller. Either way I'm down at peak time waiting for parts Monday I hope.

 

[Ard]

You guys musta missed the above offer, its been almost a solid month and I figured someone would call me to task on the offer. I have not done any practice not even a tube in vise fly but if put on the spot would tie something simple like a Black Ghost streamer. I don't expect it'll be easy after all these years but can do a step by step still photo post on the process. Please don't mistake the post as throwing cold water on the extraordinary dexterity and talent of guys like Jin who do this all the time, I just like to think that I still remember how it was done.

Just sayen

 

[duker]

Okay--I'll take you up on that offer. A video would be great; if not, a photo SBS. I promise to watch (cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye, eat a horse manure pie).

Maybe you and Mike could do a "twofer"?

Scott

 

[Ard]

OK Scott,

I'm going fishing this evening and results will dictate whether I'm home tomorrow or up and out early. A video would be nice but I fear it would run way too long. This isn't gonna be like the slip wing video I did last month, I expect some slips and difficulties along the way but promise it'll be an in hand streamer fly jungle cock eyes and all.