Clyde Style Wet Fly Step by Step

As promised here's the step by step.  This is my method of tying them which keeps the fly very sparse.  All you'll need for this fly is a starling skin(except for the hook and thread).

Starling and Olive

Hook:  Mustad R50X, size 16 shown

Thread:  Pearsall's silk, olive

Wing:  Starling wing sections

Hackle:  Starling

Step One:  Start your thread going, back just about an eye length(about five or six wraps)

Step Two:  Cut a slip from a left and right starling wing feather.  Make sure they are the same width.  

I prefer between 1/4 to 1/3 of a hook gap wide.  Place the slips together so the tips are even and they curve out.  These slips will form the fly's wing

 

Measure the wing to be about a hook length long and present it to the hook.  Holding it tightly with your thumb and middle finger with the wing just barely touching the hook pull the thread up through your fingers and around the wing.  Pull straight down with the thread to set your wing.  Keeping hold of everything wind back three or four tight turns.  Check to make sure everything's sitting right.  If the wing is askew you might be able to wiggle it into place.  If not,  unwind and start over.  Once the wing is set right cut the remaining wing fibers off at an angle.  This will help form a taper.

 Wind back to about the hook point and then back up.  Put a wrap or two directly in front of the wings to set them upright.  The wings should already be curving away from each other.  If you want them even more outward you can figure eight your thread through them.

Measure a starling feather so the feather fibers are about a hook shank in length.  Don't worry if they're a little long.  Preen the fibers back and cut the tip leaving a little delta.  This is where the feather will be tied in.

Tye the feather tip in on the under side of the hook so that the feather is cupping towards the fly.  If you pre-trimmed the tip right you shouldn't have anything to trim off at this point.

 Fold the hackle and wind one to two turns.  The fly shown has one and a half.  Lock down the feather with two or three tight turns and trim the excess.  Tidy up the head if needed, whip finish and you're done.