Flies

TUP’S   INDISPENSABLE

Origin

R. S. Austin tied this classic fly in 1900, but it was left to G.E.M. Skues to put a name to the dressing.  He was a tobacconist that lived in Tiverton in Devon, South West England. He and his daughter both tied flies for sale. Theodore Gordon in his writings had great praise for this fly and because of his writings it became so famous that Austin and his daughter became utterly sick of tying it.
  It is interesting as to how GEM Skues named the fly for Austin.  The “Indispensable” part comes from the fact that it should not be left out of your fly box.  The “Tup’s” part of the name refers to a Ram sheep used for breeding.  In England in those days, farmers used a sponge or rag soaked in dye and is tied to the underside of the Ram.  The next morning, they would inspect their flock to see which females had dye stained on their backs from being “tupped” by the Ram.  The original material for the body of this fly was the dye stained wool taken from a ram’s testicles mixed with lemon colored fur from a spaniel and a little yellow mohair. The material was kept a secret until the daughter retired from tying after 35 years.  This material was later replaced with crimson seal’s fur.

Pattern

    • Hook     --  dry fly type, up turned eye, size 16
    • Thread   --  yellow silk
    • Tail        --  yellow-spangled lightish blue cock hackle fibers ( substitute light blue dun )
    • Body      --  mix of ram’s fur, lemon-colored fur from a spaniel, cream seal’s fur, and a small amount of yellow mohair ( substitute yellow floss )
    • Thorax    --  a variation uses a small amount to pink dubbing
    • Hackle    --  yellow-spangled lightish blue cock hackle  ( light blue dun )

Tying Instructions:

  • Pinch down the hook barb
  • Wrap a thread base and cement to the hook
  • Tie on the small bunch of tail feathers about the same length of the hook shank
  • Dub on the mixture of furs
  • Dub on the small bunch of pink dubbing just behind the hackle feathers
  • Tie on and wrap the hackle feathers around the hook about two wraps – make the hackle longer than normal dry flies
  • Wrap a small thread head
  • Whip finish the thread and cement

Flies  Imitated:  Pale midges and mayflies

How to fish: Fish as a dry fly when trout are feeding near the surface

Gary Kutz, Golden State Flycasters, July 2006