River Flies Guide
Recommended Flies for the River Ayr
This page is a guide to some of the most popular and effective flies used for fishing on the River Ayr. These recommendations may vary based on water conditions, time of year, and the fish's feeding habits.
March Brown
- Sizes: 12, 14
- Silk: Thread Black or Brown
- Tail: Partridge tail fibers
- Body: Hares ear body fur
- Rib: Gold wire
- Hackle: Dark Brown Partridge
- Wing: Hen pheasant wing
Blae & Black
- Hook Sizes: 10, 12, 14
- Tail: Golden Pheasant tippets
- Body: Black Floss
- Rib: Fine Oval Silver tinsel
- Hackle: Black Cock hackle
- Wing: Mallard primary feather
- Head: Black tying silk, black or clear varnish
- Fish For: Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout
Large Dark Olive
- Hook Sizes: 10, 12, 14
- More information to follow.
Blae & Black
- Hook Sizes: 10, 12, 14
- Tail: Golden Pheasant tippets
- Body: Black Floss
- Rib: Fine Oval Silver tinsel
- Hackle: Black Cock hackle
- Wing: Mallard primary feather
- Head: Black tying silk, black or clear varnish
- Fish For: Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout
Silver Butcher
- Hook Sizes: 8, 10, 12, 14
- Tail: Red feather fiber
- Body: Flat silver tinsel
- Rib: Fine Oval Silver tinsel
- Hackle: Black Cock hackle
- Head: Black tying silk, black or clear varnish
- Fish For: Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Sea Trout
Teal, Blue & Silver
- Hook Sizes: 8, 10, 12, 14
- Tail: Golden Pheasant tippets
- Hackle: Cock hackle dyed blue
- Wing: Teal wing
- Head: Black tying silk, black or clear varnish
- Fish For: Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Sea Trout
Invicta
- Hook Sizes: 8, 10, 12, 14
- Tail: Golden Pheasant crest feather
- Body: Brown Cock hackle, seal fur, Blue Jay fibers
- Rib: Fine Oval Gold tinsel
- Hackle: Brown Cock hackle
- Wing: Hen Pheasant tail feather
- Head: Brown tying silk, clear varnish
- Fish For: Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout
Wickham's Fancy
- Hook Sizes: 12, 14
- Tail: Red cock hackle fibers
- Body: Flat Gold tinsel
- Rib: Fine ribbed gold wire
- Hackle: Red cock hackle from shoulder to tail
- Wing: Starling wing
- Head: Black tying silk, black or clear varnish
- Fish For: Brown Trout
Peter Ross
- Hook Sizes: 12, 14
- Tail: Golden Pheasant tippet fibers
- Body: Tail half with flat silver tinsel, shoulder half with red seal's fur
- Rib: Fine oval silver tinsel
- Hackle: Black cock hackle
- Wing: Teal flank feathers
- Head: Black tying silk, black or clear varnish
- Fish For: Brown Trout
Alexandra
- Hook Sizes: 12, 14
- Tail: Red Ibis feather and peacock herl
- Body: Flat silver tinsel
- Hackle: Black hen
- Wings: Peacock sword herl with inset of Red Ibis on each side
Silver Butcher
- Hook Sizes: 8, 10, 12, 14
- Tail: Red feather fiber, Red Ibis
- Rib: Fine oval tinsel
- Body: Flat silver tinsel
- Hackle: Black cock
- Wings: Blue feathers from Mallard duck wing
- Head: Black tying silk, black or clear varnish
- Suitable For: Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Sea Trout
Bloody Butcher
- Hook Sizes: 8, 10, 12, 14
- Tail: Red feather fiber, Red Ibis
- Body: Silver flat tinsel
- Rib: Oval silver tinsel
- Hackle: Blood red cock
- Wings: Purple feather from Mallard wing
- Head: Black tying silk, black or clear varnish
- Suitable For: Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Sea Trout
Grouse & Claret
- Hook Sizes: 12, 14, 16
- Tail: Pheasant
- Body: Red floss
- Rib: Gold oval tinsel
- Hackle: Dyed purple cock hackle
- Wings: Woodcock wing
- Head: Black tying silk, black or clear varnish
- Suitable to Fish For: Trout
Coachman
- Hook Sizes: 12, 14
- Body: Bronze peacock herl, gold flat tinsel
- Hackle: Ginger or brown cock hackle
- Wings: White goose or duck feathers
- Head: Black tying silk, black or clear varnish
Connemara Black
- Hook Sizes: 12, 14
- Tail: Small Golden Pheasant crest feather
- Body: Black wool or seal’s fur, ribbed with fine tinsel
- Hackle: Natural black cock, with outer blue feather from blue jay wing
- Head: Black tying silk, black or clear varnish
- Suitable to Fish For: Brown Trout
Dunkeld
- Hook Sizes: 12, 14
- Thread: Black
- Tail: Golden pheasant topping
- Rib: Copper wire
- Body: Flat gold tinsel
- Hackle: Red hen hackle
- Wing: Bronze mallard
- Cheeks: Jungle cock
- Head: Black tying silk, black or clear varnish
- Suitable to Fish For: Brown Trout
Greenwell's Glory
- Hook Sizes: 12, 14, 16
- Body: Yellow or gold tying silk
- Hackle: Light furnace cock
- Wing: Dark starling or hen blackbird
- Head: Black tying silk, black or clear varnish
- Best Fished: April, between noon and 3pm
- Natural Imitation Size: 9 to 10mm
- Suitable Waters: Medium to fast stony waters
Blae & Hare's Ear or Lug
- Hook Sizes: 12, 14
- Tail: Golden pheasant tippet fibers
- Body: Black floss, wool, or seal's fur
- Hackle: Black hen
- Wings: Wild duck wing
- Head: Black tying silk, black or clear varnish
Invicta
- Hook Sizes: 12, 14
- Tail: Golden pheasant crest feather
- Body: Flat silver tinsel
- Hackle: Ginger cock
- Head Hackle: Blue Jay
- Wings: Hen pheasant center tail
- Head: Black tying silk, black or clear varnish
Kingfisher Blue
- Hook Sizes: 12, 14
- Tail: Dyed light blue cock feather
- Body: Flat gold tinsel
- Hackle: Dyed light ginger cock hackle
- Wing: 2 black feathers from kingfisher, left untrimmed
- Head: Black tying silk, black or clear varnish
Mallard & Claret
- Hook Sizes: 12, 14
- Tail: Pheasant
- Body: Claret floss, gold tinsel
- Hackle: Red cock & dyed purple cock hackle
- Wings: Mallard
- Head: Black tying silk, black or clear varnish
Olive Dun
- Hook Sizes: 12, 14
- Tail: Fibers of olive cock hackle
- Body: Well-marked quill from peacock “eye,” gold ribbed wire
- Hackle: Dyed light olive
- Wing: Starling
- Head: Black tying silk, black or clear varnish
Invicta Silver
- Hook Sizes: 12, 14
- Tail: Golden pheasant crest feather
- Body: Flat silver tinsel
- Hackle: Ginger cock
- Head Hackle: Blue Jay
- Head: Black tying silk, black or clear varnish
Invicta Pearly
- Hook Sizes: 12, 14
- Tail: Golden pheasant crest feather
- Body: Flat green tinsel
- Hackle: Ginger cock
- Head Hackle: Blue Jay
- Head: Black tying silk, black or clear varnish
Sooty Olive
- Tail: Details not specified
- Body: Details not specified
- Hackle: Details not specified
- Wings: Details not specified
- Head: Details not specified
Zulu Blue
- Tail: Red wool
- Body: Black tying silk dubbed with black wool and fine silver tinsel
- Hackle: Dyed blue cock hackle
Coach Y Bundhu
- Hook Sizes: 12, 14
- Tying Silk: Black
- Tag: Gold tinsel
- Body: Bronze Peacock Herl
- Rib (Optional): Red floss silk
- Hackle: Coach-Y-Bondhu (red game hackle with a black center and black tips)
- Head: Black tying silk, black or clear varnish
INVICTA
KINGFISHER BLUE
MALLARD & CLARET
OLIVE DUN
INVICTA SILVER
RED TAG
PARTRIDGE & ORANGE
Hare's Ear Nymph
Pheasant Tail Nymph
Olive Dun (Wet)
Stonefly Nymph
- Hook:12, 14
- Tying Silk:Dark Brown
- Tail:Light Brown feather fibers
- Body:Hackle-stock dyed brown, tapered to the rear
- Thorax:Copper or lead wire covered with Peacock herl (optional)
- Wing case:Brown feather fibers
- Leg hackle:Dark brown Partridge, tied on the underside only
- Suitable for:Trout fishing in rivers
DAMSEL NYMPH
- Hook:10, 12
- Tying Silk:White
- Tail:3 pale olive cock hackle tips
- Body:Pale Green Seal's fur, tied sparsely with a taper
- Rib:Fine Silver wire
- Legs:One turn of an Olive hen hackle
- Note:This is an early season pattern