Goats Toe anybody?

[Donald Nicolson]

I used the blue because that is what I had. I don't think it makes a lot of difference.

[tie2fish]

A beautiful dressing.

[Mataura mayfly]

Lovely tie Donald, very nice photo and thank you for the effort in researching a bit more of this little known or utilised (outside Scotland) pattern.
Interesting your note on the 2XL hooks, I used standard B 175 Kamasan, but feel the pattern might look better on 2XL shank length, perhaps because the feathers I have are fairly long in the barb. The hackle should be long in this pattern, but I really had to sort through to find feathers short enough.

[fflutterffly]

Goat toe? Is that what they are calling now?.... OH My! I couldn't resist. Sorry for my plung back to adolescence.

[Mataura mayfly]

Goat toe? Is that what they are calling now?.... OH My! I couldn't resist. Sorry for my plung back to adolescence.

Not a lot of Camel's in Ireland ff.

[Donald Nicolson]

The way the peacock herl is wound on the body is novel, I think it comes from Stan Headley.
I'll have to try it that way on other flies.

[Mataura mayfly]

Donald, winding one herl up and counter-winding the other down would help negate the rib forcing it's way between the herl wraps, as can happen with parallel wraps. Would also help create a more even less tapered body if both were tip tied and the herl has a sharp taper or is less flumed at the tip that a wee bit further up the stem.
Nice idea and I am going to start trying it.

[Donald Nicolson]

I think you've really sussed the reason for winding the herl that way, very good.
Stan Headley is one of the most innovative fly dressers in the UK. I think he made a good fly even better. He also used four strands of flat fluo floss, twisted, not wool for the rib.
This makes a thinner rib than wool. He also used green hackle, not blue. I don't know if there is any real significance in the different hackle colour.

[Mataura mayfly]

I used sewing cotton doubled for a rib on the chartreuse one in the first photo, you are correct- most of the wool I have is too "full" for the rib (I feel) even if twisted to tighten. I might have a go with embroidery floss.
I use green rather than the blue because it is what I have at hand...... and it is free!

[Mataura mayfly]

Donald, (and anyone else reading along) I tied up a couple of 2Xl #10 Goats Toe's on Kamasan B 830 hooks today using embroidery yarn for the tag and rib. The yarn I have is six strand, I separated the rib section into three strands, but did use the up-down wraps of the herl which did give a nicer looking body.
I doubt the head cement was dry on this one and it was going for a swim. Thought you might like to see what they look like underwater.......



I did not use any form of under hackle on these, just the peacock feather, doubled and wrapped twice.



Bit of a crappy photo set and the water was not as clear as I would have liked, but that is "swimming" at the end of the tippet in fairly strong current and the hackle does not seem to collapse.

The locals seem to like them.