Sheep Shad Fly Tying Instructions

The original sheep fly was tied by Dave Whitlock. He wanted a fly that was "meaty" looking but without too much bulk so that it could be cast easily. He also wanted a material that would have characteristics similar to polar bear, long since banned for importation into the United States. He discovered Icelandic sheep's fur. It was readily available, took coloring dyes well, had long fibers and had the translucency so prized in polar bear.

  1. Materials List

    • You will need certain materials to begin your sheep shad fly tying. Use a Tiemco TMC 9394, size 2 hook; white 3/0 thread; red SLF dubbing; Pearl Krystal Flash; Icelandic sheep hair in white, fluorescent yellow and gray; silver Flashabou; Peacock Krystal Flash; grizzly hackle, dyed chartreuse; wood duck flank; and solid plastic gold eyes.

    Start the Fly

    • Starting with the red SLF, dub a small ball halfway down the hook shank. This may seem like an unusual place to imitate gills but the head of this fly is large and the red SLF will show through at the correct location on the completed fly. The Krystal Flash underbody, tied in at the bend, can be used as a marker for the fly's overall length. This flash should be a little short of what you want the completed wing to be. This flash acts as an attractor.

    Make the Body

    • Moving up the hook shank and over the Krystal Flash, you will make a midwing and belly from white sheep hair. The belly will be half the length of the midwing. Now you can see the shape of the completed fly beginning to form. Add several strands of Flashabou, imitating the fish's lateral line, on top of the midwing. Make this just short of the midwing's length.

    Add the Multi-Wing

    • The wing has several materials and starts with bunch of fluorescent yellow sheep hair on top of the Flashabou. Put a bunch of gray sheep hair over the yellow. Finally, a grizzly hackle on each side completes the stacked wing.

    Complete the Fly

    • The head is made from one wood duck flank feather on each side. Each is 1/4 the length of the body. Gluing a plastic eye onto each side of the head, up close to the nose, completes the fly.

    Alternative Patterns and Materials

    • Some anglers think the original pattern is unnecessarily complicated and have offered simpler patterns and report good results. Similarly, due to the higher cost of Icelandic sheep fur, some have substituted autumn lamb.