Fly Tying with Davie McPhail

The number of Step by Step videos of fly tying made by Davie McPhail, arguably the UK’s top fly tier and one ( I would argue) of the best in the world, now stretches to around 300. Why buy a DVD or video when you can view Davie making pretty well every fly you will ever need, for free on line? The video’s are on the whole very clear, and easy to follow, the only criticism I would level is some don’t specify what the exact materials used are, or possibly more importantly in the case of odd stuff, where you can buy it. Having said that if you read the comments on the youtube page it often tells you there whether Davie has added it later or if someone asks.

This page merely points you to his You Tube channel page where you can access all the videos.

If you choose you can download them and make your own DVD!

The linked page is probably the best one for getting an idea of the range of dressings he demonstrates and selecting the ones you want. I have also listed popular Davie McPhail Playlists to make finding his stuff easier, below.

Davie McPhail’s Fly tying video index.

Buying Davie’s flies

Davie is a bit of an enigma when it comes to actually getting hold of his beautifully crafted flies. I have seen many times, people ask him on facebook where can they buy them and I have never seen him respond, however he clearly does tie for people as he regularly posts that he is doing a box of flies of some type for someone. I suspect it’s a case of email him and join the queue. I also know he does on occassion just send better known anglers flies on some occassions. Hywel Morgan mentioned to me that a box of Davies flies just arrived one morning in the post! What a treat to open out the blue that would be!

Anyway if you do want to buy his flies there is one possibility, and that is ebay. Davie goes by the seller id. “peatyman” on there and if you follow this seller you should see when he is selling a fly (flies). If you look at his completed listings, you can see the types of flies he sells and the prices they go for.

Caddis Flies Pupa, Nymphs and Dries

Modern & Traditional Loch/Lough Scottish and Irish Wet Flies

Atlantic Salmon Flies

River Wets/Soft Hackle Flies

Fulling Mill Flies

International Patterns

Davie McPhail on Twitter : @DavieMcPhail

Keep up to date with Davies news. Davie posts fairly regularly on Twitter and if he is selling items or offering flies in competitions you can get first look by keeping an eye on his twitter account, which is fed below for users who maybe don’t do twitter.

Tweets by DavieMcPhail

23 Comments

Old Fly Fishing Fart on October 28, 2012 at 23:50

I love his You Tube videos and he makes it looks so easy until I try to copy some of his flies. Met him once at the GAC and he’s a gentleman too.

Graham Gardner on August 28, 2023 at 11:45

Never had pleasure of meeting the Gentleman. But know if the rest of humanity were like him. World would be a better place.
Regards Oor Welly ☕
IE Graham.
Reply

Billy Scott on February 28, 2013 at 21:58

Dave your videos are brilliant i’ve only been fly tying for four years and have picked up so many great tips from you,some of my mates say i should sell them lol,my flys were like budgies till i seen your work,your ability is a gift….. Mr S.

Alex on February 23, 2014 at 21:26

I had copy all salmon fly patterns from Utube, really easy to do, for the matirial I have found everything but not in only one shop….
Reply

Alex on February 23, 2014 at 21:28

And a lot of thxs David

Brian McManus on April 1, 2014 at 17:00

another Scot leads the way, good on you Davie.

Borys Wereszczynski on April 2, 2014 at 23:09

I have met Dave when I was on vacation in his home town in 2012. He picked me up & showed me around as well as his office where he creates those beautiful flies. He is a real gentleman with a knowledge & skill that is rare to find in a person. He maybe considered as Scotland’s NAtional Treasure.

rab donaldson on July 20, 2014 at 20:38

Dave you truly are a genius

Ian bryson on April 29, 2015 at 08:15

Can I buy these flies at angling outlets as cant tye my own thanks

unfamous on April 29, 2015 at 10:44

Hi Ian
I am pretty sure Davy doesn’t sell his flies through shops. In fact while he clearly does sell flies I don’t think he does them for just anyone. Probably the best way to find out is to ask him yourself. He is on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/davie.mcphail?fref=ts

and once you have connected with him he does answer queries by fb messenger but I do see people ask him on his page how to buy his flies but to date have never seen him reply to those requests. You could also ask via his YouTube page but again whether he will reply publicly to such a request I don’t know.
Reply

Ian bryson on April 29, 2015 at 10:51

Thanks for replying jst have to keep watching the videos and buy a vice

Car on May 31, 2015 at 18:28

Is it true that people are looking for hanks of the original Lureflash Mosaic? I heard this from numerous people and I have some

unfamous on May 31, 2015 at 19:01

Utterly no idea mate
Reply

James Hawkins on August 13, 2015 at 13:49

Best fly tyer out there to watch and learn been watching and downloading his videos for years I’d love to see his fly boxes so if u read this Dave show us good on ya mate

Mark Patenaude on October 23, 2015 at 01:29

Davie is more than a national treasure for Scotland, he is a treasure of the fly tying world. I feel he is the best technical fly tyer as well as one of the most innovative fly tyers alive today and perhaps of all time. His attitude and personality are like a magnet and draw anyone who is serious about fly tying to watch his excellent videos. We are all fortunate to have such a skilled tyer alive while we are, so that we can all become better tyers as a result. I have told Davie what I feel about him and his skills so it isn’t any secret. In fact, anyone that knows me, knows not to argue about who is the best of the best. It’s obvious. Thank you for everything Davie!

vicperry on March 15, 2016 at 16:33

davie
can you tell me were i can get a vice like you have
thancks
vic

unfamous on March 15, 2016 at 16:47

I am pretty sure Davy now uses a Regal vice, I think he changed from a Law vice a while back as people were always asking him what kind it was. He changed to one commonly available to most tiers. However you can ask him via his FB page if you need confirmation. He is usually pretty obliging.
Reply

luc bresse on December 23, 2016 at 08:53

What kind of bobbin you’re using. Send me the name of it in my email please lbresse42@Gmail com

unfamous on December 28, 2016 at 12:53

If this is a question for Davy McPhail you would be better following the links in the post to his You Tube page and asking him via the comments there.
Best regards
kenny
Reply

Amandio Da Silva on September 30, 2017 at 03:55

I would like to know if you can tie flies for carp as I fish for carp a

unfamous on October 8, 2017 at 13:34

I am sure he can- why don’t you ask Davie via his Facebook page
Reply

Ray Agius on September 4, 2021 at 06:31

I live in Sydney ,Australia. I have been watching Davie McPhail’s Youtube videos on fly tying for two years now . His youtube videos are professionally made and very easy to follow by fly tying beginners like me . By watching Davie l have learnt my techniques and have great satisfaction tying many flies. Thanks Davie. Cheers Ray Agius.

james j kidon on April 3, 2025 at 23:29

i get alot of good information and ideas from ur videos thank u very much for the time u spend helping people like me who enjoy tying flies

Old Fly Fishing Fart on October 28, 2012 at 23:50

I love his You Tube videos and he makes it looks so easy until I try to copy some of his flies. Met him once at the GAC and he’s a gentleman too.
- Graham Gardner on August 28, 2023 at 11:45
  
  Never had pleasure of meeting the Gentleman. But know if the rest of humanity were like him. World would be a better place.
  Regards Oor Welly ☕
  IE Graham.
Billy Scott on February 28, 2013 at 21:58

Dave your videos are brilliant i’ve only been fly tying for four years and have picked up so many great tips from you,some of my mates say i should sell them lol,my flys were like budgies till i seen your work,your ability is a gift….. Mr S.
- Alex on February 23, 2014 at 21:26
  
  I had copy all salmon fly patterns from Utube, really easy to do, for the matirial I have found everything but not in only one shop….
Alex on February 23, 2014 at 21:28

And a lot of thxs David
Brian McManus on April 1, 2014 at 17:00

another Scot leads the way, good on you Davie.
Borys Wereszczynski on April 2, 2014 at 23:09

I have met Dave when I was on vacation in his home town in 2012. He picked me up & showed me around as well as his office where he creates those beautiful flies. He is a real gentleman with a knowledge & skill that is rare to find in a person. He maybe considered as Scotland’s NAtional Treasure.
rab donaldson on July 20, 2014 at 20:38

Dave you truly are a genius
Ian bryson on April 29, 2015 at 08:15

Can I buy these flies at angling outlets as cant tye my own thanks
- unfamous on April 29, 2015 at 10:44
  
  Hi Ian
  I am pretty sure Davy doesn’t sell his flies through shops. In fact while he clearly does sell flies I don’t think he does them for just anyone. Probably the best way to find out is to ask him yourself. He is on Facebook
  
  https://www.facebook.com/davie.mcphail?fref=ts
  
  and once you have connected with him he does answer queries by fb messenger but I do see people ask him on his page how to buy his flies but to date have never seen him reply to those requests. You could also ask via his YouTube page but again whether he will reply publicly to such a request I don’t know.
Ian bryson on April 29, 2015 at 10:51

Thanks for replying jst have to keep watching the videos and buy a vice
Car on May 31, 2015 at 18:28

Is it true that people are looking for hanks of the original Lureflash Mosaic? I heard this from numerous people and I have some
- unfamous on May 31, 2015 at 19:01
  
  Utterly no idea mate
James Hawkins on August 13, 2015 at 13:49

Best fly tyer out there to watch and learn been watching and downloading his videos for years I’d love to see his fly boxes so if u read this Dave show us good on ya mate
Mark Patenaude on October 23, 2015 at 01:29

Davie is more than a national treasure for Scotland, he is a treasure of the fly tying world. I feel he is the best technical fly tyer as well as one of the most innovative fly tyers alive today and perhaps of all time. His attitude and personality are like a magnet and draw anyone who is serious about fly tying to watch his excellent videos. We are all fortunate to have such a skilled tyer alive while we are, so that we can all become better tyers as a result. I have told Davie what I feel about him and his skills so it isn’t any secret. In fact, anyone that knows me, knows not to argue about who is the best of the best. It’s obvious. Thank you for everything Davie!
vicperry on March 15, 2016 at 16:33

davie
can you tell me were i can get a vice like you have
thancks
vic
- unfamous on March 15, 2016 at 16:47
  
  I am pretty sure Davy now uses a Regal vice, I think he changed from a Law vice a while back as people were always asking him what kind it was. He changed to one commonly available to most tiers. However you can ask him via his FB page if you need confirmation. He is usually pretty obliging.
luc bresse on December 23, 2016 at 08:53

What kind of bobbin you’re using. Send me the name of it in my email please lbresse42@Gmail com
- unfamous on December 28, 2016 at 12:53
  
  If this is a question for Davy McPhail you would be better following the links in the post to his You Tube page and asking him via the comments there.
  Best regards
  kenny
Amandio Da Silva on September 30, 2017 at 03:55

I would like to know if you can tie flies for carp as I fish for carp a
- unfamous on October 8, 2017 at 13:34
  
  I am sure he can- why don’t you ask Davie via his Facebook page
Ray Agius on September 4, 2021 at 06:31

I live in Sydney ,Australia. I have been watching Davie McPhail’s Youtube videos on fly tying for two years now . His youtube videos are professionally made and very easy to follow by fly tying beginners like me . By watching Davie l have learnt my techniques and have great satisfaction tying many flies. Thanks Davie. Cheers Ray Agius.
james j kidon on April 3, 2025 at 23:29

i get alot of good information and ideas from ur videos thank u very much for the time u spend helping people like me who enjoy tying flies

Fly Tying with Davie McPhail