Entries in Fly patterns (4)

Syl's Midge

We owe much to Sylvster Nemes. I particularly like his midge patterns. This is a size 24 Syl's midge overdressed for fast water. The peacock herl picks up spikes of light really well. I use Tiemco 501 hooks because they have standard wires in the very small sized hooks, therefore are relatively strong. Because the hook is so small, I offset the point to increase the gape and hooking ability. The practice of offsetting hooks is well described in H G McClelland's book "How to Tie Flies" published in 1949. Syl's midge is most often tied very sparsely, and is very effective in still water, fished still in the water meniscus. In rivers it can be fished up-stream or down. I would not leave the house without it!Syl's-Midge2.jpg 
   













Posted on Sunday, June 15, 2008 by Registered Commenterflyfishertc in , | Comments1 Comment | EmailEmail share this:Digg Stumble Upon Add to sk*rtReddit

March Browns

It's been a long winter! The season opened up on the Welsh Dee a month ago, but conditions and a lack of time delayed the start to my season. So it was with real anticipation that I went to a favourite early April haunt of mine yesterday where March Browns erupt from the water at this time of year between 12 o'clock and 2 pm. I waited until the first duns took off (about 1 o'clock) and fished my nymph and wet fly patterns underneath the hatch. Nothing! Not even a touch.

I tried PTNs, Hexagenia nymphs,  Hen Blackie, Waterhen Bloa, Black Spiders. Finally in frustration, I tied on a Partridge and Orange, that old favourite stand by. And Bingo! Two beautiful brown trout within a minute.

I had always associated Partridge and Orange with warmer water, say May and June. So that evening I looked into my book collection and found a pattern called No. 5 March Brown Nymph in a book by William H Lawrie called "The book of the rough stream nymph" written in 1947. The pattern is dressed with dark partridge and orange tying silk, very close to a Partridge and Orange but with a darker head.

 

march-brown-mayfly.jpg 

Posted on Saturday, April 5, 2008 by Registered Commenterflyfishertc in , | Comments1 Comment | EmailEmail share this:Digg Stumble Upon Add to sk*rtReddit

Top fly-fishing flies

I expect we have all asked ourselves the excruciating question - if you can only choose "x"  flies to take on a trip to an unknown trout destination anywhere in the world, what would they be?

My fly box is set up largely for a caddis home-water, with quite a few wet fly patterns which I like to fish upstream. My choice of 7 flies to take anywhere are:

  1. Hen Blackie
  2. F Sedge (dry)
  3. Thorax Dun 
  4. PTN flashback
  5. Griffiths or Syl's Gnat
  6. Blood yarn larvae 
  7. CDC streamer in olive. 

The problem is that I change my mind on this every time I think about it. But that's half the fun!

Posted on Saturday, November 24, 2007 by Registered Commenterflyfishertc in | CommentsPost a Comment | EmailEmail share this:Digg Stumble Upon Add to sk*rtReddit

Time to move to Autumn flies.

Autumn has arrived early on the Dee. Temperatures are below seasonal average and clouds of caddis flit over the water in the evening. My last 11 forays over the Summer reveal 17 trout caught on No 1 Son, 8 trout on Partridge & Orange, 6 on Pheasant's Tail Nymph, 3 on Black Gnat, 1 on Blae & Harelug, 1 on dry Caddis and 1 on Purple & Snipe.

Have now started to fish my Autumn flies: Blae & Quill, Blue Dun, Cran Swallow and Blae & Harelug.

Posted on Wednesday, August 15, 2007 by Registered Commenterflyfishertc in | CommentsPost a Comment | EmailEmail share this:Digg Stumble Upon Add to sk*rtReddit