Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Coal Speck

One of the earliest hatches in the Czech season are a kind of tiny black dipterans that I have so far failed to scientifically place. They are tiny indeed, almost impossible to imitate due to their diminutive size. They are however one of the first hatches to appear, allowing for one of the first opportunities for surface action. I will be expecting them to appear in about a two weeks time.



Here is a fly pattern designed to imitate this insect, tied on the smallest hook I consider practical for actual use - #20 Hanák dry fly. Anything smaller than that is just showing off (unless your name spells Andy Baird; then it would be just normal).



The tie:
#20 Hanák H130BL hook
14/0 Sheer thread, color grey
#16 UNI tinsel, pearl
2 tips of CDC feather
homemade Muskrat dubbing, dyed black
a light touch of black CD marker to darken the head

9 comments:

  1. Ahh the anticipation Jindra,

    Things should start rolling here as well with the first wave of winter stoneflies just starting to hatch.

    Nice emerger pattern - keeping it simple for the little guys.

    Cheers
    Rob

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    Replies
    1. I know that the UK season is about to begin - have a good one! We continenal people still have to wait a bit. This is one of the occasions when I hate the Gulfstream :)

      Cheers!

      J.

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  2. Hi Jindra!

    A really nice fly! Would be nice to know what kind of Diptera like insect that is your first hatch. Which size is it? Color (black I guess)? What about trying a Jassid?

    http://tyingandfishingtinyflies.blogspot.se/2011/12/well-i-guess-that-this-picture-shows.html

    Take your pick!

    Kind regards,
    Mats Olsson

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Mats!

      I found that for hatching Diptera situations I like flies with significant subsurface presence - like the one above, which ideally should stick its CDC "shaving brush" towards the sky and point the black body and pearl tag downward for the fish to see from distance.

      The Vince Marinaro's Jassid fly - I have read and treasure the Modern Dry Fly Code - is an excellent fly pattern. I tie it with a slight variance (using black deer hair for the back instead of the Jungle Cock). I have the best success fishing in late summer to imitate a terrestrial insect trapped inside the film - its most distinctive feature being the wide "footprint" of legs spread out and struggling.

      I consider this footprint the most important feature of the Jassid, or indeed any beetle imitation (I most respectfully disagree with Mr. Marinaro on the color of the elytra of the "beetle" - in my honest opinion the color does not matter, as the fish can't see the top of the fly anyhow).

      Cheers!

      J.

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  3. Hey Jindra,

    My name is Nicolas, I'm a Chilean fly fisherman and I will be on Prague for a few days by the end of May! Is there some way that I can send you an e-mail so that I can ask you a few questions?

    Thanks!

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    Replies
    1. Hola Nicholas,
      my email is jindra.lacko(at sign)gmx.net, feel free to drop me a line and we can have a chat or even a beer or two when you come to Prague
      J.

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  4. Jindra,

    Just to say that this is a superb looking fly. Its great to hear someone else mention the Vince Marinaro's Jassid fly... I was beginning to thing it would be one of the many forgotten patterns.

    Keep up the great work!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks!
      Vince Marinaro is one of my fly dressing heroes of the "modern era" - the time between Halford & Skues and the present.
      His engineer's insight on the physics of a floating fly are only matched by the deep understanding of the living colors of artist John Atherton.
      I sincerely hope that the wisdom of neither of these two will be forgotten any time soon
      J.

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  5. That is one very good fly pattern. Tiny as well. Good work achieving that btw.

    ReplyDelete