I resolved the dilemma by going outside and unleashing my inner photo-maniac.
The resulting photos are a cliché of sort, but the buzz of honey bees among blooming plum trees was a music to my ears after the winter (mild as it was).
Monday, March 24, 2014
Spring is come!
The spring is offically here, which comes as a strange period for a dedicated fly fisherman: it no longer feels right to target grayling, who probably would still take a fly but should be definitely getting ready for something very important (wink wink). On the other hand the trout season does not open for some two weeks or so.
I resolved the dilemma by going outside and unleashing my inner photo-maniac.
The resulting photos are a cliché of sort, but the buzz of honey bees among blooming plum trees was a music to my ears after the winter (mild as it was).
I resolved the dilemma by going outside and unleashing my inner photo-maniac.
The resulting photos are a cliché of sort, but the buzz of honey bees among blooming plum trees was a music to my ears after the winter (mild as it was).
Thursday, March 6, 2014
Bloodworm
Not one of those fancy flies a fly dresser would use to show off his supposed tying skills, but a genuine Grayling magnet. One of the best performing winter flies, best fished on the dropper with a heavier beadhead on the point to drag the team down to the "killing zone".
The tie:
an old #10 pupa hook I had lying around, some Japanese make I suppose
red Danville's 70 den tying thread
red Flexi Floss
a layer of thin Sally Hansen's
an old #10 pupa hook I had lying around, some Japanese make I suppose
red Danville's 70 den tying thread
red Flexi Floss
a layer of thin Sally Hansen's
Saturday, March 1, 2014
Opening the 2014 Fishing Season
This year's mild winter - it almost seemed as if we had no winter at all - allowed me to start the season early. The Czech trout waters are officialy closed til mid April, so I headed to the river Úpa, which does not have trout fishing status but never the less supports a healthy population of grayling and some brown trout.
Despite the warming air temperature the water was still very cold and gin clear. There were fish present, but their activity was low and they definitely were not feeding. Imitative flies were soundly refused; this included my olive Czech style nymphs that brought me great success on the very same spots in November.
The only pattern that seemed to connect with the fish was a brightly red bloodworm. I sincerely doubt the fish were selective to bloodworms to the extent they would refuse a Ryacophila larvae (many of which were crawling below stones and in the river weeds). It was rather the bright red color that served as attractor and induced the sluggish fish to take.
Whatever the reason - this grayling was my first fish of 2014 season. And by the look of him it was not a bad start :)
Despite the warming air temperature the water was still very cold and gin clear. There were fish present, but their activity was low and they definitely were not feeding. Imitative flies were soundly refused; this included my olive Czech style nymphs that brought me great success on the very same spots in November.
The only pattern that seemed to connect with the fish was a brightly red bloodworm. I sincerely doubt the fish were selective to bloodworms to the extent they would refuse a Ryacophila larvae (many of which were crawling below stones and in the river weeds). It was rather the bright red color that served as attractor and induced the sluggish fish to take.
Whatever the reason - this grayling was my first fish of 2014 season. And by the look of him it was not a bad start :)
Friday, February 28, 2014
A wet redhead
The combination of hare (or hare-like) dubbing, gold tinsel and a prominent red head has served me well. It makes a first class emerger style dry fly, but the pattern translates nicely onto a wet fly hook too.
In fact the wet redhead fly has turned out to be my number one grayling wet fly, saving my day on those rare ocasions when grayling focus on feeding in medium depth. Not exactly hugging the bottom, as is their usual habit, but not freely rising either.
The tie:
#12 Hanák H260 BL short shank hook
beige elastic tying thread
brown rooster hackle tail
red fox dubbing
UNI gold tinsel ribbing
one turn of quail feather
head of Danville's 70 dernier red thread
In fact the wet redhead fly has turned out to be my number one grayling wet fly, saving my day on those rare ocasions when grayling focus on feeding in medium depth. Not exactly hugging the bottom, as is their usual habit, but not freely rising either.
The tie:
#12 Hanák H260 BL short shank hook
beige elastic tying thread
brown rooster hackle tail
red fox dubbing
UNI gold tinsel ribbing
one turn of quail feather
head of Danville's 70 dernier red thread
Kite's Immortal Imperial
It is a frequent feature of common hacks to start by quoting something like "already the ancient Romans well understood ..." followed by whatever nonsense they feel compelled to propagate.
Now in fly fishing, as usual, a different apprach is required. First of all, an ancient Roman actually did describe the origins of our sport - as all who read Claudius Ælianuses opus magnus Περὶ Ζῴων Ἰδιότητος in the original Greek well know. The second reason is that the ancient Romans well understood the importance of the colour Purple well before the time of colonel Oliver Kite.
The tie:
#16 Dohiku dry fly hook
14/0 Sheer thread, grey
Coq de León tails
Heron herl body
CDC wing
Danville's 6/0 purple thread head
Now in fly fishing, as usual, a different apprach is required. First of all, an ancient Roman actually did describe the origins of our sport - as all who read Claudius Ælianuses opus magnus Περὶ Ζῴων Ἰδιότητος in the original Greek well know. The second reason is that the ancient Romans well understood the importance of the colour Purple well before the time of colonel Oliver Kite.
The tie:
#16 Dohiku dry fly hook
14/0 Sheer thread, grey
Coq de León tails
Heron herl body
CDC wing
Danville's 6/0 purple thread head
Sunday, February 16, 2014
Olive Quill Emerger
The "shaving brush" style emergers are gaining in popularity - and for a good reason, too. These flies work!
This pattern seems to have originated on several occasions, as it has been reported a novel invention from North American rivers, English lakes and Polish tailwaters. I am certain it scores well on all of the above locations.
The only problem I have with the pattern is that at it tends to work too well - the olive quill body wears out after three of four trout. Grayling are not a problem, with their soft mouth.
The tie:
#18 Dohiku 301 dry fly hook
14/0 Sheer thread, greyish
Peacock quill, dyed olive
2-3 tips of a CDC feather
a light touch of natural muskrat dubbing
This pattern seems to have originated on several occasions, as it has been reported a novel invention from North American rivers, English lakes and Polish tailwaters. I am certain it scores well on all of the above locations.
The only problem I have with the pattern is that at it tends to work too well - the olive quill body wears out after three of four trout. Grayling are not a problem, with their soft mouth.
The tie:
#18 Dohiku 301 dry fly hook
14/0 Sheer thread, greyish
Peacock quill, dyed olive
2-3 tips of a CDC feather
a light touch of natural muskrat dubbing
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Utah Killer Bug
This fly is a variation on classic pattern by Frank Sawyer, infamous for its use of impossible to obtain Chadwicks 477 wool.
I first discovered it when browsing some US Tenkara pages and fell in love with it at the first sight. I suppose this is how Michael Corleone felt when meeting Apollonia Vitelli in the olive orchards; the Thunderbolt...
The fly is tied with Jamieson's Shetland Spindrift wool, which looks nice when dry but obtains a wonderful pinkish hue when wet, at the same time showing signs of translucency. To accentuate the pink color a tag of bright pink material is added; the US guys I copied the fly from used pink wire, but having tried one I felt I like the #4 hot pink Glo brite better.
The tie:
#10 Kamasan B110 hook, debarbed
a few turns of flat lead
elastic tan thread
tag of pink Glo Brite
body of oyster wool
I first discovered it when browsing some US Tenkara pages and fell in love with it at the first sight. I suppose this is how Michael Corleone felt when meeting Apollonia Vitelli in the olive orchards; the Thunderbolt...
The fly is tied with Jamieson's Shetland Spindrift wool, which looks nice when dry but obtains a wonderful pinkish hue when wet, at the same time showing signs of translucency. To accentuate the pink color a tag of bright pink material is added; the US guys I copied the fly from used pink wire, but having tried one I felt I like the #4 hot pink Glo brite better.
The tie:
#10 Kamasan B110 hook, debarbed
a few turns of flat lead
elastic tan thread
tag of pink Glo Brite
body of oyster wool
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