The tie:
#16 Dohiku 301 dry fly hook
grey 16/0 Veevus thread
tips of 3 CDC feathers
#16 pearly UNI tinsel rib (not a part of the original dressing)
body dubbed with a mix of hare and squirrel, teased out with a velcro brush
Monday, February 9, 2015
CDC & Hare Emerger
I first saw this fly pattern on a UK forum - and I was hooked. It is not a complicated pattern, but it has a strange appeal. Like a sleepwalker I was drawn to it, losing any free will... Possessed by the urge to tie I had to finish half a dozen, before being able to rest.
The tie:
#16 Dohiku 301 dry fly hook
grey 16/0 Veevus thread
tips of 3 CDC feathers
#16 pearly UNI tinsel rib (not a part of the original dressing)
body dubbed with a mix of hare and squirrel, teased out with a velcro brush
The tie:
#16 Dohiku 301 dry fly hook
grey 16/0 Veevus thread
tips of 3 CDC feathers
#16 pearly UNI tinsel rib (not a part of the original dressing)
body dubbed with a mix of hare and squirrel, teased out with a velcro brush
Tuesday, February 3, 2015
Chubby beetle
Grayling is my fish of choice, but it is a demanding mistress. There is only a limited number of rivers in the Czech Republic that support a healthy population. None of them is close to Prague.
The time I can allocate to fishing is limited, and sometimes the choice is between coarse fishing or no fishing at all. In such times I head out to catch chub.
This little beetle fly is one of my best performing chub patterns. It has brought me a lot of dry fly action on warm summer evenings.
The tie
#16 Hanák 130BL hook
Black UNI tying thread
Tag of 4 strands of orange Glo Brite
Body of Peacock herl
Wing of white goose CDC
The time I can allocate to fishing is limited, and sometimes the choice is between coarse fishing or no fishing at all. In such times I head out to catch chub.
This little beetle fly is one of my best performing chub patterns. It has brought me a lot of dry fly action on warm summer evenings.
#16 Hanák 130BL hook
Black UNI tying thread
Tag of 4 strands of orange Glo Brite
Body of Peacock herl
Wing of white goose CDC
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Red Tagged PTN
Pheasant tail is a key material for nymph dressing, used at least since the times of Frank Sawyer, the father of modern nymph fishing. It goes well with a ribbing of thin wire, and can endure a little experimenting with other materials.
In this case I have added a copper toned beadhead - gold seemed too aggressive - and a tag of reddish tinsel to keep general color combination in red tones. It seemed to fit with the color of the pheasant herl body.
The tie:
#14 Dohiku 302 wet fly hook
3mm tungsten bead, copper
tan elastic tying thread
tails of reddish rooster hackle fibres
Hends Patina tinsel PAT-08
pheasant tail body
thin gold wire ribbing
collar of homemade dubbing mix of hare & Fox squirrel
In this case I have added a copper toned beadhead - gold seemed too aggressive - and a tag of reddish tinsel to keep general color combination in red tones. It seemed to fit with the color of the pheasant herl body.
The tie:
#14 Dohiku 302 wet fly hook
3mm tungsten bead, copper
tan elastic tying thread
tails of reddish rooster hackle fibres
Hends Patina tinsel PAT-08
pheasant tail body
thin gold wire ribbing
collar of homemade dubbing mix of hare & Fox squirrel
Thursday, January 22, 2015
Decisions, decisions...
An airy redhead, or a down to the earth brunette? One of the more difficult choices...
A fiery redhead is fun to fish when times are good, and this pattern has brought me a number of fine browns and a lot of fun. But there are times when surface action simply cannot be had, no matter what the imitation.
In such situations a simple, drab gold ribbed hare with a darkish persuation often saves the day.
A fiery redhead is fun to fish when times are good, and this pattern has brought me a number of fine browns and a lot of fun. But there are times when surface action simply cannot be had, no matter what the imitation.
In such situations a simple, drab gold ribbed hare with a darkish persuation often saves the day.
Sunday, January 18, 2015
On the wings of an Owl
I am a great fan of the Owl feather flies. The feathers of an owl are designed in a way to muff the sound of the approaching predator. They achieve this by very fine, velvety structure. This structure lends itself very well to fly dressing applications.
The fine structure shows the most in the tiniest flies. Here are a couple #20 owl feather flies, tied using Hanák 130BL hooks. They are displayed on an actual Eagle Owl feather. The feather has laid a while on my fly dressing table and I am afraid it got a tad dusty; the structure is still clearly visible though.
This pattern is best saved for grayling - the Lady of the Stream, being a creature of gentle disposition, shows great appreciation of fine and delicate flies. At the same time it has no pointy teeth to ruin your precious imitation. Brown trout, ugly beasts they are, will ruin the herl body in no time. They are better served by more robust patterns.
The fine structure shows the most in the tiniest flies. Here are a couple #20 owl feather flies, tied using Hanák 130BL hooks. They are displayed on an actual Eagle Owl feather. The feather has laid a while on my fly dressing table and I am afraid it got a tad dusty; the structure is still clearly visible though.
This pattern is best saved for grayling - the Lady of the Stream, being a creature of gentle disposition, shows great appreciation of fine and delicate flies. At the same time it has no pointy teeth to ruin your precious imitation. Brown trout, ugly beasts they are, will ruin the herl body in no time. They are better served by more robust patterns.
Monday, January 5, 2015
Red Coachman
I have recently found that the Czech internet has a formal "award" for the most sexist advert. One of this year's runners up was an ad for a Prague radio station which roughly translates "a rusty roof means a wet basement". It is supposed to degrade women in a particularly gratuitous way.
I have little understanding of gender politics, but I strongly approve of a red head on a wet fly. It lightens up the imitation, and provides a strong focal point for the fish.
I have little understanding of gender politics, but I strongly approve of a red head on a wet fly. It lightens up the imitation, and provides a strong focal point for the fish.
The Usual
When times get rough
and strikes just can't be found
rabbit foot will bring 'em up
just keep it dry...
Like a bridge over troubled water, the Usual will soothe the mind of a unlucky angler, and produce results when other attempts for a dry fly action fail. The original dressing calls for a hot orange thread, but I found I like the purple one more and the fish don't seem to care.
With respectful apologies to Messrs. Simon & Garfunkel
The tie:
#18 Dohiku 301 hook
Danville's 6/0 flymaster thread, purple
Snowshoe hare tail, wing & dubbing
and strikes just can't be found
rabbit foot will bring 'em up
just keep it dry...
Like a bridge over troubled water, the Usual will soothe the mind of a unlucky angler, and produce results when other attempts for a dry fly action fail. The original dressing calls for a hot orange thread, but I found I like the purple one more and the fish don't seem to care.
With respectful apologies to Messrs. Simon & Garfunkel
The tie:
#18 Dohiku 301 hook
Danville's 6/0 flymaster thread, purple
Snowshoe hare tail, wing & dubbing
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