Tungsten Shell-Back Shrimps

A few tied up and ready in the box:



I'll do a tutorial soon for this simple, but effective, heavy-weight pattern.

~Dave

Deep pools, big fish, small flies

There are a numnber of small rivers and stream which are very local to my home and work. In fact, I am lucky enough to be able to be on the river within a few minutes drive and a shortish walk. Therefore, I have become very fond of certain pools and runs and it's always nice to see how they change each year, after the flood waters have pushed through: A new bar of gravel exposed or a deeper hol formed. They even change with the seasons. A few parts of the rivers are deep - too deep to wade and they hold some really good fish. Therefore, a few extra patterns are being added this year to the box.

Often limited on hook size by regulations, big streamers or bugs are often no use. So I have tied some heavy streamer style flies - but in a #14 hook. Should be fun to try:



Hook: Partridge BIN #14
Thread: Hends Grall, dark olive
Tail: Downy fibres from Coq de Leon feather - tied around the hook
Wing: Olive Zelon
Ballast: Dumbell eyes
Thorax: Hare, tied in split thread

~Dave

The end of the trout season in October signifies different things to different people. For some it is the time to pack their rods and fly boxes away, stay warm in doors as the weather gets cooler and look forward to fishing again in the spring. Perhaps for others, it is the transition between fishing and shooting: swapping rods for guns ~ and with pheasants becoming the quarry in place of trout. However, as with many anglers, it is for me the chance to target grayling. Beautiful, slender fish with that magnificent dorsal fin, they offer a great prize for the angler: especially one that is willing to face cold, frosty weather. I will be honest: I almost prefer catching grayling than trout - I look forward to the time when you can go 'all-out' for these fantastic fish.



A brownie, picking at drifting nymphs:


However, I feel that anticipation for the start of the trout season that I have always done - the onset of spring and the reminder of early season nymphing blending into superb hatches of up-wings or caddis; fish showing all over the surface of the stream with the evening crescendo.



The winter months are also a time for replenishing the fly boxes, tying up favourite patterns and even adding a few new ones to try on the trout. There is something very pleasing with sitting at the vice and tying a fly that you have planned for specific river or even a certain pool or run. You can almost imagine tying it on the leader, making the cast and letting it fish through the pool. Exciting.



I have struggled to make it to the river recently. But when time has allowed, I've been getting the boxes filled with rows of neatly tied flies, all in preparation for coming trips.





~Dave

French Nymphing

Some nice pictures of French Nymphing in action here:

French Nymphing Gallery: FlyFishingPoint

~Dave

Sharing Ideas

The internet is a great resource for fly tyers and fishers, whether you are in search of materials, explanations of techniques, fishing or simply inspiration. Blogs and forums are not everyone's thing, but I find them to be most interesting: an opportunity to delve into someone else'e experiences, share ideas and share interests.

Here's a couple of patterns I discovered on a forum a while back. Tied by Mick Wilkes ("Sabsman") they epitomise my interest in fly dressing: simple but highly effective.





Proof that they work... I'm sure Mick won't mind me posting a photo of his success:



Mick has kindly sent me some photos of the step-by-step. Take a look at his blog: Mick's Fly Fishing Diary. It showcases some enviable fishing and success.

~Dave

NZ - Mice

Paul Procter is off to NZ soon. Take a sneak preview at the mice patterns he has tied in preparation: Paul Procter's blog

~Dave

FP Shrimp

A heavily legged shrimp pattern. No skimping on the dubbing in this one:




Hook: Partridge CZF #12
Ballast: Flat lead, one layer
Thread: Hends Grall, golden yellow
Legs: Grey squirrel & pine squirrel blend, in split thread
Shell-back: Hends Spectra Flash #43

Oh and 'FP' is 'Flightless Partridge'...

~Dave

Hook: Varivas 2120WB #16
Bead: 1.5mm pink tungsten, 2mm tungsten (reversed)
Thread: Hends Grall, golden yellow
Tail: Coq de Leon
Abdomen: Orvis Spectrablend, light olive
Thorax: Orvis Spectrablend, ginger

~Dave.

Drifting & Searching Dun

A BIG searching dun pattern:





Hook: Partridge SUD #10
Thread: Sheer 14/0, orange
Abdomen: Orvis Spectrablend, ginger
Tail: Coq de Leon, 4 fibres
Thorax: As abdomen, with hare in split thread
Wing: CDC, Khaki

~Dave

A little CDC Loop Emerger with thorax tied long and straggly - perhaps imitating legs or drowned wings?

Hook: Partridge 15G #20
Thread; Powersilk 10/0, orange
Tail: Fibres from Hends Spectra flash
Abdomen: Turkey Biot, olive
Thorax: Orvis Spectrablend (ginger) & rabbit guard hairs - in split thread
Wing: CDC, Khaki

~Dave.

Tying with CDC

Cul de Canard has many uses, most importantly (though not exclusively!) as a dry fly material. Purchasing good quality CDC is essential, however it does not stop there. There are a huge range of feathers available in different colors, shape, barb length and barb count... It can become difficult to know which feather to use for which fly. As you practise tying with CDC, you will become more familiar with which styles of feather suits the fly you are tying. I use certain CDC producers for specific flies. For instance, the CDC loop emerger is tied with a different type of feather from the CDC Dun.

Although I advocate trying to keep tying as as simple as possible, it can be useful to know exactly what you are using and what you require. In time I'll add the information to the River Fly Box too. But here, Hans Welenmann has produced a comprehensive guide to tying with CDC and making the correct feather choice. He splits the feathers into types and highlights the sort of flies best tied with the specific feather.

Hans Weilenmann - A guide to tying with CDC

Well worth a read.

~Dave.

CDC Comparaduns #20

Hook: Partridge SLD #20
Thread: Sheer 14/0 (either tan or orange)
Tail: Coq de Leon
Abdomen & Thorax: Orvis Spectrablend (either brown or ginger)
Wing: 3 plumes of CDC

~Dave

Sparse or heavy parachute hackles?

Carrying parachute-hackled flies with different hackle densities widens your options:

Both paraduns are tied on Partridge SLD #20

Sparse; two turns of hackle:



Heavier, four turns of hackle:


~Dave

Parachute Vs. CDC

For fast, more turblent water:


Hook: 15BNX #20
Thread: Sheer 14/0, tan
Abdomen: Orvis Spectrablend, light olive
Rib: Tying thread darkened with perm. marker
Thorax: Orvis Spectrablend, peacock
Wing post: Funky Fibre, green
Hackle: Silver Badger


For smooth, glassy glides (and very picky fish):




Hook: 15BNX #20
Thread: Sheer 14/0, tan
Abdomen: Orvis Spectrablend, light olive
Rib: Tying thread darkened with perm. marker
Thorax: Orvis Spectrablend, peacock
Loop Wing: CDC, natural

Update: The same pattern with a more dense parachute hackle:



~Dave

Czech Nymphs - pink & olive variants

A couple more Czech nymphs:

Pink & Cream





Hook: Partridge CZF #12
Ballast: Flat lead
Thread: Powersilk 10/0, olive
Abdomen: Orvis Spectrablend, cream
Thorax: Argentinian hare, natural
Shell-back: Hends Spectra Flash, pink #19
Black permanent marker over the thorax and varnish over shell back)


Olive





Hook: Partridge CZF #12
Ballast: Flat lead
Thread: Powersilk 10/0, olive
Abdomen: Orvis Spectrablend, Dark Olive
Thorax: Argentinian hare, dyed olive
Shell-back: Hends Spectra Flash, olive #34
Black permanent marker over the thorax and varnish over shell back)

~Dave

Copper Czech

Hook: Partridge CZF #12
Ballast: Flat lead, two layers
Thread: Powersilk 10/0, olive
Body: Argentinian hare, natural
Shell-back: Hends Spectra Flash, copper

A very happy New Year to you,

~Dave