Heilen Laddie

In May 2007, Stan Headley wrote an article about fishing Loch Heilen - a loch that he describes as 'A classic trophy fish loch'.

Whilst I have never fished there, the article was an interesting read and Stan described the birth of a new, before-unnamed fly which had been tied for use at Leven. The fly was christened the 'Heilen Laddie Muddler'.

So here is my interpretation of the fly that, this year, I have high hopes for when I tackle the fish of Chew Valley. Whilst many of you will know, it is river fishing that predominates my season, but those big shiny rainbows and possible big dog browns that inhabit Chew Valley, enthuse me hugely.

Heilen Laddie:

Hook: Wet fly #10
Thread: 14/0 sheer, grey
Body: silver tinsel
Rib: fine sliver wire
Tail: Red rooster fibres
Wing: Teal flank with 4 strands of sparkle
Head: Spun deer hair (the original fly used black deer hair)


My variant of this great looking pattern:
Heilen Laddie Gold & Green Variant



Hook: Wet fly #10
Thread: 14/0 sheer, grey
Body: gold tinsel
Rib: fine gold oval
Tail: Green rooster fibres
Wing: Teal flank with 4 strands of sparkle
Head: Spun deer hair

In the surface film - Clippered Emergers

Here's a variation of the 'Clippered' theme. This is one to imitate small hatching olives. Again, the hackle is palmered, the wing (in this case Zelon) ispulled over to separate the hackle and then the underside hackle is clipped. The remaining hackle is then curled with scissor blades:


Angled in the vice so that you can see the hackle:

The underside:


Where it should be - in the surface film:


I love this refracted shot:


Here's another variant, but with a dubbed body. The thread is wound back through the dubbing to form the rib:


Dave.

Clippered Emergers

I have been bitten (not literally) by the emerger bug since the end of last season. Such is the vulnerability of this stage, it plays such a huge role in my catches.If fish are rising, I find a well fished emerger pattern will more successful than a 'fully-dry' dun pattern. I grant you that the emerger gives me more confidence - therefore I fish it more - therefore it brings me continued results... and on, and on...

This is a pattern I have started to trust. I like the profile (being so thin) and the footprint is very soft in the surface film. This ine has been sent to Hans for photography and hopefullty the addition to the flytier's page:

Clippered Buzzer


Hook: Partridge 15BN #18
Thread: Powersilk 10/0 olive
Rib: Waxed thread dubbed with mole
Hackle: Dark blue dun, rooster
Wing: TMC Aerowing, tan

Hackle is palmered along the thorax and then the wing buds pulled forwards and tied behind the eye. The under hackle is then clipped and the remaining fibres curled / coaxed upwards with scissor blades.

Classic wets

For all the playing around with materials , there is always a place for the traditional patterns:

Winged March Brown



Hook: Wet-fly #14 - #10
Thread: Bennechi 12/0 Olive
Rib: Fine silver or copper
Tail: English Partridge
Body: Hare’s Ear
Hackle: English Partridge
Wing: English Partridge

Experimenting with the options

I agree that a well presented fly outweighs the importance of pattern, but I like to try out new ideas and experiment with materials a little - some which stick and other that get left behind. There are so many options. Here are a few more soft hackled flies:

Quill Rib Drowned Dun

Hook: Grip 14723BL #12
Thread: Powersilk 10/0 olive
Body: Flttened powersilk
Thorax: Wapsi Superfine, pale evening dun
Hackle: Whiting hen, dun


Pale Baetis:


Hook: Grip 14723BL #16
Thread: Benecchi 12/0 yellow
Tail: Coq de Leon
Body: Natural Stone Awesome Possum
Rib: Fine silver wire
Hackle: Ewing hen, grizzly olive

Orange Peel:


Hook: Grip 14723BL #14
Thread: Sheer, tan 14/0
Tail: Coq de Leon
Body: Golden Stone Awesome Possum
Thorax: Orange Awesome Possum
Hackle: Coq de Leon hen, dyed light olive.

Baetis spinner soft hackles

The beauty of the forums is that you have ongoing conversations about some fascinating subjects. However, people take the time to pitch in their ideas, go away and think more, and add further their thoughts and findings. One such conversation has led from the baetis nymphs and spiders I last posted here. Ulf suggested that egg-laying spinners will crawl down vegetation through the water - surely rendering them very, very vulnerable. Here are some soft-hackles that mimic these stages:

Baeties spider with TMC spent wings:


Hook: B175 #14
Thread: Powersilk 10/0 orange
Dubbing: Awesome Possum, various blends
Rib: waxed thread
Tail: Coq de Leon
Hackle: Greenwells, Hen
Wing: Few strands of TMC either side tied spent

Baetis soft-hackle, silver rib


Hook: B175 #14
Thread: Powersilk 10/0 orange
Dubbing: Awesome Possum, various blends
Rib: fine silver wire
Tail: Coq de Leon
Hackle: Greenwells, Hen

Baetis soft hackle, copper thorax:


Hook: B175 #14
Thread: Powersilk 10/0 orange
Ballast: layer of copper wire under thorax
Dubbing: Awesome Possum, various blends
Rib: Waxed thread
Tail: Coq de Leon
Hackle: Greenwells, Hen - longer fibres chosen

Cheers,
Dave.

Baetis Triplet

As reading some forum posts by Niklas Dahlin (Sweden) has recently pointed out, the Baetis nymph is an important pattern to the river angler. If you have ever kick sampled and studied these insects, you will see they are deserving of their 'Agile Darter' name. They can move really fast.

Obviously at their most vulnerable when hatching, the nymph still is a Go-To pattern. Here is a trio of variations on the theme that are making their way to Hans for photographing and hopefully adding to Flytiers' page:

Baetis Nymph:


Baetis Spider:


Baetis (sparse hair) soft-hackle:


Cheers,
Dave.