I discovered this pattern about a year ago on a blog hailing from England called the North Country Angler. I was intrigued by the pattern and tied up a few to try. This fly turned to be an instant success. I don't know if I can attribute the fly's effectiveness to its buggy profile or the hot spot of contrasting colors, all I know is...it works. Originally tied on a jig hook, I have also enjoyed success with the pattern tied on a standard nymph hook. I've included pictures of both as a reference. Like the fly's creator, I prefer to fish them in smaller sizes. I have tied the pattern as large as a size twelve to use as an anchor fly in heavy, off color flows. It caught fish but I think the smaller versions were far more effective.
Hook: Umpqua C400BL #16 or standard nymph hook Bead: Faceted Tungsten sized to hook Thread: Olive 70 denier UTC Tail: Two strands of Glowbrite #1 (pink) over two strands of Glowbrite #7 (orange) Rib: Fine Black Wire Body: Dark Hares Mask Dubbing Thorax: Arizona Synthetic Dubbing Natural Peacock #59 Legs: Dark Dun CDC wound as a collar (I like keeping them on the long side)
October 2016
“Sawyer’s Killer Bug
”
Tied by Lou DiGena
The Sawyer’s Killer Bug is famous in the U.K. and Europe but only recently has this pattern gained a following in the U.S. This fly is famous for its fish catching and the mythological properties of Chadwick’s 477 yarn used in its construction.
I became aware of the Killer Bug through English fly tyer and author Oliver Edwards who featured Sawyer’s patterns in his DVD Essential Skills: Search and Sight Fishing released in 2001. Frank Sawyer was a river keeper on the River Avon at Lake in Wiltshire in the U.K. along with being a writer and inventor of such flies as the Pheasant Tail Nymph. Sawyer’s pattern are simple an effective, using in many cases only two materials. In the Killer Bug and Pheasant Tail nymph he used copper wire as the thread and as weight. Both patterns are brilliant in their simplicity and effectiveness.
The killer bug was developed by Sawyer’s to manage the grayling numbers on the River Avon. Back then grayling were considered vermin, and gentleman would only angle for trout, never grayling. In alkaline chalk steams one of the main food sources is freshwater shrimp and the Killer Bug was designed to imitate shrimp and scuds. Today in the U.S. it’s an effective imitation for larva (crane and caddis), scuds, cress bugs and shrimp.
Originally the Killer Bug was tied with Chadwick's 477 darning wool and reddish brown copper wire. For some, the original Chadwick's 477 wool has mythical fish-catching properties with lengths of the wool selling for hundreds of dollars. Production of the Chadwick’s wool ceased in 1965, which only added to its value.
The Killer Bug was name by Sawyer's friend Lee Wulff, but its popularity never quite took in the U.S. By the time I found out about the “Bug” there was no wool to purchase. I was on a mission find a suitable substitute. Veniard’s sells their version wool (Veniard 477) but with out a sample of the genuine article it was nearly impossible to know if it was a good match.
My first substitute took the form of a cutting up an old rag wool sweater that was too small, and thaT worked well. Next I found some old craft yarn “Fun with Fibers” that was a viable candidate but was as rare as the Chadwick’s. Then I started to use Patons Classic Wool Natural Mix (00229), which I found at Michael’s. Then I struck gold, one blogger from the U.K. sent me a yard of Chadwick’s 477, now I had the yarn to use as a reference.
Many other bloggers and friends pointed me in the direction of finding a suitable substitute. Chris Swart (TankaraBum), Juan Ramirez (The Hopper Juan), and Jason Klass (Tenkara Talk). The link below is a great reference page on the different yarns and how they look wet and dry.
Hook: TMC 2302 or Mustad S80-3906 #14-18 Thread: Copper wire in size Brassie or Small Body: Chadwick’s 477 wool substitute
September 2016
“Mercury Pheasant Tail Nymph
” Pattern originated by Pat Dorsey, this version tied by Bill Ninke
Pat Dorsey (an author, guide, and tier from Colorado) is generally credited with creating and popularizing the “Mercury” series of nymph and midge patterns. Flies in this series all have a small silver lined clear glass bead at their head. This bead provides just enough weight to cause the fly to ride a few inches under the surface when tied on as a dropper to an indicator dry fly. It also gives the pattern a bit of flash to attract a trout’s attention. The fly works well as a shallow dropper early in the season when small nymphs and midges are around. It also works well as a dropper off a heavier nymph in a two fly deep system as the season progresses.
Pat’s original dressing (in Tying and Fishing Tailwater Flies) uses four fibers for the tail and body and forms legs, two to a side, from the butt ends of the pheasant tail fibers. While his version certainly works, I feel the butt ends are too large and inflexible to give the pattern a natural look and action. Thus, I’ve chosen to form the legs from fibers from a hen saddle. Getting these fibers as balanced sets on each side of the fly and of the proper length is a bit of a fussy procedure. But, if you use, as I have, the procedure Tim Flagler shows in his video on tying the legs on the Copper John nymph, you’ll achieve a perfect result. Well, maybe the first few won’t look great. But practice always helps on any new procedure.
Hook: TMC 101, #18 Thread: Black 8/0 UNI Rib: Gold Ultra Wire, XS Tail,& Body: 3 Pheasant Tail Fibers Flashback: Mylar Tinsel, Medium Thorax: Peacock Herl, single strand from lower part of a Peacock Eye feather Legs: Brahma Hen Saddle Dyed Rust
June 2016
“MFPD Pocket Picker” by Lou Digena
In 2015 Kevin Compton the owner of Performance Flies and I got together to film him tying up some of the patterns he is best know for and popularizing.
Kevin is bring some of best materials and patterns from the European competitive fly fishing scene to the states. As well as introducing tiers and anglers to these new materials and methods he is also carried some of Jack Mickievicz's original materials such as Honeybug Cotton Chenille, Jack's original dubbing blends and genuine DuPont Antron yarn.
MFPD Pocket Picker nymph is a pattern designed by Peter Durisik of Slovakia.
Enjoy.
Hook: Hanak H230BL #14-16 (Tied here with a S80-3906) Head: 3/32 Gold Tungsten Bead Thread: UTC 70 Watery Olive Tails: Coq de Leon Fibers, Medium Pardo Rib #1: Synthetic Quill Body, Graphite Rib #2: Sybai XF Gold Wire Tip: Glo-Brite Floss, Hot Orange #6 Body: UTC 70 Watery Olive Thread Thorax: Pine Squirrel with UV Flash
Tiers Note: I started fishing this fly this spring with great success and it’s become one of my go to nymphs.
“Rene’ Harrops’ CDC Biot Spinner (Beatis) ” by Lou Digena
Hook: TMC 100 Size 18-22 Thread: 8/0 Olive Tail: Cod de Leon Tailing Fibers Abdomen: Olive Goose or Turkey Biot Thorax: Olive Wing: Light CDC Tied Spent (May substitute poly or antron yarn.)
Tiers note: I prefer the wings on spinners to be tied sparse. If the fish turn off from the spinner switch to a two fly rig and put a small split shot about 4" - 6" for the spinner. Many time trout switch to the sunken spinners when you don’t see visible spinner rises.
April 2016
“Rene’ Harrops’ Last Chance Cripple (Beatis)” by Lou Digena
Hook: Dry Fly Hook Size #16 to #22 Thread: 8/0 Olive Shuck: Sparkle Yarn, Darlon, or Z-Lon Tail: Wood Duck or Mallard Dyed Wood Duck Abdomen: Olive Turkey or Goose Biot Wing: 2-3 matched CDC Feathers Dun Thorax: Olive Dubbing Hackle: Dun Dry Fly Hackle
Tiers note: Many times during the hatch trout key in on the most vulnerable phase of the emergence. That's why emerges are so effective, but another state that is just as vulnerable is the cripple or knocked down patterns. These insects either fail to hatch fully from their shuck or are knocked down by wind and water and stuck in the surface film. Cripples are highly effective in pressured waters where trout are refusing the Dun.
March 2016
“K L Special” by Ron Ruskai
Hook: Mustard 3761 10-12 Thread: 6/0 uni black Tag: Flat gold tinsel Tail: Mottled turkey quill Body: Lt gray Uni-Stretch Rib: Wine Ultra wire BR size Wing: Mottled turkey over lemon wood duck Hackle: Partridge tied in as a throat Head: Black ostrich herl
This is an old Maine fly with some updates, try this in pocket water.
February 2016
“Craven’s CDC Comparadun” by Lou Digena
Hook: TMC 101 #16-26 Thread: 8/0 or 10/0 Olive or Gray Tail: Lemon Synthetic Tailing Fibers or Cod de Leon Tailing Fibers Abdomen: Olive or Grey (Match the BWO in your area.) Thorax: Olive or Gray Dubbing (Match the BWO in your area.) Wing: Dun CDC Comparadun
Comparadun or Haystack dry flies are great to use when trout are selective because these flies sit flush in the surface film like the natural. The CDC wing is easy to see and floats well. Remember only to dress the fly with a power floatant like Frogs Fanny, other paste floatant’s matt down the CDC and reduces it’s effectiveness.
January 2016
“Rene’ Harrops’ CDC Floating Beatis Nymph” by Lou Digena
Hook: TMC 206BL #14 Size 18 - 22 Thread: 8/0 Olive or Tan Tail: Lemon Wood Duck Flank or Dyed Mallard Wood Duck Abdomen: Olive Goose or Turkey Biot Thorax:Brown Olive Dubbing Wing Case: Dun CDC Legs: Dun CDC
Tiers Note: Trout often key in on the vulnerable emerger early in a hatch. Use this pattern when the Olives are hatching and you see surface takes but no duns on the water.
