Thursday, July 29, 2010

Black Beetle

The Mayfly season is past, and Caddis hatches are dwindling too. The terrestrials are becoming more important each passing day.

This smallish black beetle has brought to my net nice trout and - I am ashamed to admit - some fat Chub as well.


The tie:
#16 Hanák 130BL Hook
UNI 8/0 Thread Black
Deer hair dyed Black
Opossum dubbing dyed Black (artificial peacock dubbing is a valid option)
a few turns of black rooster hackle (just for movement attraction, flotation is from the deer hair)

Friday, July 23, 2010

Mission Caddis accomplished

Having finished a SBS for the missing piece, pupa, I finally completed a project of Step By Step tying sequences for all three major life cycle imitations of the Caddis Fly. All three are on my new SBS page.

The nymph - CZ Nymph in 10 easy steps


The pupa - Caddis pupa in 10 easy steps


The adult - CDC Caddis in 10 easy steps

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Barbie Power

The going was slow on the Jizera river  - a very welcome cold front brought some rain and respite from recent period of tropical heat and drought, but left the fish feeling somewhat sluggish and the water high and colored. A small hatch of pale wateries was going on, but my imitations produced no takes.

Out of desperation I tried my Barbie Dun fly, which I tied this winter more as a curiosity than a seriously meant fishing fly - only to be surprised by the number and viciousness of strikes it generated.


The intended target of this fly were the grayling. The Ladies of the Stream are well known to have soft spot for the color pink and it did entice a few - but to my surprise the fly took many a brown trout as well. Why should any self respecting and manly trout care for this thing is beyond my understanding (perhaps they felt a duty to obliterate such a pink abdomination) but who am I to argue with them? :-)


The dressing is described on my February post

Friday, July 16, 2010

Step by Step Patterns

Over the time I published a couple of Step by Step tying instructions on various internet forums. I decided to to put them on my blog pages; with this in mind I created a new Step by Step page.

At this time the list consists of a Czech nymph, Hawthorn fly and CDC Loop Caddis - with of course hope for more to come in future :-)

Monday, July 12, 2010

The Olive Otter

The Otter underfur with guard hairs removed makes some very fine dubbing for dry flies, with natural water resistant ability. Very handy for small summer mayflies.


The tie:
#18 Hanák 130BL hook
white UNI 17/0 thread
3 strands of orange Flashabou
2 smallish CDC feathers
Olive Otter dubbing