The general form is similar they have bodies that are not segmented and are around 30 mm long when contracted and up to 80 mm when extended. Colors range from black through to olives and browns. I tie this fly in dark olive only and use it not only as a leech pattern but also for use when trout are on daphnia or when there may be olive damsel nymphs about.
This Daphnia fly is designed to represent a cloud of Daphnia. Because it has heaps of body movement when twitched it is also a good prospecting fly in its original olive colour or other colours even when Daphnia are not present.
This is an old pattern and whilst it can be dressed in many different ways I prefer it dressed as described below which is similar to the original form with the exception of the tail which I prefer to be much finer than the original. I guess that makes it like a small Woolly Bugger. This fly works well in streams when fished across and down and is also a useful fly when fish are in still water mooching amongst flotsam & jetsam.
This fly has a number of particularly useful applications. For Bass and EP’s and in discolored water it works well with a zonker strip back. In Estuaries it works well with a back of Super hair. As a prospecting fly it can be fished at a variety of depths. Perhaps the best method is to count the fly down and then jig it through the area you believe is holding fish.
This fly has been adopted by many Australian fly fishers as their favorite night time fly when the mudeye are hatching. Whilst the original version uses Pukeko feathers most in Australia use swamp hen breast feathers . . .obviously road kill as the bird is protected.
Originating in New Zealand in the 1930’s this fly was first dressed in colours of black and red and was designed as an evening or night fly representing a local crayfish. The fact that it is highly visible and symmetrical has allowed the Fuzzy Wuzzy to evolve into a must have fly with applications across a wide range of situations.
Most English wet flies of this type were originally tied as imitations of specific impoundment bait fish or to simply gain the interest of fish and illicit a strike. I have tweaked the original recipe by adding a thorax of claret seals fur. That breaks the harsh lines of the original tie and adds a little bit of extra movement.
A variant of a old English wet fly this variant is in the same class as an Alexandra this fly as an attractor fly particularly when rainbows are the target. It is different to the original in that the dyed blue hackle has been replaced by blue barbells from the chest feathers of a male peacock and the body is “Glamor” thread fuzzeled with silver UV dubbing.
Its a fly that has withstood the test even though it was apparently banned for a time in Scotland where it was developed because it was just too effective. It remains effective today and is an excellent middle dropper attractor type fly or tip fly when fishing for fast moving rainbow trout. My version is tied inverted making it much more stealthy.
This is a “Blob with attitude” and because it actually looks like a fly I find it a a little easier to tie on than its very basic second cousins. It has a place in my fly box because from time to time, and particularly in competition fly fishing, you find yourself fishing in the most unpleasant conditions. In situations like that a blob with attitude may save the day.
