Squirmy caddis
Somewhat of a fusion of a traditional caddis pupa emerger and a squirmy wormy this fly has earned a place in my fly box as a great middle or top dropper fly for both a loch style team and a river team.
Lake nymphs
Muskins PTN
This is very popular Northern hemisphere fly and whist it more popular in still water it also has its uses in running water. Appealing to fish that are on mixed diet that includes mayfly nymph and midge.
PTN variant
This variation of Frank Sawyers pheasant Tail Nymph takes into account the shorter herl on pheasant tails that dominate the market these days and to include the substitution of peacock or coloured dubbing in the thorax and the addition of legs.
Zonker yabby / crayfish
Over the years I have experimented with various Yabby Patterns and whilst some have looked great unfortunately they have all been “dogs” to fish or more correctly to cast. Generally rather than using them I have reverted to fishing a weighted woolly bugger instead. Well all that has now changed and I now have a Yabby in my fly box that I have confidence in.
March brown spider
Where I fish, as the water warms up closer to lunch time your often find fish actively rising to March Brown Mayfly that are a mottled chocolate and dark grey in colour. I fish them in lakes to targeted rising fish, as a polaroiding fly and also as part of a loch style team and in river I find them a great swinging fly when fish are taking emergers just below the surface.
Black Spectra nymph
I also tie it with a little added weight because if river water is a little dirty its often running a little stronger as well and I always reckon it best to get your fly down to where the fish are holding. The weight is also useful if you use this fly on the point of your loch fly team as it does help the leader to stay straight and decreases the incidence of loose line.
Eucumbene damsel – Chatto’s original
This is my favourite damsel fly imitation and ticks all the boxes. It is quite representational of an emerging damsel with its overall form and function and has a neat little hot spot in the form of the red eyes. It’s a great fly to fish at any time when there are midge or damsels around as most importantly the trout love it.
Chatto’s “inch” nymph
This fly has been designed with polaroiding in mind. Its also a great fly for covering rising fish … particularly if mayfly are around. It’s unlike all the other nymphs that I tie in that it is tied with as little extra weight as possible. As a result it hits the water softly and once there sinks slowly in a realistic way giving the target fish plenty of time to see the fly and hopefully eat it.
Murdoch
Another old fly this little beauty has its origins on the salmon and trout streams of Ireland probably around the 1820’s. Its alternative name of ‘hares ear and red’ gives away its ancestry. Early versions of the fly presented were no more than a gold ribbed hares ear with a woodcock type wing tied on top. Over time the recipe has evolved.
Snail
Snails are a food source for trout throughout the year. Having said that they are often overlooked by fly fishers. In colours imitating the naturals in the area to be fished they can be slowly twitched along the bottom or the weed beds with great results. They are also a good ambush fly for trout foraging the margins. My standard choice of colours is a mottled brown and olive dubbed body and a dark olive “scud back” shell.