Viking Lars | Saturday, 23 December 2023
I’m late with the FP. The morning quickly turned into clearing the fly tying table, vacuuming and cleaning the entire house, getting ready for Christmas and the in-laws. December is a lovely fishing month on the Danish coasts and I haven’t been out once. Hopefully there’ll be time, opportunity and weather for it after Christmas and before New Year.
It seems I’ve been stirring up several old flies that I haven’t used for years and once that I was particularly fond of was HS Glass Minnow, originated by a Danish fly tyer Henrik Strandgaard. I is featured in one of the classic books about sea trout fishing in the salt (from 1992) and I used to fish it. I stumbled upon again as I was reading a few chapters in the book and immediately continued to tie some. Quite a few actually, because it’s a fast one to tie. And very simple:
Hook: Ahrex NS 156 # 6-10.
Thread: Black UNI 8/0.
Body: Lagartun MiniFlatbraid, pearl.
Wing: Natural, olive and chartreuse polar bear.
Eyes: Pro Sportfisher Gen 3 artificial jungle cock.
I’m actually quite sure it’ll do well in most conditions, but I’ve mostly used it in calm, clear water as the sparse dressing invites to. I remember catching fish on it, but in fact not many. Now it has a place in the box again and then we’ll see.
Two flies on the leader is not particularly common in Denmark but I do use it sometimes. An HS Glass Minnow on the point and a Gammarus on the dropper is certainly not a bad combination.
This morning we had a thin layer of snow which is fast melting already and tomorrow the forecast says 10 degrees C (above 0), so if the wind plays along that could mean some very nice conditions to wet waders and line.
Have a great weekend - and a very Merry Christmas!
Lars
Pod: Gammarus on the left HS Glass Minnow size 8 on the right.