Viking Lars | Saturday, 28 October 2017
I haven't really tied many dry flies and over the last 6-7 years - mainly because 1/ I have hundreds and 2/ Trout and grayling fishing in Denmark isn't what it used to be. Thankfully, at least grayling are on the recovery in some streams after being almost wiped out by winter fouraging cormorants, and I have enjoyed a some good days this year.
Yesterday evening I decided to tie a few midges. I needed some for my stillwater box, and it was really prompted by a sampler pavk I got a few weeks ago from Ahrex Hooks. It's a relatively new Danish company making high quality hooks. They set out with the Nordic Series, hooks designed specifically for Scandinavian sea trout, and then they launched the Predator Series (pike hooks, basically) and they were soon followed by hooks tailored specifically for big trout streamers (Trout Predator Series) and Home Run salmon hooks (for salmon, steelhead and sea trout).
Their next venture is trout hooks (wet fly, dry fly, nymph etc) and I got a sampler pack containing samples of what's to come. There was a pack of "Dryfly Mini #22 and Curved Dry Fly #20, and to be honest, I was curious to see if my eyes were still up to tying such small stuff. As I said, I haven't really tied small stuff for several years.
Thankfully, I had no problems, although I do notice that I need much better light now than I did just 5 years ago, but hey, it seems as if I can push forward the need to get reading glasses for tying.
The fly design isn't mine, it's from a good friend called Peter, and it's basically a small, black parachute with a yellow wing (for easier spotting). I tie this version and a standard hackled version, also with a yellow wing, and on this, I lease a small tuft protruding over the hook eye, just becasue I like the way it looks.
This fly is good in size 16 and down to as small as you and tie and fish them. The smallest one are taken for midges, I'm sure, but the slighter larger ones I think can also be taken for small sedges (at least I have often seen a very small, black sedge in Danish waters, so small that you can't see what the fish are eating - probably a #18 or so). And it's probably also just a good "looks-edible-fly".
The pattern? Same for both.
Hooks: Here, Ahrex FW516 Curved Dry Mini #20 and Ahrex FW506 Dry Fly Mini #22. Any small hook will do of course.
Thread: UNI 8/0 in black.
Body: Black FlyRite.
Wing: Yellow poly yearn.
Hackle: Genetic, black cock.
In the PoD - the one on the left is the #20, the #22 is on the right.
Tie a few - it's a really good fly, relatively easy to see due to the yellow wing and fish like it.
Have a great weekend!
Lars