FLYMPH FORUM

Hi guys,
Here are a couple of pics of my most killing flys this season. My apologies for the quality, but there is only so small that you can go with an iPhone 3GS from 2009!!
First one is the dark watchet spider from Pritt, and the second, the dry version on a size 16.
Hope you like them, the trout do!!

Like? Nope... I LOVE them! I am happy to see these killers.

Dave, it's just cool to see your patterns, the pics are fine. Are these patterns standards that you carry and use or did they find their way to your tippet more than usual? They definitely have all the bits and pieces that would make them killers and nicely tied. Another question, what makes the second fly a dry version? Is it treated with something hydrophobic? Thanks for sharing these.

w

Troutmaddave, Howdy;

They appears as if you 'lifted' them straight from the pages of a
period correct book. Good to hear that they still do their jobs.

hank

Thanks guys for your kind words about my fumblings!
My descriptions of them are the wrong way round. The top pic is the dry with a coot primary folded wing and the lower is the spider.
These are my starter flies , especially if I'm up the mountain. If I see surface action then I go for the dry. 6 trout around 1/3lb yesterday in about 8 casts!! Truly lethal. The waterhen bloa and the water cricket work well as well. I tie the w.c with primrose silk, leaving a very long tag which I colour with a black marker for a rib on the way back up. Will post some more pics later
Cheers dave

Lethal looking flies, both of them. I've never tried a Dark Watchet, but will have to. The Water Cricket dressed with Primrose silk is a favorite for local resident Coastal Cutthroat Trout. I like your idea of just coloring a long tag for the rib.

Here's my water cricket
Primrose silk
Starling neck hackle
Rib with felt pen wound back up

Sorry about pic quality

Nice honest looking fish catching patterns Dave.
How are you presenting the spider? What height in the water, upstream- downstream, dead drift or with a bit of "action retrieve" as you bring the line back to you?

My spiders are usually presented on one of those slate type plates, up stream on a bed of crispy baby salad leaves. With a light dill dressing and some croutons. Or if the customer is a fish, then up stream, dead drift. I try and keep the line short. I use a 7' furled leader (uni) with a hi vis tip and 6' 3lb tippet. Single fly. Droppers become a pain for me, as they tangle most of the time. I try to keep as short a fly line as possible in contact with the water.

These make for a great selection Dave. There are quite attractive flies, both to us and the fish it sounds. I would serve these up any day. However, I am more of an olive oil and pepper guy rather than dill.