Focus shifting to CDC

[Mike Connor]

Quick question for Mike, starling or jackdaw throat or a few of each for baillies purple ?

I use Starling breast and I try to pick the feathers with a blue/purple iridescence;

http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&sa=X ... qCA&zoom=1

this seems to work best for Iron Blues and it is not hard to find feathers the right size, I use 16 ( Drennan Carbon Specimen) hooks.

Jackdaw does not have this iridescence and the feathers are mostly too large anyway;

http://birdsolutions-southeast.co.uk/images/JackDaw.jpg

TL
MC

[Otter]

Jeez lads , ye are burning the midnight oil.

Thanks Mike , tied up 4 earlier with the starling breast and they is gone into a tiny box with a 1/2 dozen IB patterns to be tested - and a half doz patterns is at least 4 too many

[Mike Connor]

Jeez lads , ye are burning the midnight oil.

Thanks Mike , tied up 4 earlier with the starling breast and they is gone into a tiny box with a 1/2 dozen IB patterns to be tested - and a half doz patterns is at least 4 too many

Indeed, more than a couple of patterns are very hard to test reliably. You can try using multiple flies but this is often unreliable per se. The point fly often catching better just because it is the point fly!

You need the time, and conditions to suit, otherwise you can't really test much at all. You basically need what you think might be good patterns to start with as well( for whatever reason). Trying to test random flies is more or less impossible. It may be a couple of years or more before you even reach a conclusion on many flies.

TL
MC

[Otter]

Mike, as you well know one may go a lifetime testing IB patterns such is the unpredictability of the hatches - so yes, this is one flea where one is best to at least start with tried and tested patterns.

A good friend of mine works extremely hard at testing patterns, styles etc..... and because he has the time to do so he is rarely satisfied with a pattern that simply takes some trout , constantly seeking a range of patterns that in the right circumstances the trout take with total confidence. This is way beyond the remit of any casual angler and why casual anglers have at times to follow (not blindly )the work of others.

As an aside, a fellow anglers said to me a few weeks ago, "Hope this bloody recession ends soon or we will see huge hatches of anglers on the rivers "

[Mike Connor]

Yes, that is true enough. The "Purple Baillie" ( That's not really its name, it doesn't have one, but I needed to call it something or other for easy reference) is the most consistently successful pattern for me, and it also works as a "general" small dark fly as well. There may be a "better" fly for Iron Blues but I have not found one and I no longer experiment much in Iron Blue hatches. Indeed, not in any others either. Also, I am fishing a lot less now than I once did, for various reasons, and simply don't have the time any more for extended experiments on the water. I am lucky if I can grab a few hours now and again, where once I spent days and weeks trying various things. Just how it goes.

Obviously the economic climate is affecting many people, some may go fishing more often if they can, others wont be able to afford it. Depends a lot on where you live and what access you have to water.

TL
MC

[Otter]

Its only fair when offered a fly dressing to eventually post your findings.

Bailies Purple as advocated by Mike works nicely in an Iron Blue hatch, on my last two outings I took some fish on it, I can only imagine how many a skilled wet fly angler would take.

Today it accounted for a few at the start of the hatch, there was a blizzard of IB's coming off. As I was set up with a 9ft rod I cheated slightly fishing a ib dry on the point and two Bailies Purples on droppers. The takes to the wets were savage. On one cast two fish rose on landing, one to the dry , 1 to the wet - missed both

Fished the long rod (13FT) for the first time last friday, can see the advantages immediately - but will need a few more outings to see if it is for me.

[hankaye]

Otter, Howdy;

Please keep us up to date on your experiences with the 'long rod'.

hank

[flyfishwithme]

Otter, Howdy;

Please keep us up to date on your experiences with the 'long rod'.

hank

Hank,
I am a big advocate for "longer' and 'lighter' rods for fishing wet flies - up or downstream.
The advantages of a 'longer' rod, in my opinion, is the improved control that it gives you - control over the cast, control over the speed of drift and control over where the flies drift. I try, as much as possible, to keep the fly line off the water and only fish the leader and the bottom half of it to be more specific. A longer rod helps you do that.
I also fish 1, 2 and 3 weight rods as I think you get better feel with these light rods. But having said that, I overweight the rod because I am only casting a VERY short line so I need the extra weight to work the rod. My rule of thumb is and added line weight for each 10' of line that is reduced from the standard 30'. That means for a 1 wt I am using a 3 wt line etc etc. My favourite is a 10' 2 weight with a 4 line.
I have tried 11' and longer rods and I cannot see the added advantage for wet fly fishing unless it is the Tenkara style. Really long rods can be tiring.
I also fish long leaders. A short leader for me is about 16'.