Hook- #14 jig hook, I use the Hanak H430 BL Bead- 3-3.5 mm slotted tungsten, copper colour Thread- black for main thread, fluro orange for the collar Body- SLF spikey squirrel dubbing, natural colours Tail- bronze or brown mallard flank and some micro glint or flashabou, green, brown, gold or blue will work for combining colours
Hook – Long shank lure or streamer – I use TMC 5262 or a Gamakatsu SL45 Bone Fish in size 8-10 Bead – Silver 3.3 tungsten cyclops, or medium silver bead chain eyes Thread – Black 8/0 / 70 Denier, 50 Denier Nano Silk/GSP also works very well Tail – Black marabou Tail flash – Silver Krystal flash or Flashabou Body – Medium silver tinsel chenille Rib – Small/Brassy silver wire Hackle – light coloured or grizzly cock hackle. Hen cape feathers also work well. Slightly longer and softer fibres.
Looking forward to enjoying the tie and a wee dram.
The recipe for the saltwater popper – aka BNB (Bass N Brim) popper follows: Hook: Tiemco TMC8089 #2-10 Thread: Danville Flat Waxed Nylon Tail: Slinky Fibres Legs: Sili-legs over a ball of Hareline UV Dubbing Body: 10mm crystal chenille with 2mm two tone foam cut with a Chernobyl Ant cutter Indicator: 2mm Two tone foam, vibrant colour to suit.
This fly was designed by Brett Clarke who founded BWC Flies in 2012 and was featured in FlyLife, Number 81, Spring 2015
“Here’s the tying instructions and materials, courtesy of Craig Coltman:”
Many anglers are familiar with Vern Barby’s excellent fly, the Magoo, which we first described way back in 2016 FlyStream #12 – The Magoo – FlyStream. This pattern has caught thousands of trout since Vern created it in 1999.
Materials
Hook – size 10-12 Wet fly
Thread – Black 8/0
Bead – 3mm copper bead, coloured chartreuse.
Tail – Black Marabou.
Body – Black/emerald Sparkle Dubbing. (If you can’t find this, substitute No 46 Spectra Dubbing and black rabbit fur, blended in equal proportions.)
Collar – Black hen hackle.
Tying Instructions
1. Place the bead on the hook.
2. Tie in a clump of black Marabou for the tail. I break it off to a length of 3cm for a size 12 hook, and 4cm for the larger size 10 hook.
3. Dub the body.
4. Tie in four turns of the black hen hackle immediately behind the bead.
5. Whip finish.
6. Scruff up the body dubbing with some Velcro to give the fly a more mobile, lifelike appearance.
If we have time we could visit the original Viva lure fly, as well have the colours.
The Parasol Emerger is an intriguing fly pattern developed by Ted Leeson and Jim Schollmeyer. It’s designed to imitate emerging insects and has proven effective, especially in spring creek settings.
As you can see from the images, the recipe is fairly simple:
Parasol Emerger Recipe:
Materials:
Your own/favourite emerger recipe, eg: Hook: Standard dry fly hook (size 14-18) Thread: Fine thread (white or light color) Body: Dubbing (match the color of the natural insect) Ribbing: Clear or translucent tubing (e.g., monofilament)
Parasol Post: ‘Stiffish’ Monofilament or synthetic fibres (for the “puff” effect)
The Commonwealth Hopper is a highly ‘floaty’ hopper that is great as a ‘dry’ in a dry-dropper or just a dry when you are fishing on a river near grassland. The bonus is it is not too difficult to tie and it works!
Recipe:
Hook: Size 12 Foam cylinder – tan or yellow Wing: Antron and Elk or Deer Hair Green or Black thread for initial tie Orange Fluoro orange thread Legs – orange and black (or whatever you have in your tying kit)
Please contact Claude and BJ (treasurer@canberra-anglers.asn.au) if you intend to be at our first club meeting and we will try to make up some tying kits.
The club holds some of the specialty required materials in the Gambrill bequest. ie.
Tan Antron
Orange striped rubber legs
3mm yellow (not tan) foam rolls
Elk or Deer Hair
BJ has offered to buy some tan foam if Boss has any. He would then take to the 14 Feb club meeting and dispense samples to those who say they will tie.
Anyone who wants to tie the Commonwealth Hopper, can come to the next meeting and BJ will provide a sample.
Registration of interest in receiving the material would be appreciated.
People have expressed concern that the links to Flystream ask for signup/signin. On my phone I go straight in but I’ve discovered that my phone is routinely in “incognito” or “private” mode. Look to see how you can do it with your PC
Great for rivers and lakes.
From mid-December to mid-March, my go-to fly up here the Hi-vis Black Spinner. Spinners are particularly important on lakes as the predominant form of mayfly. Unlike lakes where dun hatches are the feature, on many waters up here, the nymphs crawl out of the water to hatch, so the dun hatch as such, is missing. As a result, the duns are less available to the trout, while the spinners become more important. Have a look for nymph shucks clinging to rocks protruding out of the water. When they are present, a black spinner pattern is always a good bet. Usually fished in bright sun, which helps in polaroiding the fish. However, the combination of bright sun and clear water can make a standard black spinner very hard to see. To overcome this, tie with a fluorescent orange post. This spinner stands out a lot better on the water, and the trout don’t seem to mind the bright post. In fact, I sometimes think the orange makes the fly a more obvious target for them.
Releasing a black spinner feeder.
Usually fish this fly on its own. A recommendation is to use a 9ft nylon leader with a fast taper, with 1.2 metres of .18mm fluorocarbon tippet. The line loads up quickly and will punch into the wind, which is important to consider when polaroiding if you are fishing the Lakes. It is equally effective anywhere black spinners are found.
Tying Materials Hook – Gamakatsu S10-B, size 12 Thread – Black 8/0 Tail – Black Micro Fibets Body – Fine fur dubbing Post – Hi-vis orange Antron Hackle – Black cock hackle
Tying instructions
Tie in three to four black Micro Fibets the same length as the hook shank to make the tail.
I put a turn of thread between the Fibets and the hook to fan out the tail.
Next, create a smooth, slim body with the black thread.
Then tie in post using the orange Antron.
Tie in the black hackle, dub in a small body, and wind in three to four turns of hackle in an anti-clockwise direction to create the parachute.
Tie off and whip finish.
Finally, cut the post to length: approximately two-thirds the length of the hook is about right. I put the finished fly in liquid floatant and leave to dry. It might be winter right now, but before we know it, summer will be here again and the spinners will be flying. I recommend you use the long winter evenings to tie up a good stock of this pattern in anticipation.