The Fly Box
NEW FLY FISHING FLIES FOR TROUT
AND SALMON
For the
fisherman/tyer who likes to try something new, I will list here
fly fishing flies which I have found worth trying for trout and salmon as a change from the traditional favourites.
To begin, I will describe the origins and development of
the NEEDLE FLY, which I devised for late night sea trout
fishing on the River Earn in Perthshire. Not only did it catch sea trout (sewin), it also
accounted for a few salmon, trout and even grayling. It may be worth considering as a fly
fishing lure for other predatory species.
For those who would like to
make their own Needle Flies, but have difficulty in finding some of the
components, such as suitable PVC tubing, a
NEEDLE
FLY KIT is now available in our online shop.
***** NEW *****
GRAY'S NEEDLE TUBES
fine stainless steel fly tying tubes
now available online
The Needle Fly
The man who fishes for sea trout, day and
night
throughout the season, on rivers large and small, will carry a good range of sizes and styles of fly. In low water or in the early
part of the night, he may do best with flies no larger than a size six. At other times,
perhaps in high water or when fishing a deep pool late at night when the river has gone
quiet, he will often resort to something larger, or more specifically, longer.
Small flies, say up to a size six, are
probably best tied on single hooks. But what is the best design for the longer fly or
lure, of between one and three inches in length?
The Tube fly in various materials, the
Waddington, Falkus's sunk lure, the Welsh Marchog with flying treble along
with assorted terrors and demons all have their devotees and are
undoubtedly effective. However, each, though ingenious in its own way, has
its disadvantages.
All of
the above, however, have their disadvantages, so I set about trying to
devise a lure which might overcome their shortcomings
The result, after much experimentation,
was the Needle
Fly.
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The Needle Fly |
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Needle:
No. 9 long darning needle |
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Wing: black over orange
over yellow Fox squirrel tail with
a few strands of Krystal Flash |
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see:
Tying the Needle Fly |
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For more
information about Needle Flies, see
Fishing
Articles
Needle Types and Sizes
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TYPE |
SIZE |
DIAMETER |
LENGTH |
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BETWEEN |
6 |
0.027 inches |
0.69 mms |
1¼ inches |
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SHARP |
6 |
0.027 inches |
0.69 mms |
1½ inches |
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LONG DARNER |
9 |
0.024 inches |
0.61 mms |
2 inches |
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LONG DARNER |
7 |
0.027 inches |
0.69 mms |
2¼ inches |
I have listed
only a few of the most useful sizes. However, almost any needle can be used,
provided it is matched to a treble hook and PVC sleeve of appropriate
size.
So, just as
with hooks, we could describe the size of a needle by a number and a shank
length. For example, a size 7 Between would be a "size 7 Short
shank", a size 7 Sharp would be a "size 7 standard shank" and
a size 7 Long Darner would be a "size 7 long shank" and, just as
in hook sizes, within each range, the lower the number, the bigger the fly.
But all this
seems too complicated. Much easier simply to describe our needle flies by
length. For example, a 1 inch, 1½ inch or 2 inch needle. I tend to use
Betweens for the shorter lengths, Sharps for the intermediate lengths and
Long Darners for the longest lures.
NEW - For
those who would like to make their own Needle Flies but have difficulty in
obtaining suitable PVC tubing, a
NEEDLE
FLY KIT is now available in our online shop
Needle Flies
are conveniently stored in a foam lined fly box, as shown below.
The Ginger Pearl
A good night time sea trout fly
THE GINGER PEARL
Dressing
Hook: Singles in sizes 10 to 4
Thread: Yellow
Body: Pearl tinsel over yellow thread overwound with
touching turns of fine light green monofilament nylon (e.g. Drennan sub surface green 4
lbs B.S.)
Hackle: Shiny ginger hen
Wing: Squirrel hair or mallard
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Variants
Ginger Pearl (Palmered)
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Needle Flies
Needle Surface Lure
The Needle may
also be dressed as a surface wake lure. This is simply done by pushing a
needle through the centre of a cylinder of ethafoam. A hackle may be tied in
first if desired.
Details of the needle fly
were first published in the article, "Needles for Sewin", Trout & Salmon magazine,
September 1999
The Magus
I first used this fly on the River Endrick in
1989 where it was effective for both salmon and sea trout. It has since taken fish on the
Dee, Earn, Teith, Alness and Allan.
The Magus
Dressing
Hook: Singles, doubles and trebles in sizes 12
to 6
Tail: Squirrel tail dyed magenta or light
claret
Body: Rear half silver, front half black floss
Rib: Oval silver
Body hackle: Soft, shiny hackle dyed magenta or
light claret
Front hackle: Soft, shiny black hackle with
jungle cock under.
Fluorescent magenta floss is a good substitute for the jungle
cock, as in the examples below.
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Magus Variants
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Quick Product Links
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trout, sea trout and salmon flies are available in our
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