What’s In My Fly Box Episode 3
Welcome to the Episode 3 of What’s in My Fly Box! This is a monthly blog where I share one of my confidence flies in my fly box. Not only will I tell you which materials I use, but I will share some of my key tying details about each, along with how I rig and fish each fly.
Before we get started, I would like to say that a majority of my fly fishing is done using a long leader euro rig or a dry dropper rig. I also will use a single dry fly and jig or swing streamers when those opportunities arise.
I truly believe it’s more important to get a good drift at the right depth and speed than to have the perfect fly aka match the hatch.
So, let’s jump in!
Hare’s Ear Tag Soft Hackle
I love to use soft hackles. 2nd to perdigons these are my go to style of flies. They are great as attractors, pupating caddis, emerging mayflies as well as spent mayflies and dead caddis. They can cover so many different bugs in various life cycles depending on how you and where you fish them in the water column.
Like most of my confidence flies, these are simple and deadly.
Tying Materials and Keys to Success
For most of my soft hackles I prefer a wide gape hook. A couple of my favorites are the Hanak H 450 BL Jig Hook Partridge Wide Gape Jig Hook and Firehole Sticks 551 Jig Hook. I use a First Drift Slotted Tungsten Bead to get my fly down. I vary the size of bead depending on the depth of the water, current speed and the method in which I plan of presenting my fly.
For a base thread I like a waxed thread with a thin diameter like 14/0 Veevus Thread 12/0 Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread or UNI Thread Waxed 8/0 I used 14/0 Veevus Brown B09.
For the tag I like 4-8 strands of Glo-Brite Floss or 1/2 a stand of UTC Spooled Antron. I tie it just so that it reaches the trail edge of the hook gape. I used Glo-Brite Floss #5 Fire Orange.
I then wrap back up towards the bead tying in UTC Ultra Wire Small Gold for durability to protect the dubbing body. For dubbing I use either Nature’s Spirit Hand Spun Yarn if I am looking for a sleek body or Troutline Super Spike Dubbing if I want a spikey body. I chose Nature’s Spirit Hand Spun Yarn Light Hare’s Ear for this fly. When I use the Hand Spun Yarn, I separate the two strands of yarn and only use one. I create a tapered body by tying in yarn the length of the hook shank and then wrapping it forward once and wrapping back down to the halfway point and then wrapping back forward just short of the bead to save room for the CDC soft hackle and hot spot.
I like using CDC for most of my soft hackles, I think it moves better and has more color options. For soft hackle nymphs I like Swiss CDC Standard or Troutline CDC Tier's Pack are a great value. For this fly I chose to use the Troutline CDC in Brown.
For the hackle I use a Stonfo 634 Dubbing / CDC Clip and place one side of a CDC feather into the clip and cut it leaving just a little extra out the clip to catch in my dubbing loop. I attach my hackle pliers to my dubbing loop and spin after capturing the CDC fibers inside my loop. Usually, one to two rotations around is plenty and I preen them back and capture my dubbing loop with thread.
After capturing the soft hackle I add just a little bit of dubbing to add some contrast. I like using Hareline Ice Dub UV Brown, Hend’s UV Ice Dub or any flashy dubbing.
Then whip finish and pinch off the CDC to the desired length.
How I Rig and Fish
When using as an attractor I usually pair them with a perdigon nymph or something less flashy and smaller. They also work great as a dropper on a dry dropper rig. And lastly don’t forget down low as a dead caddis or mayfly or one that is struggling to emerge rolling just off the bottom. But remember a trout’s eyes are on the top half of their body and they prefer to feed on what is above them, so don’t have them stuck on the bottom, fish them slightly above.
I mostly fish them on a dead drift, but sometimes I will jig them when a strong hatch is starting. I will also swing these through riffles or on the end of drifts.
I use these on both euro rigs and dry dropper rigs. For both, I use a tags as these give each fly their own drift. I use a triple surgeon’s knot to create a tag and the tag is typically 4-6” to start with. Any shorter, I feel like I don’t get as many fly changes as I’d like. Any longer and I feel like it tangles too much. I typically fish my two flies 20” apart once you let the tag hang down. If I am fishing deeper water or see fish feeding while suspended, I may increase that distance to get my tag nymph in their feeding lane. I will typically fish my heavier fly on the bottom as I prefer a more vertical presentation, but if I see the trout hugging the bottom or I’m fishing shallow water I will move the heavier fly to the tag. This gives the rig a more horizontal presentation.
Give this versatile fly a try and I am sure you will not be disappointed!
One More Cast
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