So far, in no particular order
Black Pennell 12 & 10s
Clan Chief 12s
Black Zulu 12 & 10s
Grouse & Claret 12 10 & 8
Silver Invicta 10 & 8 (added a size 12)
Soldier Palmer 12,10 & 8
Teal Blue & Silver 10 & 8
Peter Ross 12,10 & 8
Kingfisher Butcher 12,10 & 8
Goats Toe 10 & 8
Blue Zulu 10 & 8 (added a size 12)
Alexandra 10 & 8
Loch Ordie 12 &10
Stoats Tail (wee double) 12 & 10
Bibio 12 & 10
Ke He 12 & 10
Silver Butcher 12,10 & 8
March Brown 12 & 10 ( I know, September but I was told one to try on Stillgarry) Anyway it is in the box.
Dry Daddies (dapping)
Additions :
Dunkeld
Claret Sedge Hog
Couple of Shrimp patterns 12 &10 (Salmon)
Hackled Wet Daddie
Probably a few other late entry's but with that selection I think I have covered most waters so to speak
Any one have any others worth a go.
Never without a Dunkeld.
Does no one use muddlers in Uist?
Seeing the quality of your flys before I bet that box is stunning. Got a picture of it?
I will add any suggestions including hook size that I deem usefull "to me" to my list.
I purposely left out the Machair Claret simply because I do not like flies with hackled tails. I have found that they have a habit of turning in on themself at the bend. I will however add a Claret Half Hog rather that the full blown Hedgehog & definately a Dunkeld.
I missed that one out in original list.
Tight Lines
PS Andy my wife says" I am no threat to wild Atlantic Salmon stocks"
Soldier I wil post a picture when I have finished it,
Laxdale: Thought about Muddlers but I have enough top dropper flies I reckon. Having said that some may choose that option. Giveing a decent wind I intend to dap & The Daddie in September is the one for them.
just got a report from my mate he was on upper cilldonan today they had 22 for the boat all about a pound best about pound and a quarter good sport!
Red arsed peter sedgehog is my go to fly at the moment. Brings trout to the surface when nothing else is working.
I always assumed that it was the shape/profile of the muddler that attracted fish. More so than the wake.
A couple of the old ghillies on N Harris used to fish black muddlers on sinking lines to great effect for both salmon and sea trout.
In a good wave, pulling muddlers through waves, as opposed to over them, is hard to beat on Lewis and Harris.
I would add a golden olive bumble, or two - although I accept it may be slightly too late in the season. Also - wait for it - a sparkler booby. No other reason than it works - East Loch Bee and Roag. I kid you not.
Quotesparkler booby.
Indeed diogg...... I have no reason to doubt your choice of "fly" I am sure as you have said it works but it will not work in my box. I would rather take up golf than use some of these "modern" flies. It would be a bad day indeed if some of my selection did not tease a Trout or two. Thanks for suggestion though. Golden Olive can be a good top dropper but I have more than a few in my selection that would fit the bill in later season especially The Soldier Palmer, an old fly but one I vary rarely have off the cast. Has been without doubt the most consistent of catchers for upland waters for me at least
Tight Lines
Quote from: Highlander on June 12, 2015, 01:16:07 PM
I would rather take up golf than use some of these "modern" flies. Tight Lines
fair enough. the soldier palmer was modern once.... :8)
Are you putting 1 wrap of thread around the back of the wing to have it raised like that?
That looks like one of Stan's flies to me. :lol:
Understand your views on the 'fly' in question, Highlander, each to their own. It was first tried in desperation on East Loch Bee! Very interested in your views on the soldier palmer/GOB question - I would not have viewed them as options in the way you describe, but get the point about the numbers of different patterns building in your box. Wish you great success with the SP - it never does it for me. I see you have the Alexandra in your box - a controversial pattern indeed! http://midcurrent.com/history/a-dreadful-scourge/ (http://midcurrent.com/history/a-dreadful-scourge/)
The Alexandra is one of these flies anglers love or hate. Reason why I have a few in my box is that it is a handy fly to have on the tail when there are Stickleback or fry in the water. Whilst not an exact imitation is appears to have certain colours that in circumstances Trout find attractive. The Soldier to me is a must pattern for upland waters. As a bob fly it is without peers & my go to fly for the bob on waters I first visit . If indeed it is not taken which does happen a switch to a Claret or Black pattern such as Black Zulu or Pennell & a Claret Bumble or Claret Sedgehog type fly usually finds one of them attractive. On bright windy days a Loch Ordie, Palmered Wickam or similar as long as it has a hint of gold in the dressing. Still nothing is written in stone & the enterprizing angler may just find something entirely different on the day & as it should be. If we knew all the answear's it would become just too easy. Part of the beauty of our game. When be think Bob Fly a big percentage of us upland fishers thing "bushy" Wonder how many think Winged. Many years ago when I fished Leven a lightly dressed Kingfisher, Silver or Hard Gold Butcher & the more natural Burleigh all with upright wings as in Clyde Style worked a treat. From what I read not many would even think of giving them a go much relying on "modern" flies to tempt a Trout. I would never presume to tell others what to use. I merely tell what I like & why. Others can make up their own minds.
Tight Lines
Quote from: Highlander on June 13, 2015, 01:08:56 PM
From what I read not many would even think of giving them a go much relying on "modern" flies to tempt a Trout.
I think you're absolutely spot on! there's far to much reliance on the latest "fad" flies, rather than trying to work out what will actually tempt a fish in the given circumstances. i'm just going to nip up a tiny stream I've just sussed out with my mind on tiny upwings, spiders and maybe tiny nymphs. but i'll have a couple of streamers in the box, just in case... :wink: i'll probably leave the ear-plug poppers at home, tho'! :8)
I have flies in my box that I wouldn't consider using. Why? Because they were given to me by well intentioned anglers who recommended them as the go to fly and A) they aren't flies I would use and B) I don't use flies I haven't tied myself.
We all set our own limits that wont suit every one.
Interesting discussion. I caught my first brown trout from a boat on an alexandra - on the Daer Reservoir in the Leadhills, probably around 1968 or 1969. (I was 10 or 11.) I used it a lot as a kid, but very rarely since. The blue zulu became my fly of choice for brown trout and remains high on my favourites list, along with bibio, various invictas and the ubiquitous Kate. I still have a couple of alexandras in my SU/Scourie box, so must give them a fair swim this summer (if it arrives). Thank you for reminding me that I must tie up a few butchers - bloody was my usual choice, followed by kingfisher. I might add a couple of silver and Hardy's Gold if time permits. For some reason I cannot get on with the soldier palmer, not for want of trying, or for fishing with others for whom it works - a bit, for me, like some others have said about the Peter Ross. Isn't this whole thing fascinating? I'm glad we are not all the same. Many thanks to the nice wee trout that took my silver stoat today on the Shiel, but you were not the fish I was looking for....
Tight lines, David.
Some good ideas for my list for uist, I've done some goats toe variants and started on some muddlers but I've got a few to go. Regarding the machair claret I don't hackle the French partridge, just tie it in as a tail. Never fished it much but it's a lovely fly.
Nice to hear others views on flies, I myself love the traditional scottish patterns and loch style flies but I fish sedgehogs a lot, tend to use them on the point of a washing line rather than as a bob, prefer a muddler or something bushy, soldier palmer or a Kate or one of my own concoctions, all work. Recently the pearly muddler and soldier muddler have worked well for me. Saying all this though I've always got a fair few streamers in the box in 8 & 10 long shanks of all else fails and fished a cats whisker mini lure on a hill loch lately when others weren't working and did well, they're great colours for rainbows so why not brownies??
If anyone has suggestions for good point flies that don't involve a paired wing id be grateful, hate tying them and I'm shit at them!
:D
Here is an idea....
Once upon a time whilst drifting around on Loch Vochmid catching nothing, I had a bright idea.
I stuck a 3" Comet Waddington/fast sink line on and tried stipping it back in really fast.
6 casts, 6 ok sea trout and I suspected that maybe it wasnt sporting and stopped.
Dare you......
I quite often strip my flies across a pool/bay before I leave especially if I've seen fish and they've shown no interest anything else, usually out of frustration but occasionally it works!!
Cheers andy, I'll have another look at that advice when I'm back at the vice and not stuck in work :x
Yeah nice that, could muddle one up but might need to change the tail colour slightly but I'll see when I get home......yip still at work :roll:
Here we go, had to improvise slightly, speckled partridge instead of mallard and kinda peachy yellow for the tail, Howard's muddler 😉
[attachimg=1]
Quote from: Roobarb on June 28, 2015, 05:33:13 PM
Harold's not Howard's.
That was my idea of a joke andy :roll:
Thanks, they're starting to come together, still take me a while but I'm a fussy bugger when I'm tying!
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f233/Algie123/South%20Uist_zpsaldbjijs.jpg) (http://s48.photobucket.com/user/Algie123/media/South%20Uist_zpsaldbjijs.jpg.html)
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f233/Algie123/South%20Uist%20Box_zpsq5hjjwbk.jpg) (http://s48.photobucket.com/user/Algie123/media/South%20Uist%20Box_zpsq5hjjwbk.jpg.html)
Everyone needs a back up box.
:roll:
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f233/Algie123/Wild%20Water%20Box%202_zps0fk42iqy.jpg) (http://s48.photobucket.com/user/Algie123/media/Wild%20Water%20Box%202_zps0fk42iqy.jpg.html)
Tight Lines
PS Box is by Caimore, a direct copy of a C& F one but at less than half the price & every bit as good.
The old traditional bankers are there in force. I'd be happy to fish the contents of those two boxes on any Scottish loch. You've no excuses now !
very nice! I don't think you'd approve of my back-up box...... :lol:
Size of a shoe box Dave ? :lol: :lol: :lol:
Quote from: rannoch raider on July 02, 2015, 04:02:35 PM
Size of a shoe box Dave ? :lol: :lol: :lol:
:lol:
if you believe all you read I only need one spare fly. that and a spare spool with an efs line, of course :8)
Crackin box Alan ive been waiting to see that :D
Beautiful flies Alan, exquisitely tied as I would expect from you.
Yes beautiful flies and nice boxes, sure to do the business.
Lovely tying, Your boxes are very neat and tidy too!
Someone will be a very happy quiz winner with that lot.
Came up with this as a possible point fly, just messing about really with a sz 12 double. Gold body and then hot orange fox wing with the speary bits off a jc cape and blue hackle, should certainly show up well in the water :shock:
[attachimg=1]
I thought it would be a bit like something because it's all the usual suspects in terms of colours, I like the name 'thunder elver' sounds like something out of the hobbit or game of thrones!!
Cracking boxes there Alan.
I'll start tonight to sort out my flies for the stravaig and I can guarantee that they will be now-where near as neat as yours.
I'm going for the pre-chewed look on my flies.
Billy
Harolds grouse and claret is mentioned in Eddie Youngs book fisher in the west .the fly was developed by Harold Howorth a north of England fly dresser who was fishing for sea trout and the wing came off his traditional grouse and claret ,he found he caught more sea trout with the wingless fly and after some experimentation came up with the fly now known as Harolds grouse and claret.the origional dressing has a thorax of bronze peacock herl and the grouse hackle extends beyond the tail in the style of a "goats toe".
Garry