Soft Hackle Variation

As many of you already know I like the idea and look of a trout fly that has a bit of color contrast in it's construction. My Hot Spot has that light band of contrasting color in the middle of the fly. This fly catches the attention of the trout and has been very successful for Swift River trout over the years. So has the Turkey Top with it's white wing case. Now I've tried that principle on a soft hackle except I'm doing it with mylar instead of dubbing or feathers. It's simply a soft hackle with a wing case of a single strip of mylar. It's maiden voyage was Sunday morning and it worked!!

Hook - size 14/16
Body - could be anything but I used stripped peacock (I have stripped peacock on the brain for some reason)
Wing Case - thin strip of mylar
Thorax - buggy dubbing
Hackle - standard soft hackle

Tie as usual but tie in the mylar before the thorax. Fold the mylar over the thorax and then wind the hackles. The fly will have that TINY bit of "on and off" flash that will get the attention of Swift bows without spooking them like the Grouse and Flash seems to have been doing over the last few years.

January - Yup, it sucks!! So we fish one day a week if the weather holds out and dream of the month of May. I'm also dreaming of a trip to Florida from Friday through the middle of next week.

Ken

First Cast Of 2014 - The Swift Of Course

Finally, a break in the weather!! I didn't even bother to watch the complete Patriots game Saturday night because I wanted a very early start Sunday morning. That decision made me the THIRD vehicle at the PIPE at 7am!!! It beats an 8am start when you really have to wait your turn. Thankfully, it didn't get too crowded for the three hours that I was there (they must have watched the whole game) and by the end it was just three of us that I could see. It was a good time.

The dropper was a Scud and the point fly was a McPhail Buzzer. The Scud took two 10 inch rainbows while the Buzzer took another two tiny bows and three BIG bows. Big means 16 inches.

I've had an "on again, off again" relationship with that chironomid fly. It makes sense on the Swift to have them ready and for 2014 I'll put more trust in them. Google "McPhail Buzzer" to get a good photo of this fly and instructions. I like using stripped peacock for the body and my flies were not lacquered but they still worked.

We will gain 10 minutes of sunlight this week. Think Spring!!

Ken

It Is REALLY Winter!!!!

Saturday morning, at 7am the temperature registered -14 degrees. It was the coldest Massachusetts morning in my memory which goes back decades but has a tendency to forget bad ass events like this. Very cold was the word. The temperature reading for the Swift River gauge read 34 degrees and I was tempted to take a ride to the Swift to see if ice had skimmed the Tree Pool but found other things to do like buying a Chromecast setup, answering emails and tying flies. Believe it or not, people are thinking of this Spring and booking days with me on our three rivers. Traditionally this is cabin fever time and if you don't live close to the Swift or the Farmington you may not survive that aliment unless ice fishing does it for you. It doesn't for me! Thank God for the Swift!!!

I have a fly or three that I'd like to share with you soon. I'll also be packing bags for Florida for the last week of this dreadful month for a week of R&R. EASTERN FLY FISHING MAGAZINE ran a good article of Sebastian Florida and its fly fishing. It's not far from where I will be so I'm checking this place out! I will be on the Swift next weekend if the elements allow.


Thought I'd show two Winter photos of the Swift and one BALMY-DAY-IN-LATE-MAY photo just to remind you that all of this weather will end in 3 or so months. Keep the Faith!!

Ken