It's been years since I've and enough Griffith's Gnats in my fly box to make a difference. I gave up on this fly BECAUSE I didn't know what it represented. A cluster of midges? I did't buy it!! But then I had that "light bulb in the head moment" on the EB when some ants hit the water. My ants were back in the Jeep but I had an ancient G.Gnat and that peacock looked like that shiny exoskeleton of an ant. So off came the hackles on the underside and the fly worked fine until I lost it.
Now I love this fly because of its simplicity. It represents nothing and everything much like soft hackles. It's easily tied up by the dozens and it's a rugged little guy. I say little because I use them in sizes 18 through 24. I've also experimented with self dyed grizzly hackles in brown and slate gray. They look great!!!
Then there's the Royal Coachman, a study in Victorian material excess if there ever was one (please exclude the salmon flies). But I just had to tie one and I'm promising myself to launch it on the EB this June.
The Groundhog said 6 more weeks of Winter but what does he know? Statistically he's right only 38% of the time.
Ken
13 comments:
The Royal Coachman brings back fond memories of my first fly fishing experiences some 52 years ago.My friend and I used to sit at his fathers fly tying vise struggling to tie them with duck quill wings.On one outing to a small stream down in Connecticut he and I were clobbering trout on the contraptions we made.While his father couldn't catch a fish trying to match the hatch.Finally his father hollered,"What the hell are you guys using?"A Royal Coachman," my friend answered.His father hollered back,"What the hell is a Royal Coachman?"Those were the days.I haven't fished it since.Maybe I'll take your lead and give it a try this season.Thanks,Dan
Try putting a little tail from Muskrat underfur on it to imitate a shuck. Makes a big difference sometimes!
Dan T,
"tie them with duck quill wings". Now, that's a lost art!!!!
Ken
Royal wulff is one of my favorite small stream flies... Likewise, the streamer and wet fly versions. I'm with you on the G Gnat. Such history, but never did it for me. The Tightlines Productions crew have a video of a variation made by putting peacock herl and snowshoe foot guard hairs in a dubbing loop and palmering the two together, I tried that, but it felt the same. Some flies just inspire... Some dont. Even if they are great!
Your mentioning of a G Gnat where you trimmed the hackle on the bottom reminded me of a variation I tie: I only put a couple of turns of grizzly on the front and trim the bottom fibers - has worked well for me.
I always appreciate your quotations from John Gierach. There's another quote of his that goes something like this: "It doesn't matter what the problem is, the answer is to go fishing." I kind of live by that.
Speaking of which (fishing), this week my guides would only freeze up and I assume the otter is still working the Swift?
Suffering withdrawal symptoms in NH,
Herm
The griffith's gnat probably catches more trout for me on the Swift than any other fly. The palmered hackle dry fly is an all-time great design that effectively imitates the behavior of many insects. After size, I think the behavior of the fly is the next most important attribute in imitation, probably more important than profile in most situations, and certainly more important than color (though I do like to fish a lighter colored version of the gnat at times). On the dead drift, the palmered hackle suggests/creates subtle movement in the fly imitating an insect struggling to escape the surface film (emergers, ants, etc). When fished actively (twitched or skittered), the fly effectively imitates active insects like caddis and similiums. I like the sizes that match the prevailing insects, which on the Swift are usually small... 24-32. Though I like to fish dry flies if at all possible, these palmered flies can also be deadly when fished wet (think of the old wooly worm!), as they have many of the same attributes as soft hackles.
Brendan,
You are right on this fly and I am wrong in thinking it's not "scientific" enough. Like many I'm forgetting the basics and that's why it will get worked out as an ant pattern during an Ant Fall this upcoming season and as a "midge" pattern in the miniscule sizes.
Herm,
Where have you been???? I miss your comments and your bamboo rod!!!!!! Gierach says it all about true fly fishing!!
Ken
Ken
I've been using a variant of the GG. I tie in a little post of poly yarn and parachute the hackle...its a pain to tie but it works well for me. I am with the "anonymous" poster on the muskrat tail for a shuck. I read about it in the Swisher Richards book or one of the books by Ed Engle I think...that little shuck works when bites are tough to come by.
I've had good luck with a small G Gnat at the tree pool on the lower Swift. The Royal Wulff is my all-time favorite dry fly. The rainbows on the Deerfield seem to love them in faster moving water!
BobT,
I'll try it but I've got palmered hackle on the brain.
Anonymous 5:13,
You are right! All those Wulff flies are great fast water flies.
Ken
Ken, your post got me in the mood to tie up a few hair wing Royal Coachmen. I enjoy tying those once in a while. They look nice when they are done and give me visions of some good top water action this spring.
I fished for a couple of hours on Super Bowl Sunday, but nothing was hitting. Still nice to be out.
Sam
Sam,
I like fishing those hair wings in riffles and choppy water sometimes with a large soft hackle trailing 18 inches behind. Works well on the EB!
Ken
I will keep that in mind, Ken. Thanks for the tip! Not much fishing for me this winter, unlike the past two years. On the bright side the small streams I see in my travels seem to be doing real well. I always wonder how those brookies are doing.
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