"It is not how abundant nor how considerable our catch be, but rather to the sport, and manner in which our quarry, the noble trout is angled." - J.B. Martin
I've been getting emails and comments that have a lot to do with the good old Flymph. What is it? or how do you fish it.? Let's go over it again.
The Flymph should be called the AMERICAN SOFT HACKLE because that's what it is. It is a soft hackle but not like those from the British Isles. English soft hackles are dainty or should I say "less robust" than the American variety. The Brits developed those beautiful flies to mimic the mayflies of there waters. The Yanks had to deal with caddis flies which tend to be beefier than mayflies. Hence the Flymph!
How do I tie them?
1. My traditional soft hackles are tied with thread bodies (slim) but the flymph has a body of rough dubbing or heavy floss or both (thick). I also tie a "head" on flymphs.
2. Traditional soft hackles use the thinnest of partridge and starling hackles from the bird's cape. Flymphs look great with a thicker hackle such as hen hackle or hackle from the WING of a partridge.
There is a drawback. I hate that light stripe running down the center of the feather. It wraps around the thorax and is too obvious for my taste. I solved that with a brown Sharpie and it works perfectly.
I have no names for the flymphs that I tie. They are generic, dull, caddis-like flies and I like them.
Now, would I tie a classic Partridge and Orange in the Flymph Style?? NO WAY!!! I have boundaries!!!!!
All the rivers are coming down. FISH NOW!!!
Ken
5 comments:
Woodcock wings are also good for Soft Hackles and Flymphs.
Anonymous 1:03,
I should take up hunting again!
Ken
Great post.
Unrelated question: what is a 'comfortable' flow on the Westfield as measured at the Knightsville gauge?
Thank you.
Anonymous 4:07,
When it reads 500 or less at Knightsville it is a good flow. Remember, the gauge on the EB is below the holding pond. So when they release the flood water from Knightville the flow reading goes up while Chesterfield Gorge will show a much lower flow. If you think that may be the case then compare Knightville to the flow on the West Branch of the Westfield. A good flow there is between 200 and 300.
Ken
Thanks for that detail on the gauge Ken. I hit the EB yesterday and couldn’t figure out why the Knightville gauge was going up while the gorge flow was high but not the 777 CFS indicated down below. Fishing was slow. Only saw about a half dozen other anglers on the river. Started at Les’s pool (not the best idea crossing the river with those flows but doable) and threw everything at it with no success. Wet flies, stones, emergers, various nymph patterns, and buggers. Even brought an extra rod — a 7Wt with a sink tip and ran some big streamers through the deeper runs. Not sure if they’ve stocked that far down yet but no activity whatsoever. Hit that nice run inbetween the gate and Les’s pool on the way back up and still nothing. Finished by hopping around the Bliss pool area and finally nabbed a rainbow on a green bugger while sitting on a rock and letting it lazily dead drift through some of the deeper and faster water. Saw the trout come up from the bottom and circle it before taking it. And that was it for fish. Not the best day but good to be out there. Spoke to some other anglers and all reported little to no success. Other than that one trout, seeing a bald eagle glide overhead was the other highlight.
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