I have to thank frequent commenter Sam for getting me to write about this perfect nymph again. I just have to hear the name or see the fly and I go into a swoon. Boston's own Jack Gartside put this pattern on center stage and it deserves it with only Polly Rosborough and his Casual Dress pattern coming close.
These flies are "big boy nymphs" and work best on bigger, "transitional" rivers such as the Millers and the EB. These rivers have the bigger insects like large stoneflies, hellgrammites, damsel flies and the dragonflies and this pattern can do it all.
Hook - size 12 standard nymph hook
Tail - fluff from a large partridge hackle
Body - your choice of dubbing (I like rabbit in yellow, orange and natural
Collar - Oversized partridge hackle swept back
Head - brown ostrich
Sometimes I use weight but usually like Sam, I use some split shot but when the Spring flows have slowed down this fly is unweighted.
It seems to work best at sundown.
Just a few months to go!!!
Ken
3 comments:
Nice and buggy!
Ken,
I was aware of the Gartside Sparrow, but never had much interest in the pattern until my brother, who is a hunter, gave me a bag of pheasant feathers. I used the tails for pheasant tail nymphs and such, but also in the bag were all these body feathers, many with the small undershaft marabou feathers attached that can be used for the head of the sparrow. I started tying and using the Gartside Sparrow with good success using split shot above as you mentioned.
Back in 2019 when small salmon were in Bondsville, I caught a fair number of them on the sparrow. I did not hook any small salmon in 2020 though I have heard tell of people who did. I am a fan of the fly, that is for sure. One of those flies that can imitate a lot of things including small bait fish.
Best, Sam
Sam,
We did really well with 7-9 inch salmon this past Summer although I didn't land any this Fall until a week ago.
It pays to have a brother who's a bird hunter!
Ken
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