WILD FLIES
All flyfishermen experience the sort of days on loch or river when the fish throw all natural caution away and take whatever fly you happen to have on the end. However this is not the case most of the time. Making flies that catch fish on easy days is not difficult. Flies that tempt fish in calm clear water, deceive larger fish, work when standard wets fail are more of a challenge to design and tie. These flies are not the plastic real life flies seen elsewhere, these often look great to the eye but by and large they are imitations of dead insects. The Wild Flies Range attempt to create flies that look alive, some are quite abstract, all look better in the water than in the hand, but this is what we are after! All of these flies are tied on small light wire hooks, stronger than you might think but use with care if you are after larger fish.
Some are tied on longer shank hooks that are great for catch and release.
LONG LEGGED BLACK GNAT
On all waters expect a rise to this kind of insect, tied to sit in the film it will also work when sunk. Use 12 to 14ft leaders with 2lb tippets. Expect sipping rises that look like small fish but sometimes aren't.
Long Legged Black Gnat #16 - Three flies for £1.40
Long Legged Black Gnat #18 - Three flies for £1.40
Long Legged Black Gnat #20 - Three flies for £1.40
Wild Fly - Bump Tenkara
First choice on any water, gink to fish as a full floater or leave untreated to sit in the film.
Three flies for £1.20
Wild Fly - 3 x Red Bump Tenkara #16
Wild Fly - 3 x Olive Bump Tenkara #16
Wild Fly Straggler
Lots of leggy midges and small daddies in the Hebrides make this messy looking fly essential.
Fish dead drift, animate the fly by slightly lifting the rod tip.
Three flies for £1.20
Wild Fly Straggler #16
Wild Fly 'F' Fly
Tied short to make this pattern one of the best catch and release flies you can use. The natural CDC plumes are very bouyant but the fly will start to sink after a while (or after a fish). Simple squeeze dry with a tissue and its back to full floating. The fish sometimes prefer a full floater and others a slightly sunk fly does
better.
Three flies for £1.40
Phantom Midge
A lighter coloured tying to imitate those anoying little midges that are very common on any upland loch.
3 flies for £1.20 -
STRAGGLER DADDY LONG LEGS
Top pattern for the Highlands and Islands were our soggy landscape is perfect for the larva, and the wind gets them on the water pretty much right through the season. Smaller Daddies and related long legged Midges are on the water from March, the largest flies hatch in August and September.
2 x Straggler Daddy Long Legs #12 - £1.50
2 x Straggler Daddy Long Legs #14 - £1.50
CDC DADDY LONG LEGS - LS#14
No prizes for looks but use this fly with complete faith. We get Daddies from April to September in the Hebrides but the larger flies come later in the season. I would use this fly on any water at any time of the year. On quiet days fish will swim up from nowhere and take it, expect gentle sipping rises, aggresive slashes and quite often the fish leave the water and take the fly down as they re-enter. This is tied with the minimum of materials so it is not the best floater! Squeeze dry with amadou or tissue as it starts to sink. (fish like it sunk as well)
CDC Daddy Fine Wire #14 - Two flies for £1.50
CDC Daddy Fine Wire #14 - Two flies for £1.50
HACKLED DADDY LONG LEGS
Try these in calm water or on fussy fish. On some occasions cutting the hackle right back will fool
the smartest fish.
2 x Hackled Daddy #14 - £1.50
2 x Hackled Daddy #16 - £1.50
DEER CADDIS
Simple wee fly that imitates a wide range of insects, ideal for fast water work and in the evening. It can be dead drifted or skated across the surface. Tied in seasonal colours.
3 x Deer Caddis #12 - £1.30
3 x Deer Caddis #14 - £1.30
3 x Deer Caddis #16 - £1.20
3 x Deer Caddis #18 - £1.20
THE STRAGGLER
I would use this on any wild trout water, brown and sea trout will take it (I had a 3lb Grilse on one) fished fully dry or sat in the film. Forget the half finished look of this fly the fish do.
Straggler #12 - Three flies for £1.30
Straggler #12 - Three flies for £1.30
Straggler #14 - Three flies for £1.30
Straggler #16 - Three flies for £1.30
MAYFLY STRAGGLER
One for the south. This natural looking fly will outfish any over dressed duck fly anytime. Tied in a range of sizes to imitate all upwinged Duns.
Mayfly Straggler #12 - Three flies for £1.30
Mayfly Straggler #14 - Three flies for £1.30
Mayfly Straggler #16 - Three flies for £1.30
Mayfly Straggler #16 - Three flies for £1.30
Wild Fly Deer Spider
This would be first choice on any water in a light ripple. Will tempt fish to rise even when there is no surface activity.
Lifting the rod top animates the fly, small movements are usually better than anything too dramatic, larger fish especially can
be scared off by too much animation. The tying includes a CDC wing.
Three flies for £1.40
3 x Wild Fly Deer Spider (White) #16
3 x Wild Fly Deer Spider (Natural) #16