HUGH SKEOCH
Hugh is one of the most successful anglers in the club and loves to fish dry fly on rivers. Below is a selection of patterns that have caught him many fish over the years.
MP Dun
Hook - Captain Hamilton down eye dry size 12
Thread - Black 8/0
Tail - Dark Brown Micro Fibbetts
Body - Natural CDC colour to match the hatch
Wing - CDC spun
Excellent fly that sits well in the water be it fast and broken or slow flats. This pattern works best when fish are on olives just match the colour and size to the natural. A fly that catches all season long.
BIG BROON
Hook - Captain Hamilton down eye dry size 12/14
Thread - Roman Moser olive Powersilk
Body - Oliver Edwards dubbing MC brown olive
Wing post - Coastal deer hair
Hackle - Cree cock spun both sides of post and clipped underneath
This pattern was devised with one thing in mind, catching River Tummel brown trout during March Brown hatches. It has been so successful I rarely fish anything else during these early season hatches.
BALLOON CADDIS
Hook - Captain Hamilton down eye dry size 12/14
Thread - Roman Moser olive Powersilk
Body - Hares ear with an optional rib of pearl Mylar (fine)
Wing - Coastal deer hair
Head - Yellow plastazote
Quite simply the best sedge pattern around. It accounts for large numbers of fish each summer. Can be fished singly or in a team of two. Once again have a few different sizes and colours to match the naturals.
PARA MIDGE
Hook - Captain Hamilton down eye dry size 18/20 (this one tyed on a 16 for photo)
Thread - Black spider web
Body - Black micro chenile tyed detached and singed at the end
Thorax - Mole dyed black
Wing post - White/grey plastazote
Hackle - Black cock
This pattern comes into its own whenever the fish switch onto small black smuts. Very effective on slow flat glides. Has performed really well on hard fished stretches of the River Clyde.
OLIVE KLINKHAMMER
Hook - Partridge 15bn Klink size 18
Thread - Yellow 6/0
Body - Yellow thread with fine gold wire rib
Wing post - Orvis para post - Dun
Hackle - Grizzle tied parachute
Thorax - Waspi superfine - Rusty brown
A general dry pattern for olives and the body can be tied in whatever shade is required. The hackle is tied up the post to allow the all the body to sink under the surface imitating the hatching insect.
Hugh is probably the best exponent in the club of fishing small stillwaters for rainbows with the bung or sight bob method. Here are a few of the patterns that have brought him success in recent seasons.
BLACK RABBIT
Hook - Kamasan B - 175 size 8
Thread - Orange 8/0
Back and tail - Black rabbit
Body - Black Fritz
Cheeks - Pearly Flashabou
Head - Gold bead
It may seem strange to hang a lure of this size almost static under a sight bob, it not only works but on some days fish will ignore smaller flies such as buzzers and only take the lure. Cast out and tweak it back very slowly. If you find what depth the fish are at sport will certainly follow.
YELLOW DANCER
Hook - Kamasan B - 175 size 8
Thread - Orange 8/0
Tail - White marabou
Body - Rainbow tinsel ribbed with gold wire
Body hackle - Yellow cock palmered
Head hackle - Yellow cock
Head - Gold bead
There are many versions of this fly and most are successful. This is the pattern that works for me and again it can be very effective as the point fly under a sighter. Fish in the same way as the Black Rabbit.
THE BLOB
Hook - Kamasan B - 175 size 8
Thread - Orange 8/0
Body - Vampire Plush Fritz Sunburst peach
This fly has taken the stillwater scene by storm and there is a few varients on the go. This is the basic tying. Once the Fritz is tied in unwind it before forming the body. This gives a nice compact body with all the fibres facing backwards. Very successful from static to stripped back as quickly as you can.
BIBIO STRAGGLEFRITZ
Hook - Kamasan B - 175 size 8
Thread - Black 8/0
Bodt - Black Stragglefritz with 3 turns of green in the middle
This can be fished on the dropper of a sighter team. Deadly for fresh stockies, again find the depth and takes should quickly follow.
DOUNRAY WORM
Hook - Kamasan B - 175 size 12
Thread - Orange 8/0
Legs - Three lengths of Flexifloss
Body - Rear half, red Fritz. Front half, Globrite floss no.5
This pattern looks like something from outer space but when the trout are on it, hang on, takes can be vicious. It can also be tied with dumbell eyes or a gold bead just in front of the Fritz if you need to get down quicker.
OKAY DOKAY
Hook - Kamasan B - 110 size 12
Body - White PTFE plumbers tape
Head - Orange Globrite floss
This fly is brilliantly simple and very affective. A few coats of varnish should protect it from sharp teeth. One of the patterns used by Bob Fitzpatrick, the angler who perfected fishing the bung as it came to be known.