The Booby
The Booby is a relatively recent addition to the flyfishers arsenal. The original patterns were tied using polystyrene balls tied together in the mesh from ladies tights and tied in at the eye of the hook. The way they wobbled about was how the fly acquired its name. Their other main disadvantage was that if you applied varnish to the head and some got on the polystyrene it was only a question of time before either one or both ‘deflated’.
The fly had proved so successful on the stillwaters, particularly for rainbows, that some enterprising angler came up with booby tube which could be supplied in various lengths and was not damaged by varnish.
That is the material we have used on the demo.
The variations on colour of head, chenille, cactus chenille or the marabou tail is limited only by the imagination of the tyer. Green and white and orange and white are favourites.
The ‘fly’ is usually fished with a sinking line. Once the line has settled on the lake bed the booby will be floating above it at the height of the leader. You can be lazy and sit there and wait for a rainbow to cruise by and take the fly, or you can retrieve your line in long pulls, allowing time between for the fly to lift back up to its original height. As you pull the line the booby is drawn to the lake bed.
In recent years the competition fishers use boobies to fish the ‘washing line’ method. Usually, I believe, with an intermediate line. The booby is fished on the point and 2 droppers with nymphs or buzzers on the cast. This method is used to explore different depths where the fish are feeding.
I do not believe our American friends have discovered this ‘fly’ yet despite their Dolly Parton probably being responsible for its name.
If you like sitting on the bank and taking it easy this fly might be worth a try. It has accounted for some big fish.
Materials
- Hook long shank 10 / 8
- Body orange chenille fritz
- Tail orange marabou
- Head plastazote tube orange or white
- Tying silk orange
- Tail flash optional
Please note color variations are optional ( white /green - black / green )
Regards
Dave Cammiss and The Team
November 20, 2007 at 8:13 pm
Outstanding… Thanks once again for this great quality video.
You certainly make it look easy which is very encouraging for someone like me with two left thumbs
November 22, 2007 at 1:30 am
Hello Sir, my name is Ben. I live in Candler, NC USA. Getting started tying flies. I have only been able to begin buying equipment but came across your teachings on YouTube. I enjoy your personality and appreciate your techniques and methods. In my collecting tools that I haven’t been able to use yet I have dug through my wife’s medicine cabinet and found a suitable hat pin I believe you would be pleased with. Just wanted to send you a note to thank you for sharing with everyone your talents. With my next dollars saved up and can buy hair and fur, I plan on sitting with you and tying my first fly on new equipment. Thanks again. If you put out more lessons than what I see would you please bring it to my attention by dropping me a note? Be blessed. Happy fishing. Ben
November 22, 2007 at 10:15 am
Hi Ben
Thank you for your comments…..very kind.
There are more lessons on the way. Keep watching.
Regards
Dave C. and Team
November 23, 2007 at 2:23 am
Hi Dave,
I have been fly fishing now for several years, but only recently been brave enough to start tying flies. I have tied a couple in the past, and they are terrible! With the encouragement of your videos, the perfect speed of the tying, and ease of which you make it seem, I have been able to mimic several of your flies, and have already caught fish on them! Thank you so much for sharing your talents with the world. It is much appreciated.
Ryan
Rhode Island, USA
November 23, 2007 at 10:16 am
Hi Ryan
The first step into tying your own flies is always the hardest.Glad that we were able to ease the pain. Keep watching , there is more to come.
Happy Fishing
Dave C. and Team
November 27, 2007 at 2:04 am
Dave,
I have just recently found your site, and I just love it! A few years ago, I took lessons in fly tying, and have never considered any of my flies “fishable.” Now, thanks to you, I have found a renewed interest in tying flies, and they are much more pleasing to my eye, and hopefully so to the trout!!!
Thank you for all the effort you and your team have put in to making fly tying much more approachable to the average person.
Ray
By the way, do you have any intention of showing us some more of the North Country flies? I love those, as I loved your video on the Partridge and Orange, and Greenwell’s Glory, those are fantastic!
December 13, 2007 at 8:04 pm
hi there, rabby here great videos when and what fly will be posted next
cherrs rab
December 14, 2007 at 3:10 pm
Hi Rab
my son does the editting. There are 2 more in the can but I cannot remember what they are. He will put one on line when he can get some time, but it is coming up to xmas and he is very busy at work.
regards
DaveC and Team
December 28, 2007 at 5:44 pm
looking forward to the next lesson, any idea when david !
thanks john
December 29, 2007 at 10:16 am
Hi John
Jon will try to get the next one edited in the next few days. He has had a busy
Christmas.
Happy New Year
Dave C. and the Team
January 11, 2008 at 11:09 am
Dave,
many thanks for a very informative set of demo’s, particularly the half hitches which I have just mastered. I can now do away with the whip finishing tool for most of my fly tying (phoo). As a fishery bailiff I am regularly asked to help with a variety of problems regarding flies/fly tying. In future I will not hesitate in recommending your web site and demo’s.
Thanks agin
Ted.