The Stickfly
This fly has been popular with reservoir and stillwater trout fisherman since the seventies. It is an imitation of the caddis grub in its shell. The caddis grub eventually matures to be a sedge which is also popular with the trout. This fly can be tied on all sizes down from long shank 10s. Smaller sizes can be good on rivers.
Back in the mists of time when I was a young lad we used to turn over the bigger stones on the local stream and collect the caddis grubs in their shells and use them for bait, but that is another story.
This is a relatively easy fly to tie. You will have used all the steps at some time on the previous lessons. The peacock herl is fragile and does need the ribbing. You can give the body 2 coats of varnish and it will make it more durable. The hackle can be any shade of brown or orange. I have used brown partridge hackle to good effect, particularly on the rivers.
Materials
-
Hook - Long shank 10/12/14.
-
Thread - Black or Brown. If you tie some flies unweighted use a different colour thread to the weighted.
-
Rib - Wire copper,red.green or black.
-
Tag - Fluorescent antron or wool. yellow, green / lime.
-
Body - 3-5 strands of peacock herl depending on the size of hook.
-
Hackle - Henny cock. brown, ginger, orange or brown partridge.
- Underbody fine lead wire. If not available copper wire.
Regards Dave C and The Team
February 10, 2008 at 6:42 pm
Hi Dave,
Tied the fly this afternoon, very easy to tie due to the great instructions.
Thanks very much, John Boon
P.S Cant wait until the next one.
February 10, 2008 at 8:08 pm
Hi John
We do try to keep it simple…too much ‘magic’ associated with fly tying and experts re-inventing ‘new’ patterns. The basic patterns will always take fish I catch more on skinny black buzzers. flexi bloodworm and g/h hares ear than anything else and they are all easy ties.
Happy Fishing
DaveC. and the Team
February 14, 2008 at 3:31 pm
Nice fly ! I’ll do it in a small size and go to the mountains here in Santiago de Chile this week-end (feb 16th, 2008).
Thanks a lot. I had this pattern (fish loved it) but lost it in the last trip. Now I know how to tie it again.
Thanks again and keep going !!!!
Roberto
February 16, 2008 at 8:42 pm
Hi Roberto
Good luck on your trip to the mountains.Hope the fly does the job.
There will be more patterns to follow.
Happy Fishing
Dave C. and the Team
February 16, 2008 at 9:03 pm
Dear David
Can you please advise, when tying in hackles some advocate the tying thread being on the “barb” side of the hackle. You would then work the thread through the hackle to give extra strength to that finished hackle. Others simply wind the hackle and tie off on the “eye” side. Do you find any merit in either method?
many thanks
February 17, 2008 at 11:52 am
Hi John
When tying dries I usually wind the thread thro the hackles, this is easier because you should be winding the hackle forward in touching turns. The hackles on wets and spiders are usually more sparse, usually two turns, and I always tie off at the eye side.
Hope this helps.
Happy Fishing
Dave C, and the Team
February 20, 2008 at 1:10 am
Thanks for advancing fly tying. I live on the Rogue River in Southern Oregon, and I also tie flies, and I always learn something by watching someone tie. Some of your flies are those “weird english ones” and other’s will actually work. (This was a joke).
You have an odd whip finish, different than I have ever seen.
David
February 20, 2008 at 10:59 am
Hi David
Nice to get your comments. We try to do a cross section of patterns and the list is endless. I think our flies are quaint rather than weird. I am not yet sure that the trout in their various countries are aware of their cousins abroad. Roll on the day when the experts realise that there could be universal patterns. The fish would just have to learn to accept them. I am off to New Zealand next week to have a go at their brownies.
I have faith and confidence in the 75% of traditional patterns I use here in the UK.
Happy Fishing
Dave C. and the Team