The Cormorant
This fly has its origins in fly fishing competitions. It is neither a nymph nor a lure but can be fished as either. Primarily a still water fly it can also be used on rivers and tied with a silver or holographic body. It bears more than a passing resemblance to a butcher , only with more mobility.
The early patterns were tied with a body of peacock herl with a wire rib. More recently you will see them tied with fine fritz or metallic bodies, usually silver. This is because of the fragility of peacock herl.
The materials are very basic
- Hook - Heavy weight wet fly size 10 / 8
- Tying thread - Black
- Tail - Tag of Flour. Red wool / Floss
- Body - Silver / Red wire
- Wing - Black marabou
- Wing flash ( optional ) - Red lurex
A good fly to have in your box, particularly if you do boat fishing. Regards Dave Cammiss and the Team.
July 3, 2008 at 10:09 pm
Hi again Dave,
I am really enjoying your site and it is extremely relaxing too.
Great productions from you and the team and love the guitar music too.
I wish you were doing guitar videos as well
Best web site I have found in a long time.
Cheers !
Mike
July 4, 2008 at 3:10 pm
Hi Mike
Thanks for your comments. We get a lot of fun doing them. My elder son Andy does the guitar backing. He will have a big smile when I show him your comment……..He is a drummer and does teach drumming. Jon does the photography and I have the easy bit tying the flies.
Happy fishing
DaveC.and the Team
July 5, 2008 at 1:21 am
Hi again Dave,
Having been inspired…. ( Thanks ) I have been tying a few variants with Mink strip and already geting great results. A brilliant material, all be it, rather expensive. I have managed to tempt fish to take, when they would normally not stir, so well worth the effort.
Don’t know about your part of the world, but over Cheshire way, in the last few years we have noticed a decline in the great summer evening fish rises that used to prevail. As yet, no explanation has come to light.
All the best…
Mike
July 5, 2008 at 8:25 pm
Hi Mike
Glad to hear you are having success with the minkies. I rarely fish lures but my colleague just loves minkies, his other standbye is the woolloey bugger. When all else fail on goes the woolley bugger.
We too have had a noticeable decline on evening rise last 2-3 yrs. I have been told they have been catching on sedges just as it gets dark. I dont bother because the prospect of landing a big rainbow in the dark with a load of weed has no appeal. (The first sign of getting old)
Happy Fishing
DaveC and the Team
July 20, 2008 at 7:18 am
Have found your videos interesting and restful to watch but stimulating so much so that I have started trying myself.
Have you got any more planned?
However I am concerned that I have purchased a veniards fly tying kit and on three occasions have unviced a tied fly to find that the hook point is broken. Bad enough to have wasted the tying - I need the practice - but I am now worried about what is going to happen when I fish! Is there a duff batch of hooks or do you think I am doing something wrong
regards
steve stern
July 20, 2008 at 3:11 pm
Hi Steve
Thanks for your comments. There will be more vids on the way. We will be doing a DVD later in the year.
I dont know which vice that Veniards put in their kit, but it should be adjustable for the tension on the chuck holding the hook. Do not put any more tension on the chuck than is necessary to hold the hook securely. Try to keep the point of the hook in the jaws to avoid catching your thread. Before tying the fly give the hook a little ‘ping’ it should give a clear ring. Hooks these days are generally of a reasonable standard and tend to bend rather than break. It may pay to pay more for hooks. I would recommend Kamasan but have been happy with Royd hooks . See useful sites list.
Hope this helps
Happy Fishing
DaveC. and theTeam
July 24, 2008 at 6:26 pm
Thanks Dave. Veniards have been very helpful but cant explain it - have had the hook s back, but cn’t reproduce the problem. Will bear in mind your suggestions
steve stern
August 3, 2008 at 8:18 am
Dear Dave
can you ask the backroom boys if they can rename the lessons from 1,2 3 with the names of the fly in them? Have wanted to look back and have to google to save time going through them all.
Have looked at lots of sites now and the simplicty and clarity of your tying leaves the others behind. its interesting what a difference the guitar makes. Think its because I so often when working alone have music in the background
steve stern