THE FLOATING FRY

This is a classic fly to fish during the Autumn months when Trout are fattening themselves up for winter and a much reduced food supply.

The fly works very well on all still waters and it does not matter whether or not there are actual fry in the water as the fish will still take it with gusto.

Try casting it out on a longish leader (at least 6lb b/s, as the takes can be savage) and then just leave the fly alone. The floating fry works very well when there is a breeze. In these conditions let the fly drift and just keep in touch with the fly line.

Takes vary from:

1. Savage - the fly just vanishes in a huge swirl and the fish is usually hooked.

2. The Trout launches itself onto the fly from deep and completely misses. Heart stopping and frustrating.

3. Fish gently sucking the fly in. This happens so gently that you often miss the take. These takes often result in a very firm hook up.

4. Fish stunning the fry - it often gets knocked along the surface. Once you recognise this type of take and can resist striking initially the fish generally returns and takes the fish confidently.

Reading the way the fish are taking the floating fry is very important as many takes can be missed or you can end up striking at the wrong moment.

If fry are in the water it is deadly fished in the margins around dying weed beds and structures such as jetties. In fact anywhere where fry find shelter are good places to use the Floating Fry. Fished at dawn some huge rainbows and browns can be taken from the margins. Again it is an excellent fly at dusk. This is a MUST HAVE fly for the next 3 months if you want to take advantage of fry feeders.

The Floating Fry is very easy to tie.

Materials required:

Long Shank wide gape hook sizes 10 - 4, black 6/0 tying thread, medium silver or pearly mylar piping, bright red cock hackles, high density white foam.

Tying:

1. Tie in thread from eye in touching turns to about opposite the barb and tie off. This forms a base for the materials.

2. Take about 1" of silver mylar piping, remove the core and insert onto hook shank flaring out the piping near the hook bend. Secure at butt and tie off. Repeat at the head.

3. Take a pinch of bright red cock hackle fibres and tie in a throat hackle. Tie off.

4. Take a piece of buoyant close cell foam that is just longer than the hook. Cut a "V" slice in one end (see picture). Place the foam on top of the shank with the "V" about overlapping the hook bend or just beyond. Tie in at the butt and tie off. Then take the foam to just behind the eye and tie in. Next, form a neat head which you varnish.

5. Option eyes can then be painted or stuck on at this stage.