NYMPHS & WETS

BAG FLY

These Bag Flies are based on the Tom Jones flies and are suggestive of a number of items that find themselves on the trout's menu from time to time. They vary from the original Tom Jones flies in the materials used and the inclusion of an under-tail and beard. They are a good buggy looking fly. In locations where there are populations of red fin, creatian carp or smelt they work well when stripped fast and are probably mistaken for fry. When fished static or on the lift they are probably taken as nymphs, scud or stick caddis. In any case they are a very useful fly to have in your fly box. The lightly weighted versions are good flies to cover fish with because they land softly and as they sink or slosh round in any wave action the fur "wings" moves freely often triggering the desired reaction. Alternatively they work well retrieved at a range of speeds either alone or in a team of flies. I tie it in four versions. The first is as set out in the recipe below. The second was specifically designed for for red fin feeders but has become my favourite wet fly overall. It varies only because of a the addition of a few red hackle fibers tied under the tail and replacement of the olive hackle fibre beard with red hackle fibre beard. The third version is all brown except for the red beard and is a great alternative to a Diawl Back. Finally I tie a beadhead version for when I want to fish a little deeper.

MATERIALS:
Hook - Size 10-14 (Tiemco 3769 SPL)
Thread - Olive or black

Under tail (optional) - Red hackle
Tail - Black Possum Fur
Weight (optional) - 5 wraps of .010 lead wire
Body - Peacock herl
Wing - Olive rabbit fur, kangaroo fur or marabou
Bib - Pheasant tail hackles or red hackle fibers

A) Wind the thread in touching turns from the 95% position to the bend of the hook. If you want to add weight just 5 turns of .015mm lead toward the eye of the hook is sufficient. Tie in a substantial tail of possum fur and bind the butt ends along the top of the hook shank to form an underbody. Trim the possum fur butt ends off horizontally at about the 90% position. Select two peacock herl and tie them in at the front of the underbody. If you hold the herl above the hook as you wind back to the bend of the hook the tied in hell will be neatly positioned on top of the shank of the hook.
B) Form the herl and the thread into a herl rope.
C) Wind the herl rope 1/3 of the way up the hook shank. Unwind the herl rope on tie the herl off but do not trim the excess herl.
D) Tie in a back fin of marabou, rabbit or kangaroo fur. Re-form the herl rope.
E) Wind the herl rope forward 2/3 of the way up the hook shank. Tie in a second fin the same as the first. Tie in a beard of just a few hackle fibers. Build up a neat head and whip finish. Trim the thread and varnish the head.

Last modified:25-Sep-2009.