Dry flies and emergers
Hook: Partridge of Redditch Ideal Standard Dry SUD2 #12.
Thread: Semperfli Nano Silk 12/0 Brown.
Wing: Natural CDC.
Body: Orange/Amber mixed dubbing.
Thorax/Legs: Caribou.
What I’m aiming for here is a good footprint on the water and a fly thats hard to sink. CDC tied in like a Sedgehog keeps the profile narrow and the scrunched up Caribou holds its shape well and looks quite “leggy”.
Been working well so far.
Hook: Partridge Grub/Shrimp Straighter Eye K4A/S #12
Thread: Semperfli Nano Silk 12/0 Brown
Abdomen: Orange/Amber mixed Dubbing Shuck
Loop: Sparkle Emerger Yarn Amber
Wing: Snowshoe Rabbit Foot Tan
Thorax: Pine Squirrel
I often fish this pattern late in the evening and on into near darkness, to help see the fly I often use it tied with a black wing which shows up really well against silvery water. The tan and black winged versions have been enough for me so far but in the future I’ll probably get round to trying out a flouro pink or green winged version though Snowshoe dyed in those colours won’t be easy to find.
To read a little more on the thought behind this flies design more information can be found on the Partridge blog
Hook: Partridge Ideal Standard Dry SUD2 #18
Thread: Semperfli Nano Silk 30D Yellow
Tails: Lt Dun Hackle barbs
Abdomen: Hends Body Quills Olive BQ-34 (varnished)
Wing: Natural CDC
Thorax: Common Shrew from Cookshill Fly-tying Materials
A great bonus of being part of the Partridge of Redditch Pro-Team is from time to time you get to play with samples of new hook models, this time it’s the new Partridge of Redditch SUD2 hooks I get to try out. Great looking strong hook, quite short in the shank in comparison to other models meaning the #18 measures out closer in shank length to many #20 hooks, but well made with sharp point. I’m looking forward to trying them out on the river.
The Fox ‘n’ a Box has been tied more for a private joke than to fish with but I have fished with one similar, but made entirely with Fox, which was a fly a friend of mine picked up from Branco Gasparin when on holiday in Slovenia. That fly worked very well as I remember and floated like a cork, I should really tie more.
This fly should be fished dry as an emerger or egg laying Caddis and the fox fur used for the wing will float well for a while even without adding floatant, but as it eventually becomes waterlogged it actually works equally well as a drowned or post ovi-positing adult.
Recipe
Hook: Partridge of Redditch K4AY #12.
Thread: Semperfli Nano Silk 12/0 Brown.
Abdomen: Underfur from a Boxer Dog named Milla.
Wing, Head & Antennae: Slovenian Fox.
One for the summer fishing.
Hook: Partridge of Redditch Spider L3A/S #16
Thread: Semperfli Nano Silk 30D Brown
Abdomen: Semperfli 400D Floss and Red UTC 70D thread coated with Clear Cure Goo Hydro
Wing: Tiemco Aero Dry Wing Fine White
Thorax: Abdomen Floss
Hackle: Barred Ginger Paraloop wound around Body floss
The short shank and wider gape of the Spider hook I think is ideal for this fly and the oversize paraloop hackle should keep the chunky body in the film.
Hook: Partridge Dry Fly Supreme L5A #12
Thread: Semperfli Nano Silk 12/0 (50D) Brown
Body: Brown/Olive CDC
Wing: Two Coq De Leon Saddle feathers
Hackles: CDC fibres in a split thread followed by a hen Coq De Leon Hackle trimmed to a V underneath.
Heavily based on a fly I saw tied at the Dutch Fly Fair a few years ago, my sincere apologies to the originator but for the life of me I can’t remember who tied it to credit him properly.
Hook: Partridge Dry Fly Supreme L5A #14
Thread: Semperfli Nanosilk 12/0 White
Tails: Lt Dun Microfibbets
Abdomen: Hends Body Quills BQ-06 Yellow
Body Coating: Clear Cure Goo Hydro
Thorax: Mix Amber/Yellow Beaver Dubbing
Hackle: Semperfli Picric Dyed Cock
Hook: Partridge Dry Fly Supreme L5A #10
Thread: Semperfli Nanosilk 12/0 Olive
Body Hackle: Lt Dun trimmed top & bottom
Abdomen: Olive Camel Dubbing
Thorax: Dk Brown Camel Dubbing
Tied to be as visible as possible and to float in the roughest water to work well as an indicator trailing one or two nymphs while still offering a good silhouette that can be a decent representation of Sedges and Stoneflies. Late into the evenings I use it with Fluoro green sighter wings to let me see the fly in near dark conditions and add a half hour or so onto my fishing where the fly is still visible. Even after dark or at a longer distance the high floating properties of the fly mean it is an effective pattern to use twitched or skated on the surface where you can feel the takes rather than see them.
I like to carry different versions of the fly with Fluoro Pink, Fluoro Green and Black sighter wings as this gives me the highest visibility in all types of water however some people see colours in different ways so it’s worth experimenting with Yellow and Orange as options.
Hook: Partridge Dry Fly Supreme L5A #10
Thread: Semperfli Nanosilk 12/0 Olive
Body Hackle: Cree saddle trimmed short
Overbody: Olive Razor Foam
Underbody: Olive Kapok dubbing
Wing: Yearling Elk
Sighter Wings: Aero Dry Wing, Fluoro Pink, Green or Black. Two sections tied in as a wide V.
Hook: Partridge Patriot Grub & Buzzer K4AY #12
Thread: Semperfli Nanosilk 50D Black
Tail: 2-3 strands of Pearl Mylar cut short
Rib: Small Pearl Mylar
Abdomen: Peacock herl single layer
Thorax: Peacock herl double layer
Hackle: Ginger Cock
