Post by Mark Patenaude on Jan 26, 2006 12:24:28 GMT -5
I have dubbed that pattern a "Pass Lake" (no wet or dry designation, just a Pass Lake). I am sure that many of you have pattern books that have this pattern listed, but the fly recipe varys greatly depending on the region of the country. You will see flies very similar to this one, but I have not seen one that incoporate the red crystal flash, which I think is the key to this fly.
There is also an excellent Pass Lake Wet pattern that is very productive here in the Midwest and when I have the time I will post that one as well.
This pattern was developed by my friend and I for fishing in the Driftless Area of Wisconsin. It can be stripped like a streamer or dead drifted like a nymph, depending on the size you are using. I have used this pattern during extremely low water conditions on the Hoosic along Rt. 8 in Adams and couple of years back and after everything else failed, I couldn't keep the fish off this fly. At one point I had it tangling in the water at my feet in about a foot of water and had a Brookie take it from out of nowhere.
The only thing that I ask in exchange for this recipe is that if you decide to tie some up and fish them, give me some feedback on how you did.
* * * * * * *
Pass Lake:
Hook: TMC 5262, sz. 6-10 (yes 10) (or equivalent). If you are fishing really fast (so they can get a good look at it) or stained water, you can tie these in size 4 as well.
Weight: 1-15 wraps of .015 non-lead weight centered
on the hook shank. You don't want it too heavy. Almost a semi-neutral bouyancy.
Tail: 5-6 sprigs of red crystal flash. Cut these off straight to form a small stub about 1/4" long for all sizes.
Body: Peacock Herl. I put gold wire on at the back of the hook and spin 2-3 lengths of herl around the wire and then wrap forward. By using the wire, it strengthens the herl against cutting by the trout's teeth.
Wind this forward to measurement of 2-3 hook eye gaps, behind the hook eye.
Wing: White calf or kip tail. Tie this somewhat sparse because if it is tied too thick it will cause the fly to tip rather than run upright when stripping. When tying in the wing, crank hard on the thread as calf/kip tail will slip and finishing tying it in with a couple of softer wraps toward the rear so the wing lays down a bit. The tips of the hair should end at the start of the hook bend. You don't want any possibility of masking the crystal flash.
Collar: Here is the interesting part. Use natural brown saddle hackle with very little web but that is not too stiff. you want the hackle to lay back abit when stripping but stiff enough to move more water than a soft hackle feather would. The length of the hackle barbs should be equal to that of the hook gap. The will not look in proper proportion but don't worry about it. Tie in the collar so when finished you will have approximately 1/4 of the hook shank behind the eye fully hackled. I like to tie in the hackle at the rear most point, wind the hackle and then wind my thread through the hackle. This strengthens the tie in and allows for a small head, when finished.
Whip finish or half hitch and you are done.
Brookies love a little bit of the color red in flies and the peacock herl color comes alive in the water.
My friend and I have C & R'd browns up to 20" and I have landed by largest Brookie to date (15") on this fly.
Good luck!
Mark
There is also an excellent Pass Lake Wet pattern that is very productive here in the Midwest and when I have the time I will post that one as well.
This pattern was developed by my friend and I for fishing in the Driftless Area of Wisconsin. It can be stripped like a streamer or dead drifted like a nymph, depending on the size you are using. I have used this pattern during extremely low water conditions on the Hoosic along Rt. 8 in Adams and couple of years back and after everything else failed, I couldn't keep the fish off this fly. At one point I had it tangling in the water at my feet in about a foot of water and had a Brookie take it from out of nowhere.
The only thing that I ask in exchange for this recipe is that if you decide to tie some up and fish them, give me some feedback on how you did.
* * * * * * *
Pass Lake:
Hook: TMC 5262, sz. 6-10 (yes 10) (or equivalent). If you are fishing really fast (so they can get a good look at it) or stained water, you can tie these in size 4 as well.
Weight: 1-15 wraps of .015 non-lead weight centered
on the hook shank. You don't want it too heavy. Almost a semi-neutral bouyancy.
Tail: 5-6 sprigs of red crystal flash. Cut these off straight to form a small stub about 1/4" long for all sizes.
Body: Peacock Herl. I put gold wire on at the back of the hook and spin 2-3 lengths of herl around the wire and then wrap forward. By using the wire, it strengthens the herl against cutting by the trout's teeth.
Wind this forward to measurement of 2-3 hook eye gaps, behind the hook eye.
Wing: White calf or kip tail. Tie this somewhat sparse because if it is tied too thick it will cause the fly to tip rather than run upright when stripping. When tying in the wing, crank hard on the thread as calf/kip tail will slip and finishing tying it in with a couple of softer wraps toward the rear so the wing lays down a bit. The tips of the hair should end at the start of the hook bend. You don't want any possibility of masking the crystal flash.
Collar: Here is the interesting part. Use natural brown saddle hackle with very little web but that is not too stiff. you want the hackle to lay back abit when stripping but stiff enough to move more water than a soft hackle feather would. The length of the hackle barbs should be equal to that of the hook gap. The will not look in proper proportion but don't worry about it. Tie in the collar so when finished you will have approximately 1/4 of the hook shank behind the eye fully hackled. I like to tie in the hackle at the rear most point, wind the hackle and then wind my thread through the hackle. This strengthens the tie in and allows for a small head, when finished.
Whip finish or half hitch and you are done.
Brookies love a little bit of the color red in flies and the peacock herl color comes alive in the water.
My friend and I have C & R'd browns up to 20" and I have landed by largest Brookie to date (15") on this fly.
Good luck!
Mark