The Cat’s Whisker is one of the best, if not the best, when it comes to stillwater trout fishing. There are many variations but the original remains as effective today as it was decades ago when Bob Church popularised the pattern after being given a handful to try by its inventor David Train.
This is the classic all-purpose nymph, effective for many game-fish species in all water types. The key to its success is the mottled brown hues of the hare’s fur that can suggest all manner of small aquatic insect larvae or crustaceans.
With the basic profile of a caseless caddis larva, the Czech Nymph is extremely effective when trout and greyling are feeding hard on the riverbed.
Developed by Czech anglers, the combination of heavy hook and lead underbelly ensures that the pattern sinks extremely quickly, making it ideal for fishing in deep or fast-moving water.
The Shuttlecock buzzer is a great emerger pattern for fishing on the top to rising fish.
Created by Sid Knight, it was designed for use in dams, reservoirs and stillwater fishing. Cast this fly to feed channels and drift on still waters.
Since the introduction of foam into fly tying, many tiers have been quick to take advantage of this material case in point, the Suspender Buzzer.
The Suspender Buzzer imitates a small, hatching midge and sits with only its thorax floating in the surface film.
See also: Fly Fishers' Republic - Booby
Instructions can be found on
pages 203- 204 of The Fly Tying Bible.
Materials
- Size 6-8 hook
- Marabou feathers for tail – colour of your choice, white, black, olive, etc.
- Estas Chenille – pink, green, red.
The Pheasant Tail Nymph is a fly that no trout fly fisher should be without. It can be tied with or without a bead head, with or without a flashback wingcase and with or without legs. The thorax can be peacock herl or any type of dubbing.