I became convinced about this pattern during three days fishing last week on stillwaters in the Eastern Cape Highlands. It appeared magical and easily out-fished a host of high pedigree competitors, including the Red-eyed Damsel, a range of Woolly Worms and the Papa Roach.

(Click in images to enlarge them)

Billy de Jong showed me the pattern but was uncertain where the fly originated. He thought it had likely come from Mark Krige’s stable of excellent patterns. I have described it to Mark, but he has no knowledge of it. So, for the moment at least, I will ascribe it to Billy until the rightful developer comes along to claim it.

MATERIALS

Thread: 6/0 black or dark olive Danville.

Hook:  #10 Grip 13021.

Bead: Brass 3 – 3.5 mm.

Weight: Fine to medium lead wire.

Tail: Olive green marabou.

Body: Natural un-dyed hare’s ear dubbing with or without Antron.

Front collar: Long fibres from a hare’s mask.

Hot spot: Sybai Fine Diamond Hot Orange dubbing or equivalent. Even bright orange Poly Yarn works well.

Flash: Pearl Krystal Flash or equivalent.

TYING STEPS

1. Add a bead to the hook and dress the shank with thread.  Moisten a small bunch of marabou and tie it in at the bend so it’s a little longer than the hook shank. Tie in two strands of Krystal Flash either side of the marabou and move to the thorax to add 10 wraps of lead wire.

2. Cover a little less than a third of the body ahead of the tail with the bright orange dubbing.

3. Cover the remainder of the body with wraps of hare’s ear dubbing.

4. Form a small dubbing loop behind the bead and cut out a sparse bunch of fur with long guard hairs from a hare’s mask. Arrange these in the dubbing loop so that they protrude well.  A dubbing twister tool is a great help. Spin the twister trapping the hair and then wrap two or three turns behind the bead before tying off.