Invicta variants

Possibly one of the most effective all-round wet flies every concocted, the Invicta will catch trout from the first day of the season to the last. Invented in the mid nineteenth century by a chap called Ogden, it has spawned a wide range of variations and I want to share a couple of those withContinueContinue reading “Invicta variants”

A typical spring day on the river

16th of March. A Monday, blessed with an overcast sky and light winds from the North East. By 11.30am I have cleared the desk and can hit the river for a few hours. A west wind would be better but beggars can’t be choosers at this time of the year so any day that isContinueContinue reading “A typical spring day on the river”

The Red Invicta

I was tying some lough flies yesterday evening and made up a few Red Invicta Bumbles. This fly is a hybrid of other patterns but the end result is a nice approximation of a hatching red midge. Fished on the top or middle dropper positions of a cast it can pull trout like magic onContinueContinue reading “The Red Invicta”

Killdevil Spider (great name for a fly)

What a name! ‘The Killdevil Spider’. It’s like something out of a 1950’s ‘B’movie. In practice it is a confusing little pattern which some anglers swear by and other rate as highly as Jeremy Clarkson’s diplomacy skills. Personally I think this is one which is misunderstood (the fly, not Clarkson) and you should make aContinueContinue reading “Killdevil Spider (great name for a fly)”