Saturday, March 11, 2017

Moby Dick...the Classic

"Moby Dick" the Herman Melville classic that was required reading by my generation...there I go aging myself. But i was one of those non-conforming students who thought the movie was much more enjoyable. It was released around 1956 and starred Gregory Peck. It was a great movie and probably can be seen on Turner Classic Movies.

This is the other "Moby Dick"..the fly. It was created by Dave Goulet of Massachusetts and former owner of the Classic and Custom fly shop in New Hartford CT. The fly was originally intended to be a streamer, but I have seen it fished as a dry, and a wet fly. Ken Elmer a guide in MA. ties and fishes it has a wet fly, with considerable success. I favor it tied as a small streamer pretty much as the original. This fly is deadly and is the one fly to fish on CT's Salmon River where for some reason the trout just attack it.


Here's the recipe for this "not to often mentioned killer fly"

Hook, Mustad 38941 #10...Tail, golden pheasant tippets...Body, peacock herl...Hackle, brown...Wing, mallard flank.


The frittata....an Italian egg cake. That's what my old boss and mentor called it back when I first enjoyed it in 1968. Simple and filling, it's basically eggs and anything else you have.

This one has mushrooms, onions, spinach and grated Romano cheese.







31 comments:

  1. Excellent streamer, MD's - tied some of these a few years ago..... may have to dig them out... Oh and love cast iron cooking too.

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    1. Doug Korn, Fly Tyer
      Thanks
      Doug it's a good pattern but somehow it gets lost in the box.
      Cast iron cooking is awesome.

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  2. Hi alan, Peacock herl, in my view, is a trout magnet. Tie up a peacock herl body and combine it with anything, at all, that looks good to you and I guarantee it will catch trout. MD may fish for a hellgramite. who knows?

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    1. John Dornik
      Thanks
      John your spot on about peacock. Even a small amount, say a wind or two for a thorax will do the trick.
      Hellgramite is a good choice.

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  3. Oh my goodness! I don't know which I like better. I think the frittata. I make something similar with Kosher salami and green pepper.

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    1. Howard Levett
      Thanks
      Howard as far as eating I'll also choose the fritatta, the fish may not agree.
      Salami and pepper is good.

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  4. That's a fantastically practical looking fly. I imagine it could be used as a streamer as you said, or even as a dry.

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    1. ben
      Thanks
      Ben I have always fished it as a streamer, but float it and maybe it's a large stonefly.

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  5. Thanks for another good pattern to try, I really like that and think it may work well on brown trout stream. Love the looks of that pie to! Mike.

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    1. mike rogers
      Thanks
      Mike it works well on browns, and smallies too.

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  6. That Italian egg pie looks so good. That is right up my alley. The Moby Dick fly looks like a real fish catcher. To me it reminds me of a caddis, but could certainly imitate a lot more than that. That is what makes for a great fly.

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    1. Parachute Adams
      Thanks
      Sam with that nor'easter headed our way we'll have time to eat, and tie a few Moby Dick flies.
      A duplicate of nothing but a representative of many.

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  7. Thanks for sharing another pattern from the history of fly tying in your area. Have not seen this one before. However, I can see where it would be deadly. Peacock body, Wooly Worm Hackle, Mallard flank for wing, Golden Pheasant tippet for tail. What is not to like in that combination.........

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    1. Mel Fly-Tyin Times
      Thanks
      Mel it's fun pulling one out of the closet and talking about it...the Stayner Ducktail for instance. Locally tied files for a region that seem to work everywhere.

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  8. I like that fly very much Alan. Subtle, fish-catching materials that should imitate a wide range of trout snacks. I only stopped in Dave Goulet's shop on Rt. 44 once. Actually, it was two times, but on the same day. When I walked in the 2nd time, he seemed genuinely disappointed to see me, and I can't really blame him :) I've heard that he also invented a very effective fly called The Dirt Diver, but I can't find any info on that pattern. Do you happen to know anything about that fly?

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    Replies
    1. Chuck Coronato
      Thanks
      Chuck, that's funny, but I'm sure he felt differently. I always got good advice from him on any fly tying issue I had, as well as a few bits of info on the Farmington River. I have a book Forgotten Flies and I could find no mention of The Dirt Diver. I have another book with some other odd patterns and I'll check that. Perhaps a reader here can help?

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    2. Alan, thank you for checking on the Dirt Diver pattern. The advice that Dave Goulet gave me regarding the Farmington was spot on, and the reason that I came back on the same day. I was disappointed to see that his shop was closed when I made my next trip to the area.

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    3. Chuck I checked another book but could find nothing on the Dirt Diver. Maybe someone could helps us?

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  9. Looks like another great pattern to try, thanks for sharing. I've been tying more and more with peacock and it seems to be successful. The pie looks amazing, now I need to get some breakfast. Enjoy your Sunday.

    Chris - MaineFly207

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    1. Anonymous
      Thanks
      Chris, I can say with certainty that this fly works very well in Maine, Rangeley especially.
      Sunday will be enjoyable thank you, it's Tuesday I'm concerned about.

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  10. WOW.....Have not seen that pattern in a long time. I agree, it is a heckuva a pattern. Never fished it small, but have fished it tied on a low-water salmon hook for Northwest Steelies and Sea-run Cutts many moons ago. Has me wanting to tie some up. Maybe even a few Cow Dung's as well? Thanks Alan!

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    1. Ralph Long
      Thanks
      Ralph the fly has some history in the PNW...good to hear. The Cow Dung, a classic, nice to see it still being tied and fished.

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  11. Just watched a movie called "In the heart of the sea" with Chris Hemsworth. It's another take on Moby Dick. Worth watching.

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    1. Mark Kautz
      Thanks
      Mark was it a rental, or on TV?

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    2. Oh, that frittata looks WONDERFUL!! You're killin' me! Nice tie on that fly too. =) I will give it a whirl...

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    3. The River Damsel
      Thanks
      Emily you would love the fritatta, and the fly would do well to feed those big western trout.

      Delete
  12. "Call me Ishmael!" If I was a trout I probably couldn't resist having a swipe at that "Moby Dick". Delicious looking frittata. My son makes mean one. It usually has potatoes, purple carrots, bacon, tomatoes and shallots. He even made a "Christmas Frittata" last year with smoked turkey.
    'Moby Dick" with Gregory Peck was a great movie and one of my favourites as a kid. Much better than the later remake with Patrick Stewart. Read the book as well!
    Cheers,
    Steve.

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    1. Steve Hynes
      Thanks
      My goodness Steve with all those wonderful ingredients was there room for the eggs. I like the addition of smoked turkey. They say the original is always the best.

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  13. Both look very good..in different sorts of ways of course...with the storm coming our way, it got me thinking..(that's dangerous)..maybe a new fly pattern suggestion.."The Snowshoe Hair"..

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    Replies
    1. penbayman
      Thanks
      Mike an appropriate fly indeed. Get the soup going.

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