The Neversink Skater, a fly I fell in love with the first time I saw one in the book "Land of Little Rivers". It was a pattern created by Mr. Ed Hewett. I try to tie it as close to the original pattern but it's not quite the same....but it works just fine. This is the second year that I have been fishing it and the more I learn about how to present it the better I get at fooling trout with it.
The last few outings I have fished this fly almost 100% of the time...here is one of those outings.
This fly works well in riffled water and pools.
This wild jewel took the Skater in a glass clear sunlit pool...it was skated across the pool and he chased and struck it twice.
Drifted along the edge, or the seams and then twitched it becomes something a trout can't resist.
Gorgeous setting and fish Alan - The skater looks like a fun fly. Curious - do you twitch it, or do you actually "repeatedly" twitch it to essentially create ongoing motion across the water with the fly?
ReplyDeleteBe well
Will
Hibernation
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Will there are times when I'll cast the fly and just let it drift naturally with the current. I'll also cast it and twitch it a bit and then there are times when I twitch it like crazy with lots of movement.
It can be allowed to sink to just below the surface and moved in the fashion of a soft-hackle.
Cool - a jack of all trades!
DeleteWill, I made a couple of short video clips of the skater in action....I'll post them soon.
DeleteGood morning Alan.....
ReplyDeleteI have tied a few skaters up myself but have only tried them once - very briefly without success. Although I was covering feeding fish (taking a variety of food items) none moved to the skater. On reading your blog today, I think the pool I was fishing was perhaps a bit slow moving. I might give them ago again next week when I am back on the river.
Alistair
Anonymous
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Alistair the skater was tied originally as a moth imitation, but has been very successful when used at other times, especially when there is limited insect activity. It's a large fly and I am one who believes a fish will strike at it just for that reason.
Try them again and please let us know how they fared.
Hi Alan, I tie Ed's similar pattern, the bivisible with larger hackle and fish it like the "skater". I've done well with it.
ReplyDeleteJohn Dornik
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John the bivisible...I have had some success with it as well and of all places the technical Farmington.
Ed Shenk of Letort fame also tied a skater-spider pattern. That fly produced many trout world wide.
Exciting fly to fish, the skater. I want to try the big bucktail skaters Lee Wulff fished in Minipee way back. Our little guys may not be able to fit them in their mouths though...
ReplyDeleteRM Lytle
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Rowan I'm not familiar with those flies, but if Lee was tying them I'll bet trout were eating them...another true master. Our little guys would try I'll wager.
Seeing is believing and those little jewels are unbelievable.
ReplyDeleteHoward Levett
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Howard I like that. They always floor me with their colors.
Alan
ReplyDeleteI could see where the full hackle pattern on this fly would really pulsate in the ripples, causing a wild brook or brown to inhale it for its next meal. Really impressed with this pattern, great job at the vice.
By the way----looks difficult to tie---thanks for sharing
Bill Trussell
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Bill it does draw attention to itself. I also have had trout smack the skater when it sits in slow water when the fly has no movement.
It's actually quite easy to tie, but good hackle is a must.
Alan
ReplyDeleteVery colorful brookies. I would like to try that Skater on the Farmy, maybe raise some big browns!!! I used to skitter caddis across the surface of the river and have the trout chase them.
TROUT1
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Pete I had the same thought. Like I told John Dornik the Farmington would be a great place to give the skater a workout. Levels coming down...maybe soon.
That fly looks wonderfully bugggy, no wonder the fish can't resist.
ReplyDeleteben
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Ben not many pass it up. Taking it as food or just striking it out of fear?
That one brookie, Alan, already looks like it is getting fall spawning colors. Plenty of orange underneath. I caught a couple today that were beautiful as always, but not with the orange underbelly.
ReplyDeleteParachute Adams
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First off it's good to hear you were able to get some time on the water, and a few fish to with it.
Sam all three of those brookies came from the same stream. The first one came from a sandy bottom, while the other two came from a cobbled bottom. I love those variations.