Sunday, April 22, 2018

"A Rambling" With An Old Pattern

The Waterhen Bloa, a simple pattern created centuries ago was the focus of an outing I made this past week. While reading Robert Smith's book "The North Country Fly" I saw several references stating the Waterhen Bloa is a good fly to use in the spring. It also says it's productive for most months of the year. So armed with that knowledge I took a few of these flies and headed for the stream.



The day was sparkling, a blue sky, soft wind and what I would say was a perfect flow. It was in this place that I hooked my first brook trout.



The soft subtle movement of the fly was to hard to resist.


This nasty tangle is just about impossible to fish, but it provides much needed cover for the brookies.


A short detour around the wood tangle and one finds this beautiful stretch of water. The soft seams most certainly holds a native or two.


It did, and they were full of fight.


"Wood is Good" my friends. This natural dam provides lots of comfort to the brook trout who call this stream home. It also is just about prefect for working "spiders".


I found several willing char. This one had an impressive tail, and used it.


The battle tested Waterhen Bloa. They work very well on this "side of the pond".....














30 comments:

  1. A time tested winning pattern for sure, Alan, especially when the sulfurs are about. Is the hackle you've used to make your flies so "buggy" real waterhen or a sub?

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    1. William Shuck
      Thanks
      Bill it's a dark dun hen hackle. It's worked very well for me.

      Delete
  2. Alan
    Outstanding post. Gorgeous brookie, and the plants are starting to green up. Beautiful!!1

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    1. TROUT1
      Thanks
      Pete it seems as if every day there is another sign that spring may be here. Good days are finally here.

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  3. Love your posts Alan especially on a day like today when I'm stuck in the house with a nasty cold. Have not fished since Wednesday and I'm going through withdrawl.

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    1. bill piatek
      Thanks
      Bill there is never a good time to have a bad cold. But it seems to be worse when you can't get out and do what you want. Get well soon.

      Delete
  4. Excellent Alan, the very same fly took 2 small Grayling for me today and saved me from a blank.

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    Replies
    1. George
      Thanks
      I love it when "old reliable" is truly old reliable.

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  5. That is a brilliant fly, I still have some very old and worn things in my fly box. There is another Ryedale fly I have, but cannot remember the name of, that was always deadly in late spring and early summer. No doubt at 03.00 am the name will come back and wake me up. sadly Norfolk is not noted for its fly fishing but this blog makes me very wistful about northern streams! Than you. John

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    Replies
    1. The Two Terriers
      Thanks
      John, having a box of old war horse flies is priceless. So many stories in those flies. When your memory is jogged please let us know the name of the fly.

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    2. Will do but the jog may need Semtex. John

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  6. Very nice post Alan. I love the old antique patterns and fishing them as I suspect you do, as well. I'm sure you could have caught that brookie on a ball of chenille fly, that fishes for a salmon egg or a pink squiggly that fishes for an earthworm but it just wouldn't be the same. Would it?

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    1. John Dornik
      Thanks
      John it's nice to fish a pattern that has taken a trout over 100 years ago. As far as the other selections you mention they have there time.

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  7. Very nicely tied Alan. Fishing traditional flies connect us with those who have gone before and bring a sense of history to our endeavors. Nice to see a healthy flow through that stream and the brook trout doing well!

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    1. Mark Wittman
      Thanks
      Mark it's kind of fun fishing those antique patterns. That stream was in top shape.

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  8. I didn't need the Semtex, it just came back to me, it was called the John Storey. When I was a boy in Bilsdale the gamekeeper tied some sparse dry and wet versions. I was about sixteen then and I lost the last one in Wales two years ago, the pattern did work. No doubt the web will supply the pattern. John

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    Replies
    1. The Two Terriers
      Thanks
      John I shall look for that pattern, and if I can I will tie it and stream test it on my local streams.

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  9. Alan
    Great outing showing why all those streams you fish there are so special Thanks for sharing

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    Replies
    1. Bill Trussell
      Thanks
      Bill I try to give people the chance to visit some of natures finest waters.

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  10. Beautiful spots and colors on those gems, Alan. It is so gratifying to bring trout to hand on flies we tie during winter down times.

    Swift River brook trout are missing in action still. I can't imagine where they went during this cold winter, but I hope they show up soon to confirm they survived.

    Best, Sam

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    Replies
    1. Parachute Adams
      Thanks
      Sam it feels good that our winter "toils" are now paying off.
      Your Swift brookies are there I'm certain. They are survivors of the ice age....try a Mickey Finn or and Edson Tiger.

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  11. Hi Alan,
    Great post once again.......
    The Waterhen Bloa has always been a 'go to fly' for me and is one of my most succesfull patterns. It was on my leader this weekend, however, it failed to take a fish (?!), those on honours fell to a baetis nymph, a hares lug & cree and the gravel fly (partridge and blue). Have you tried it with a small pearlescent tag yet?
    Alistair

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    1. Anonymous
      Thanks
      Alistair the waterhen bloa is a good fly for me, most times when called on it it produces. That partridge and blue is another one I like to use.

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    2. Alistair, I saw a photo some where of a fly tied by Smith that used a pearlescent tag. I have to try that.

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  12. Great pictures and I enjoy tying and using come of the old North Country style flies as well. The forest is starting green up in NW Jersey and to my surprise the wild trout were looking up and smashing my small caddis dries. I agree, Spring is finally here!

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    1. NJpatbee
      Thanks
      Pat those old patterns get it done. I agree with you, they are looking up. I fish a caddis emerger and they do like it very much.

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  13. Good going Alan! You've made a believer out of me. It's time to go to Clear Creek and try a few spiders.

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    Replies
    1. Howard Levett
      Thanks
      Howard fish them and I'll guarantee you'll take fish.

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  14. Alan,
    This latest entry is particularly stunning and attractive to me as you have highlighted the beauty of fish, fly, and stream in your beautiful state of Connecticut! The Waterhen bloa is gorgeous! I did a series of these a while back and none of mine look nearly as good as the one you posted above! It is still an amazing fact and a major premise of your blog that the more simple the patterns (and life), the better they fish! I have found this to be so true on my end as well!
    Doug

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    Replies
    1. Dougsden
      Thanks
      Doug, simplicity, simplicity, simplicity.
      It is so overlooked these days....the saltine....

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