FLY MEN FISHING COMPANY
Archive for September 6th, 2009
Ashley Hupke was recently visiting SwittersB’s site and checking out the trout tattoos. She remarked on her own tat and I asked her to share her tattoo and how it came about. I hope some of us can be a worthy enough example to the children in our lives to warrant such respect as Ashley has for her grandfather.
Ashley Hupke (Pays Homage to Grandfather)
“My Grandfather was born in Mapleton, IA July 11th 1937 and died in Boulder, CO May 13th 2009. He was the father I never had growing up. When I was about 3 years old he started taking me to the lake close to his home and taught me how to fish. During our fishing trips we have taken throughout his lifetime and mine we have mostly fished for trout. I decided that a rainbow trout was a perfect match to remember my grandfather not only because we fished for them but because the bright original colors bring back happy memories. (my tattoo has strips of color if you look closely you can see forest green, orange, red, and pink) The last fishing trip I made with my grandfather before he passed away was a family trip to Maloney Lake in Nebraska. He was my inspiration and I am thankful for every moment spent with him. Even if the time I had was short I will cherish his memory for a lifetime.” (Ashley Hupke, September, 2009)
Ashley Hupke's Trout Tattoo
06
Sep
09
Hale Bopp Leech Pattern
The Hale Bopp Leech was developed around 1995/6 (that is about when the Hale Bopp Comet became known to the public) by a young Derek Fergus. A bit of a fly fishing rebel as I recall, I first encountered him at FF club & shop functions promoting his dubbing blends for stillwater leech patterns. He was a non-purist FFer experimenting with materials and techniques. An aside, I recall a FF club event at which Fergus was the guest speaker. He was discussing dredging heavy waters for steelhead. An audience sat aghast as Derek discussed attaching a slinky up the terminal rig akin to a drift fisherman and lobbing the rig into the slot to dredge for holding fish. Oh my the outcry and head shaking of the step and swing crowd. Later, I encountered Derek teaching how to tie the Hale Bopp pattern at a shop in Welches, Oregon. He was giving away small packets of his dubbing as a promotion and showing how the dubbing blend looked in the Hale Bopp Leech pattern.
Since then, this sleeker leech pattern has become accepted as a dependable pattern for stillwaters. I just recently had great success with it, while my staples (Little Fort Leech, Calico Bugger and Minnow Bugger) went ignored. It is a simple affair to tie: don’t over dress the marabou tail, dub the body (why not find Derek’s dubbing or a synthetic blend will do) sparse and fibrous to allow for movement. A smaller than usual bead allows for the desired up and down undulation during the retrieve, but don’t put on the bigger bead unless deeper diving is required and then maybe the Type III or IV is a better device to get the sleeker bodied leech down in the depths.
Hale Bopp Leech (Brown w/ Orange tail) SwittersB
The above Hale Bopp was recently used to great effect on an Oregon lake. This fly is a bit chewed up and coming unraveled. The color combo’s are limitless like most Bugger patterns. I would stick with the typical stillwater flora tones (brown, green) and then black, gray, purplish-maroon.
Hale Bopp Leech (Original Colors) SwittersB
Derek Fergus explored the once great trout fishery, Davis Lake (Oregon) and other Central Oregon lakes while establishing this scragglier leech pattern’s rep. Add it to your Leech arsenal….a more lean silhouette compared to the blockier Bugger silhouette.
Thin Mint (Worthy Lil' Bugger) SwittersB
The above Thin Mint is a good stillwater pattern. But, by contrast the animation of the fly’s body comes from the palmered hackle compared to the dubbed fibers of the Hale Bopp. The Thin Mint tail is typical of most production ties (save the cool mix of colors), shorter and chunky. Some prefer this, thinking the longer tail leads to ‘short’ hits. Short or long, the Hale Bopp calls for a sparser, snakier tail.
