While browsing through Instagram I noticed a certain wet fly that looked like one heck of a fish catcher. It was tied by Havard Asbo of Norway. He is @dryflypurist on Instagram. Anyway, he has been tying to perfect this wet fly pattern that is actually a variant of a fly pattern that is well known in those parts called the Gosling.
Ephemera Vulgata
The fly is imitating a mayfly called the Ephemera Vulgata in the same family as the Ephemera Danica. Havard tells me it is almost as big as the Green Drake. He says the colors on this fly make it very much like the Vulgata spinners, more than fresh duns. When the wind blows, it blows these mayflies into the water. That’s why he is fishing this as a wet fly.
Havard said he tied several versions of this fly and Rune Stokkebekk helped him perfect it by having him make the hackle more sparse and advise him on how to tie the fly better. So through adjustments, he is happy with this version that is pictured above.
This is such a good looking fly, I have no doubt that it will work just about anywhere. Here is the list of materials.
Materials list:
Hook: TMC100 size 10 or similar big hook
Tail: 3-5 fibers from pheasant tail tied in at one length of the hook or slightly more.
Body: March brown colored dubbing
Rib: Lagartun flat small gold tinsel
Body hackle: brown hen from Whiting farms (feather is stripped on the side that touches the body/hook)
Hackle: 2 rounds of brown/black hen – over sized and 2-3 rounds with grey hen where the feather is stripped on the inside as the body hackle.
Head: Fluorescent red UNI 8/0
Head cement: Solarez Bone Dry
———————————————
When wrapping the body hackle/tinsel, you tie in the hackle first at the tail root, then the tinsel. Then you wrap the tinsel and then you wrap the hackle alongside the tinsel.
