A trio of patterns to try from FM Ambassador Craig McDonald
Published: 22nd March 2016 | Author: fmblog
With the grayling now getting ready for spawning we turn our attention back to the brown trout that inhabit our rivers and streams. Springtime for me is having the sun on your back with armadas of Large Dark Olives and the occasional March Brown gently fluttering in the sunlight. These large up-winged insects generally hatch around lunchtime time on our rivers, although the hatch doesn’t last long, it gives the angler plenty of time to catch a specimen trout.
An early season cracker for Craig
Wet flies and nymphs can pick up the odd fish before the hatch starts in earnest but it’s the dry fly which is the cream of the sport for me and so many other fly anglers. Fly choice and presentation are key – LDO’s and MB’s are big beasties so large flies are required to match the hatch. The general sizes of these flies range from 10 to 14’s depending on the species hatching at the time. I have a couple of patterns I pin my faith on and that’s the deer hair compardun along with the famous jingler dry fly from the Scottish borders.
Craig McDonald’s MB Comparadun
Craig McDonald’s Jingler
Craig McDonald’s LDO Comparadun
At this time of year all I tend to carry is a selection of these great patterns, tied on the new Fulling Mill Ultimate Dry Fly hooks, and wander the banks of my favourite rivers searching for rising fish.
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