achalabrookies

The simplicity of some traditional flies like Spiders, Soft Hackles, Bivisibles and others is well known.
Inspired by this concept, I have developed some small dry flies: “Ephemeroptera Mìnima”, “Mini Devaux” and “Simple Caddis”.
The last two I just mentioned were successfully tested for two seasons.
They work very well and, as an anecdote, I can tell you that with the “Mini Devaux” in its debut I caught seven brookies in seven tries (7/7), optimum score! and I have witnesses!
I was also very pleased to know that other colleagues have seriously studied and experimented with this topic of simple and minimalist flies.
As an example, I want to mention Alan Petrucci (Small Stream Reflections Blog) who kindly sent me some beautiful photos that I share here and where his great work is evident.
Thank you very much Alan for your contribution, I really appreciate it.
There are also three more photos of my “inventions”, those models that I have mentioned above in this text.
Come and see!

Photo: Alan Petrucci

Photo: Alan Petrucci

Photo: Alan Petrucci

Ephemeroptera Mìnima achalabrookies

Mini Devaux achalabrookies

Simple Caddis achalabrookies

Brookies are very photogenic, their colors always give us surprises.
I caught this one on a particularly beautiful cloudy day.

achalabrookies

These are nymphs that I designed some time ago and use a lot.
They are the result of various mixtures of different dubbings and trial/error tests.
Well used, they are very effective.
I tie them in hooks for dry flies (size 18,16,14) and with relatively little material so they don’t sink too much and stay close to the surface in drifts.
They can be smeared with some paste to float and in that way, keep them closer to the surface even.
Due to their characteristics, they can be fished upstream perfectly, you just have to pay close attention (I don’t fish with strike indicators).
You can also tie classic models following this criterion keeping in mind not to add too much weight.
Here they go!

achalabrookies

achalabrookies

achalabrookies

achalabrookies

achalabrookies

About thirty years ago, an outstanding fly fishing researcher and great instructor, Marcelo Morales, came to Còrdoba to give a demonstration of fly tying.
I was lucky to be part of the organizing group for that event.
At that time I already had some good experience in tying nymphs especially because I fished a lot with these flies but, there was a great interest in me for traditional wet winged flies and I did not know them very well.
I asked Marcelo about them and he not only instructed me in detail on the tying and how to fish them, but he also looked in one of the many boxes of flies that he had brought and gave me three of them, three classics: Peter Ross, March Brown and Professor.
That generous attitude of Marcelo marked my life as a fly tyier and fly fisherman in a very special way and since then I have kept them almost like a treasure.
Here I show you:

achalabrookies

achalabrookies

achalabrookies

It is time for isolation, the 2019/2020 season has been cut short.
In my case, I take the opportunity to read and reread various fly fishing classics, tie flies, search the Internet for new and interesting fly fishing blogs, watch the videos that some colleagues upload to their You Tube channels generously and, finally, look at many photos to keep the sensations alive.
This one you see is from an early season rainbow at Intiyaco.

achalabrookies

achalabrookies

Many years have passed but I still feel my hands wet and the satisfaction of having caught that beautiful rainbow.
I remember that the fly I used on that occasion was a Green and Partridge soft hackle in size 12.
The Malleo river, in the Patagonian province of Neuquèn (Argentina), is one of the favorites for many fly fishermen of my generation.
Unfortunately today this river is in trouble.
I want to share a video with you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqO-kKeYIUs

The Orscherl is a fly whose creation is attributed to Hans Gebetsroither, the great Austrian fly-casting master.
It is a fly for grayling, but it also has proven efficacy for trout fishing.
This is a fly that works on the surface and seems to mimic a certain species of beetle.
From my point of view and the way it’s designed, I think it can also mimic various kinds of aquatic insects when they reach the surface of the water, so we could say it’s a generic imitation.
It all depends on how you consider making it work and, consequently, how you present it to the fish that you have “in your sights”.
I sat on my fly tying bench and I wanted to share the result.
Here I show you a couple of photos and although here in Argentina we have no grayling, I will offer them (as soon as possible) to our local trout.
Thanks to Hans for giving us his valuable inspiration!

Recipe:
Hook: For dry fly up-eye in size 14 or 12
Thread: Orange (could be red too) 8/0 or 6/0
Tag: With the same tying thread make a small bulge
Tail: Natural red (light brown) hackle fibers dry fly quality
Body: Peacock herl reinforced whit black thread
Collar: Two darker brown hackle feathers dry fly quality

achalabrookies

achalabrookies

Last Sunday, I visited the Paso de las Piedras river with some friends and also, in the afternoon, the Achala stream. Two places I visit frequently season after season.
The Paso de las Piedras was emerging from a large rise of level with slightly murky waters. Fishing here was somewhat difficult, but I managed several small brookies, only one of us captured a really beautiful specimen, the first one you will see in the series of photos I propose in this post.
In the afternoon my friend Gerard Hoferdt and I decided to try the Achala stream and the fishing improved markedly. Many brookies made our day.
I was able to try my little streamers successfully and I took note of many aspects to take into account for upcoming visits to these beautiful waters.

Photo Gerardo Wenetz

achalabrookies

achalabrookies

achalabrookies

achalabrookies

achalabrookies

achalabrookies

achalabrookies

achalabrookies

Recently I showed a small streamer that I designed to imitate a small fish that we call here Red-tailed Mojarra.
Now I bring for your consideration a pattern that I imagined to imitate the same species only that tied in the particular style of the well-known Matukas flies.
I hope you like it!

Hook: For streamers flies (your choice) in size 12
Thread: Uni-Thread 8/0 white
Rib: Fine wire silver or gold (your choice)
Body: White floss
Wing: A pair of Golden Badger feathers for streamers painted on their tips with permanent red marker
Collar/Throat: Golden Badger hackle without black center from the side of the neck.

achalabrookies

Finally the first brookies of 2020 arrived.
After driving enjoying beautiful views, we had a good day of fly fishing shared with my friend Abel.
I saw that the stream still has little flow, it needs more rain to recover its full potential.
The brookies were difficult, many bites were failed and after a fly change the rewards arrived.
This time I used a 5 weight line with a 7 feet long leader in a seven feet bamboo rod originally designed for 4 weight line.
It performed perfectly giving me many advantages. I know it is a topic of discussion but in these small streams precision is fundamental and when the wind blows you realize how good it is to put a little more weight on your fly cast especially in short shots.
Abel did the same, loaded his delicate bamboo cane for 3 weight line with a 4 weight that I lent him not overloading it at all.
It is the one seen in the photos.

achalabrookies

achalabrookies

achalabrookies

achalabrookies

achalabrookies