Pro Tips

One of my favorite dry flies for searching small streams is this variation of the Au Sable Wulff. I first used this pattern with success in the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales in the middle of a plague of small light coloured moths. Since then I have used this pattern regularly and it has now become my go-to fly for small streams in this colour. I tie my favorite variation with a light hares ear coloured squirrel blend dubbing, Hivis wing and heavy hackle of natural red and grizzly saddle. This imitates several species of mayfly dun’s nicely, and I find the Hivis wings stand up to lots of abuse – things like fish, thickets and clumsy fly tyers that are used to tying salt water flies!

 

 

Hook: Dry Fly #10-#18

Thread: 6/0 Red Monocord

Tail: Neck Hackle Fibers

Body: Squirrel Blend Dubbing (light hare’s ear colour)

Wing: White Hivis, tied in a ‘V’