Here's another, in my opinion, 'essential' pattern. Just for a change (for me) it's a river pattern, this time from the vice of Neil Patterson.
I first started to tie and fish the Grizzle Mink in the early 90's after purchasing John Roberts' excellent book 'A Guide to River Trout Flies'. It's included there with a whole host of wonderful and equally essential patterns. If you're a river angler and without this book, then I'd put that right as soon as poss.
My fishing was 50/50 rivers and still back then, but it wasn't untill two or three years ago that I tried the GM on stillwater after scaling it up to size 10's and 12's... most of my river versions are 18's/16's/14's. It went down a treat on stillwater in the big daft sizes when the fish are looking for trouble in a decent ripple or wave. I think I'll try the smaller sizes on stillwater in the new season, when things are a bit calmer and the fish a bit fussier.
I've also had joy fishing it 'loch style' as wet in a size 10 on the top dropper. Usually though, I fish it dry, either singly, or in combination with another, smaller dry.
Neil tied it originally, I believe, as a general olive pattern, but it will cover you for far more than just the olives, on both river and still. "Few flies can clain to be as downright scruffy!" said Mr Patterson..."If it has nothing else going for it, a roughly tied Grizzle Mink has life...it lives!" Whenever I've heard Neil talk/write about the GM he always goes to great lengths to stress the importance of the scruff-factor - this is where the life and the bulk of its appeal comes from. In a breeze, a ginked GM will bowl and roll around the water surface like nothing else I've seen. Left untreated, and in calmer conditions or slower water, it'll dig in, prickling the surface and suggesting almost anything that the trout is likely accept.
I love this kind of pattern. Vague and suggestive - just like the previous 'essential', the Barden Killer Nymph, it forces the fish to mentally fill in the gaps, and that, more often than not, is too much to take!
Grizzle Mink
Hook: Any standard dry fly or B170 or B400 size 8 down to 18
Tail: Grizzle cock
Rib: Fine gold wire
Body: Mink/Rabbit/Hare/Squirrel, or mix
Hackles: One Grizzle and one red game cock
I didn't have any Mink when I first came across the GM, so I substituted for rabbit/hare, and then later introduced a pinch of squirrel too. If substituting for rabbit, then make sure you pick out the longest guard hairs - longer and scruffier the better! Also, I always feel that two genetic hackles is a bit too much, so I use genetic for the grizzle and Chinese or Indian for the Red game. I wouldn't worry about it too much though if you don't have any genetic at all... even one cock and one hen will be just fine. Don't forget to give the fly a damn good beasting with velcro, or at least your dubbing needle. As Neil says, just when you think it's way too scruffy and messy.... it's probably about right!
Essentials - Grizzle Mink
Scruffy Bu**er !!!
I'm a caring, sharing kinda guy.... You just seemed quite happy with yer gay klinks 
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