Brown Trout Flies containing blue

[Former member]

Trout flies that contain blue are often avoided when fishing for Brown Trout, I first tied this Blue Zulu muddler about 10 years ago and only latley have I been getting reports from other users that it is working quite well.



Any members have any flies containing blue (excluding blue jay) that have been successfull for brownies?
Cheers
Gerry

[ruby pennel595664]

A few years ago I decided to experiment by tying up damsel nymphs using blue materials instead of the normal olive. I used two damsels on the cast one blue and one "normal" olive to see what would happen. I took numerous brownies on the olives but only one solitary small brownie took the blue one.

Up to now I have also never taken a brownie on a blue zulu but have taken them on the standard zulu.

I know it's not a very scientific experiment but my conclusion was that blue didn't work for brownies.

It will be interesting to know if anyone else has had differing experiences.

[Highlander]

Oh, Blue works but not on all waters. Why? I have no idea.
The Blue Zulu on the bob can be a very useful fly on some waters. Might be a "light" thing.
Other than that one blue & a few others they do not rate highly for Browns generally.
For Sea Trout, a different matter, for fish straight off the tide a "blue Fly" will do the trick. The Teal Blue & Silver being the classic example.
Tight Lines

[Former member]

On the subject of the blue Zulu, I remember a days fishing on Loch Boardhouse in 1995 that resulted in my boat partner and I having 3 blue zulus on at the same time as they couldnt get enough of them, 3 days later same loch, they wouldn't look at it.
Gerry

[Billy2]

Just been asked to tie some 'blue flys' for a mate. The fly is a Zulu with a Royal Blue tail, he swears by it!
Does it have a name?

Billy

[Endrick]

I decided to fish blue flies exclusively on my local river in 2008 - just to see if they would work. My local river is predominantly a seatrout and salmon river and most people fish orange flies.

I had a very strange season with them: the salmon came in bursts but not at the same time as other people.

However I had two huge brown trout of 27 and 31 inches which took these blue flies (these big brownies come up from Loch Lomond to spawn at the end of September and onwards). What is unusual about that is that in 22 years I had only caught 3 of these big fish yet I had two within days of each other. Maybe coincidence but maybe big brownies like blue?

[Highlander]

The fly is a Zulu with a Royal Blue tail

A Royal Blue Tailed Zulu

Tight Lines

[Ephemerella]

Originally Posted by Ruthvenflyfisher

Any members have any flies containing blue (excluding blue jay) that have been successfull for brownies?

Yes... but there are many shades of blue. One I find to be a brown trout 'magnet' - capable of only catching them where rainbows are stocked - has a rear body/tail of 'Royal' blue wool.

The Camasunary Killer:




This example dressed by Alice Conba and photographed by Hans Wielenmann
Alice Conba flies for his excellent site.

[boony]

Intresting stuff. Ive never caught a brown on a blue pattern mainly on darker traditional flies like kate maclarens, claret dabblers etc. Having siad that the biggst brown ive caught was a wild fish of 6lb caught on a pearly spider which had a blueish hue to it. Also its strange that sea trout flies have lots of blue in such as the medicine.

John.

[Former member]

Originally Posted by Ephemerella

Yes... but there are many shades of blue. One I find to be a brown trout 'magnet' - capable of only catching them where rainbows are stocked - has a rear body/tail of 'Royal' blue wool.

The Camasunary Killer:

Think I have only every had a good spell for brownies on this pattern once and it had the addition of a palmered hackle down the body.

One other pattern that has just sprung to mind was a Clan Chief with a blue lite bright body, did well on that on Leven in the late 90's.
Gerry