A Couple of Re-Works/Varaints

[Scratch]

Peter Ross anyone? Aah, the dreaded Peter Ross... King of the Marmite flies. Love it or hate it, there's no denying this cunning classic... buzzer pattern, attractor, and work-a-day wet fly all rolled into one. Despite its credentials, I just couldn't get it to perform. With little or no joy with it for the first few years of my fishing, I decided to give it a wide berth, and dismissed it as a disparate and incongruous collection of tying table scraps. My main issues, I decided, when I finally got around to thinking a little deeper about it, were mainly its hard, graphic qualities... distinct zones, components, and areas of colour. I tend to pick and tie flies which are a little easier on the eye.. there are exceptions to this 'rule' - everything has its place and its day, but for me, I like a fly with no begining and no end, something a little more holistic, if you dig my drift? Anyway, before I go off on one... I was given a cheeky wee Peter Ross variant a couple of seasons ago and implored by its creator to give it some leader time. I did, it worked. Irrational hatred over? Not quite... it wasn't really a Peter Ross, bit it was close, and made me start tinkering...

This version is pretty much just what you'd see if you squinted at the original. I've just tried to break it down and soften up its hard graphic qualites a little.... see what ye think...

Peter Ross (Variant)

Hook: Fulling Mill 31531 Black Nickel Comp Heavy Size 12
Rib: Silver Wire
Body: Flat Silver
'Thorax' Red Seals fur.
Body Hackle: Grizzle Hen
Shoulder Hackle: GP body feather dyed black.
Head Hackle: Grizzle Hen (one or two turns).

One Fly I've never had a problem with is the Silver Invicta. Fish one on any line, any position, any day and you'll have fish queuing up to impale themselves Well, almost I've many patterns based on the S.I. some of them simple tweaks, some of them morphed into another family (muddler etc). This one simply uses the key S.I colours and incorporates them into a template I've been having a lot of joy with in recent months.

Silver Invicta (Variant)

Hook: Kamasan B175 Size 12 or 10.
Rib: Silver Wire.
Body: Flat Silver.
Body Hackle: Grizzle Hen dyed ginger.
Shoulder Hackle:Grizzle Hen dyed 'Silver Doctor Blue'.
Shoulder Hackle 2: Natural yellow GP body feather.
Head Hackle: As body hackle.

And finally.... a little tweak to the Haul-a-Gwynt. Not a great fan of Peacock bodies (with a few notable exceptions - a slim Black and Peacock Spider, and a Diawl Bach... as long as most of the herl is rubbed off). This one simply does away with the Peacock herl and replaces it with a dubbing mix, which is ragged out nicely with the old velcro brush. This one nobbled a few wild fish on Tal-y-Llyn a couple of months back... when it was neither sunny nor windy

Haul-a-Gwynt (Variant)

Hook: Kamasan B175 Size 12 or 10.
Rib: Gold Wire.
Body Mix: Seals fur (dark brown + sooty olive) plus a pinch of peacock ice dub.
Body Hackle: Grizzle Hen dyed ginger.
Wing:Jay
Shoulder Hackle:Cock Pheasant neck feather.

[A. Fluker]

Very nice - should make the 2011 calendar with ease.

[Mies]

Ooooh....


A couple of each in the post and I could give you a comprehensive report as to their effectiveness

[m2mga]

Great stuff Rob, like the first 2

[paulfish_1]

Very nice mate. I am in the "no confidence in em" camp when it comes to the Peter Ross but this one would make it on my cast.

I really like the silver invicta too.

[FunkyFlyTying]

One word for those flies:






























Stunning

[farmerblob]

I seem to remember a peter ross variant snagging a few in the practice for the national last year rob

[1973dereks]

Like you said Rob the Peter Ross is a love it or hate fly but that version you've put up is ticking the right boxes for me. A few of those will find their way into the box.

[dwiltshire]

Rob,

I am truly impressed. The Silver Invicta variant is something really special; but they all have their charm.

This is impressive tying.

[Scratch]

Originally Posted by farmerblob

I seem to remember a peter ross variant snagging a few in the practice for the national last year rob

Ssssssshhh!

Thanks for the kind comments guys. Glad you approve. Just the weather for them this last couple of days too.... when I decided to give the fishing a miss this week and catch up on a few chores