Fishing The Fly Scotland Forum

Iain Cameron

Sunken Gnat? stupid... but it works...
« on: 16/03/2009 at 21:22 »
Folks, my lousy fly-tying on public display.
Having fished a Griffiths Gnat with great success towards the end of 2007, I wondered how a gold-head version might work at the start of season 2008. And it worked really well throughout the year - so here is my favourite fly from last year, a variation on a griffiths sparkle gnat - tied with a wee bit of lead wire underbody and a gold bead. A dry fly for under water...



hook - regular wet or dry hook will do (size 12, 14 is grand)
thread - red or black, whatever you have
body - single strand peacock herl
hackle - grizzle cock
tail - magic hair
head - wee gold bead
underbody - little bit of lead wire

For tying instructions for the sparkle gnat, see June 2007's Fly Fishing & Fly Tying magazine.
I have of course nicknamed it the Grizzly Cock... cue lots of stupid childish innuendo.

It lands head down in the water, but floats due to the hackle... sometimes taken then. A few pulls on the leader pulls it under, where is swims and sinks nicely. Has worked especially well in windy, turbulent weather - guess it seems bright and visible. However it works, it just works for me.

cheers
iain


Mike Barrio

Re: Sunken Gnat? stupid... but it works...
« Reply #1 on: 16/03/2009 at 21:43 »
Hi Iain
Thanks for that ..... looks "fishy" to me :z16

Best wishes
Mike

Rob Brownfield

Re: Sunken Gnat? stupid... but it works...
« Reply #2 on: 17/03/2009 at 08:50 »
Hi Iain,
The ones you gave me last year are still in my box waiting for the right day :)

When is Glentanar open by the way?? Fancy a bash?

Irvine Ross

Re: Sunken Gnat? stupid... but it works...
« Reply #3 on: 17/03/2009 at 09:47 »
Glen Tanar trout loch has thawed out and is open now. They are all overwintered fish at the moment, new stock arriving soonish.

Tight lines

Irvine

Iain Cameron

Re: Sunken Gnat? stupid... but it works...
« Reply #4 on: 17/03/2009 at 11:48 »
i tubed on Glentanar all day last saturday. Bright sunshine, and not too cold... only had to come out for a 15 minute break to warm the toes, but otherwise was OK. but boy was it windy... not big waves, but huge gusts of wind whipping up the surface into spray. Very very difficult to cast an 8'6" 4wt rod. 

err, didn't catch a thing (exactly like march last year on the loch) apart from a lovely wee silvery fish, about 6-8 oz, with the most amazingly pronounced forked tail. I’d swear it was a miniature salmon. It had a slight bluish/purple tinge along the flank, but not many other spots. I didn’t have camera or phone with me.  It was not like the brownies usually in the water, and it wasn’t a rainbow... I mean a seriously forked tail, and perfect condition, not a stocked fish. Cool though.

Barry Robertson

Re: Sunken Gnat? stupid... but it works...
« Reply #5 on: 17/03/2009 at 12:01 »
Is loch tannar on the way to ballatar on the left hand side?

Jim Eddie

Re: Sunken Gnat? stupid... but it works...
« Reply #6 on: 17/03/2009 at 13:07 »
It looks like a fish taking fly to me Iain.

Baz

You would not see Glentanar loch from the road.

http://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/glen-tanar-estate.html

 :z18

Jim

Barry Robertson

Re: Sunken Gnat? stupid... but it works...
« Reply #7 on: 17/03/2009 at 13:16 »
Hi jim, never seen it from the road but was guessing it was through the sand stone arch on the left hand side heading to ballater! Am i in the right direction?

Jim Eddie

Re: Sunken Gnat? stupid... but it works...
« Reply #8 on: 17/03/2009 at 13:34 »
Nae sure Baz , I'm coming from the opposite direction to you. Its between Dinnet and Aboyne. bonnie loch to fish.

 :z18

Jim

Irvine Ross

Re: Sunken Gnat? stupid... but it works...
« Reply #9 on: 17/03/2009 at 18:46 »
Hi jim, never seen it from the road but was guessing it was through the sand stone arch on the left hand side heading to ballater! Am i in the right direction?

Baz

That's almost correct. It's not an arch but there is a tower and very fine gate pillars on your left just after you cross the bridge heading towards Ballater. Go in there and carry on up the road for a couple of miles to the very end. Phone to book before you go, there are only 3 boats.

Cheers

Irvine

Barry Robertson

Re: Sunken Gnat? stupid... but it works...
« Reply #10 on: 17/03/2009 at 19:10 »
Thanks for that Irvine, that will be my first tubing adventure for this time off  :z16
That sounds exactly like where i was trying to explain so at least i know where to go now  :z18

Jim Eddie

Re: Sunken Gnat? stupid... but it works...
« Reply #11 on: 17/03/2009 at 19:12 »
Never realised you could tube it , thats another one on my to do list   :cool:

 :z18

Jim

Barry Robertson

Re: Sunken Gnat? stupid... but it works...
« Reply #12 on: 17/03/2009 at 19:14 »
Call in sick on the fridy morning Jim and come out for a jolly  :wink

Jim Eddie

Re: Sunken Gnat? stupid... but it works...
« Reply #13 on: 17/03/2009 at 19:17 »
Called in sick last Friday Baz , don't want to make a habit of it  :wink

Give me a shout if your ever going of a week-end.

 :z18

Jim

Barry Robertson

Re: Sunken Gnat? stupid... but it works...
« Reply #14 on: 17/03/2009 at 19:31 »
I will get back to you on that Jim  :z16

Rob Brownfield

Re: Sunken Gnat? stupid... but it works...
« Reply #15 on: 18/03/2009 at 08:36 »
Please phone before turning up..and ask for permission to Tube..Iain is the exception rather than the rule ;)

And leave your lures at home  :z7..lovely water to fish with spiders and buzzers :)




























and worms.. :z4 :z4 :z4 :z4 :z4

Barry Robertson

Re: Sunken Gnat? stupid... but it works...
« Reply #16 on: 18/03/2009 at 08:39 »
Ok will leave the lures at home but will bring my DI7 and a box of blobs instead  :z16

Rob Brownfield

Re: Sunken Gnat? stupid... but it works...
« Reply #17 on: 18/03/2009 at 11:50 »
Ok will leave the lures at home but will bring my DI7 and a box of blobs instead  :z16


Perfect! ;)

Hamish Young

Re: Sunken Gnat? stupid... but it works...
« Reply #18 on: 18/03/2009 at 13:38 »
At Tanar :? No need for a hi-d there :shock

For me, bloodworm patterns work spectacularly well there :wink Lovely water, if only the boats were a bit better  :z6

Hamish  :z3

 




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