[Mike Barrio]

These two little flies have caught me an amazing amount of good fish this year both on the river and on the lochs.

Brown or Rainbow seem to love them and they are of course possibly the worst kept secret of the year.

However for those who missed them, let me introduce the BPP and the GPP, otherwise known as the black peacock and plover and the Grey partridge and peacock.

Fish them any way you like, whenever you like, but I have found they work best on the river - dead-drift, and on the stillwater - fished quickly and erraticly. I guess the running water imparts the motion on the river but on the stillwater you have to induce it yourself. Cast at rising fish and work the water thoroughly and by god do you get some action.

I have fished them usually as a pair with the BPP on the point and the GPP on the dropper, normally one outfishes the other convincingly (usually the GPP).
Between them I think they look like Buzzers, sedge pupa, corixa, hatching upwings, drowning terrestrials, infact food of any description. The trout think so too.
 
So the dressings are as follows.

The GPP
Hackle: Grey partridge neck feather- 2 turns.( i tried a few different types of hackle but nothing could match this)
Body:    peacock herl -kept slim. (ice dub peacock is also very good- perhaps even better, it certainly lasts longer)
Rib:  Gold wire.
Thread: pearsalls #20 light olive (the thread colour does seem to make a difference olive is definately far superior to any other colour and the light olive is best)




 
The BPP
Hackle: golden plover back, or starling back (black with a sheen and pale coloured tips)- 2turns
Body: black peacock ice dub (brilliant stuff)- tied slim
Rib: silver wire
Thread: Black.





This fly is basically a slim, sparse black and peacock spider but it is really great and the ice dub is great stuff to work with.
 
I tie both flies in 12 and 14's no need for smaller or larger and they seem to work best on B175's (or similar) on the stillwaters and TMC 103bl's (or partridge flashpoint barbless) on the river.
 
Hope this inspires a few folk and hopefully we can add to the list next season, but you must try them because it is a really effective and fun way to fish.
 
Sandy

[Mike Barrio]

( Reply by Hare's Lug )

Sandy

Is Ice Dub peacock ( which I don't have) anything like Glister peacock ( which I do have)? Also is Ice Dub black peacock different to Ice Dub peacock?

Good to see you on Sunday. I thought I had all the rods I needed until I had a flick with your #3.

Irvine

( reply by Jedi )

Sandy

As I can't afford to take up fly tying in the short term , do you take commisions ? I wouldnt mind a set of those flies.

Jim

( reply by spiderman )

Irvine

I've not seen the glister, but i would expect it to be very similar.
And OH yes theres a big difference between peacock and black peacock,
black peacock looks great as a sub for black seal in other flies, like zulu's, bibios. they stay black but glisten with a greenish iridescense.
Both a great materials with massive potential and are really easy to use.

Sandy

( reply by flyfish078 )

I think I need to get some of the Lathkill dubbing.I've tied up a few with the peacock herl and they look like they will work.Made up a box of spiders for Haddo (Thanks Sandy..I am now a convert to spiders!!)

Alan B

( reply by flyfish078 )

Must agree with you Sandy .The ice dub is brilliant and so easy to work with.Tried to get the Black ice but the man at Lathkill said he had run out.When I gave him my address he said "you must know Sandy then ,He had the last lot "!!

Alan B

[Sandy Nelson]

Should have put this here.

www.celticflycraft.co.uk

Suppliers of all colours of Ice dub, and they have them in stock.

Black peacock is a fantastic colour.

Sandy