The female mallard...

[Mataura mayfly]

William, no need to thank me, I just add some mediocre photos now and then and clean up some excess feathers from time to time and shunt them off around the World.
Hans is the guy we should be thanking for stirring some interest in a feather supply often overlooked by the masses.

[daringduffer]

Hans W. has tied a fly very popular in Scandinavia, the Europea-12. The fly is of french origin (no 12 in a series from Ragot) and represents the sedge/caddis. It utilizes two hen mallard flank feathers as wings. I have read somewhere that the best feathers are found in the "waterline" of the bird. Have no idea whether this is myth or fact since I've never handled a skin myself. The fly was popularized in Sweden by a wellknown angler, Rolf Smedman, who repeatedly cast it and whipped it off, thus making it skitter and bounce on the surface just like the real thing. He brought it with him to Irish loughs and was successful even there, making the natives astonished.

https://www.google.se/search?q=europa+1 ... 80&bih=668

Gunnar Johnson tied his own soft version like this http://www.rackelhanen.se/swe/1364.htm

The original fly has a tail of hackle fibers. Gunnar says that part of the success of the fly might be that this tail can be seen as a shuck. That is why he uses cdc as tail/shuck on his version. (Edit. He also uses hen hackle).

dd

[hankaye]

dd, Howdy;

Good to see you posting once again ...

Always enjoy your inputs about different patterns, and
your thoughts.

hank

[daringduffer]

Hank,

You can have my thoughts if you wish. They are weird most of the time. Maybe you can straighten them out.

(So much for being kind to me).

dd

[hankaye]

dd, Howdy;

Most times my own thoughts look like a bowl of pasta ...
keeps me busier than a one armed wallpaper-hanger

hank

[daringduffer]

hank,
sounds like we already have exchanged thoughts to no avail

dd

[hankaye]

dd, Howdy;

Always looking forward to tomorrow's thoughts.... perhaps they will make more
logic to both of us

hank

[daringduffer]

http://www.jpdessaigne.com/Astuces/cane ... vernis.htm

Step-by-step by a master from that Ragot company. Pardon his french.

dd

http://www.jpdessaigne.com/Astuces/aile ... stuces.htm

[William Anderson]

http://www.jpdessaigne.com/Astuces/cane ... vernis.htm

Step-by-step by a master from that Ragot company. Pardon his french.

dd

http://www.jpdessaigne.com/Astuces/aile ... stuces.htm

I like that caddis. It's unlike any that I tie, but I like to test a variety and would certainly give this a try. Thanks Stefan.

w

[daringduffer]

William,

This fly has been the most used caddis imitation for decades (in Sweden at least). Since caddis is the most important insect here, this must mean something. If you tie it with two wing feathers (Hans used just one) and plenty of stiff cock hackle it tends to twist the tippet. Adjusting the casting stroke might help. You should experiment with this pattern. It's worth it.

dd