FLYMPH FORUM

Here is another one of my variation patterns. This is probably my most consistent producing pattern on my local waters. This pattern was inspired by the Ke-He fly.



Hook: Any wet
Thread: Black silk thread
Tail: Golden pheasant tippets topped with orange antron yarn
Rib: Fine silver wire
Body: Mix of black kid mohair and brown squirrel guard hairs
Hackle: Partridge dyed brown

I really like this fly. Question, what's the purpose of the orange antron?

Thank for sharing Carl. Nice to know this is a proven pattern. I had never heard of the Kee Hee fly before. Your fly reminds me of one of my favorite patterns called a "Red Ass".

RnF wrote:I really like this fly. Question, what's the purpose of the orange antron?

Hi Scott - I think it is most likely for attractive properties. The Kee Hee has yarn under the tippets, I swapped the positions. I tie this same pattern as a weighted nymph on a curved #8 hook for steelhead. I think it could suggest an egg.

Carl

In 1930's David Kemp and Bernard Heddle noticed that when the wind was blowing freshly certain areas of the loch they were fishing in the Orkneys were covered with great numbers of small black bees. Few other flies interested the fish. They just wanted to eat these bees. They designed this bee pattern and named it using the first two letters of each of their surnames. Although more a wet fly than a true Lure/Streamer fly we have kept it in this section of our web site because of its hook size. We have found the bigger hook sizes were more productive in catching trout.

Really nice looking fly, as always Carl.
Love this site; flies and history lessons.
Thanks for the background, flyfishwithme.

Here is a Ke He as submitted to me by Alan ("Highlander") Goodwin



Cheers,
Hans W

Thanks all.

Philip - Thanks for the bit of history. I had read that a few years ago but had forgotten the story.

Hans - That is a nice example sent to you. I was trying to find a nicely tied one to post...should have just went to your site. The Ke-He is a very nice pattern in its own right.

Well, thanks for all the answers everyone. So much knowledge here, it's great. Looks like a couple more patterns needs to go in the box. Has anyone tried these in smaller sizes (no steelies around my parts)? I think they will work fine either way.

RnF - My post may have been a bit confusing. The pattern posted I use for trout and tie in sizes #16-#10. Has worked very well for me.

I started playing with the pattern for steelhead because they like buggy flies around my neck of the woods and I thought that the orange yarn my have some egg attractive properties. For this practice only, I added weight (need to really get them down deep in the winter) and tie them on a curved (czech nymph) style hook in a #6-#8. This morph has worked extremely well for steelhead and I end up tying a lot of them this time of year for fishing buddies.