Now that we are well into the season, anglers are eagerly waiting for that magic sentence "the fly is up".

Fly patterns that has proved well on the Irish Loughs has been the humpy and the stimulator.  Although not native patterns to Ireland, these have been tried and tested with great results.

What I have been doing over the past month is looking at these patterns with a view of modifying them for use on the Irish Loughs.  This month we are going to tie the humpy with a difference.  Instead of the traditional wing of Elk hair I have replaced it with CBC dyed light olive,sooty olive and yellow to represent the different stages of the May fly when it has emerged.

CDC HUMPY

Hook Kamasan b15 no 10

Silk Brown 8/0

Tail Summer Elk hair

Body either sooty olive golden olive depending on your preference

Wing CDC dyed sooty olive medium olive golden olive also depending on your preference

Hackle Sooty olive medium olive golden olive

1. When dressing this pattern it is best to tie in the CDC when it is secured to the hook lift up the CDC and bring the silk in  front and make several turn so the CDC sits up at an angle of around 60o

2. Tie in the small bunch of Elk hair for the tail

3. Dub on the body, this patter calls for a chunky body

4. Bring the elk hair over the body and tie in

5. Secure the hackle behind the CDC and wind in six times behind the CDC then bring the hackle in front of the CDC and another six turns.  A good quality saddle is well worth purchasing for this as it will last a life time and can be used on  numerous patterns.