GOLD BALLS & SILVER BULLETS
by Hans van Klinken
Originally designed for the large, deep and fast flowing rivers of
Scandinavia, the beadheads are also very effective patterns for any
other watercourse. Their value has been noticed by a growing number
of fly fishers, and they are accounting for some good fish, whether
in running or still water. I must confess though that as effective
as they are, my passion is fishing the dry fly for trout in wild
rivers. Deep fishing the nymphs fails to invoke anything like the
pleasure I get when I incite a fish to rise to my fly. However, as
much as I prefer the dry fly, there are times when only the use of
deeply fished nymphs will bring any hope of a reaction from the
trout or grayling. The worst scenario for the dry fly fisher is when
the fish are feeding in deep lies, and under such circumstances,
these fast sinking patterns are often the only recipe for success.
Contrary to current thinking, the gold headed nymphs have been
around for a very long time. In early nineties, several European
fishing magazines have published articles on all kinds of gold bead
patterns. Swedish fly fishers have been using them since the early
'70s, and elsewhere, even much earlier. Thanks to the efforts of
Roman Moser from Austria, and the skillful Dutch angler and fly tyer,
Theo Bakelaar, the golden headed flies were reborn in the late
eighties again. Theo, now better known as "Mr. Goldhead," has
probably the largest collection of gold headed flies in the world,
and introduced them in the USA. Well, I, too, have made several
experiments with gold and silver beaded flies over the years, and I
shall describe some of my most successful patterns later in this
article.
THE POWER OF GOLD
I think the effectiveness of gold and silver beads at the head of a
fly, stems from a number of main functions. First, it weights the
fly, getting it down quickly to where the fish are feeding. In
addition, you also get a longer drift through the level of feeding
fish. Secondly, though I don't know whether fish see the gold bead
as we do, I feel that some fish are attracted to its golden sparkle
and glitter. I am sure that I have caught some nice fish because of
this glitter. I also caught a lot of fish in brackish water on these
patters, when all other patterns failed. Possibly the fish perceive
it as the little bubbles of air that cling to pupae or mature nymphs
when they rise to the surface. Thirdly, the weighting at the head of
the fly gives it a particular action, when drawn through the water.
I am sure that this action is significant when these patterns are
used in still water. Finally, I discovered that sight fishing is
very easy with these types of patterns. Anyone who fishes crystal
clear water will find the shiny beads a boon. The shiny head can be
easily seen twinkling down, and when it disappears, more often then
not, you will have a very surprised trout on the end.
DULL OR BRIGHT: GOLD OR SILVER
I only use gold plated brass beads that will not tarnish. I know
several other successful anglers, however, who use plain brass beads,
and some really great fly fishers who actually prefer dull beads to
shiny ones! I can't say for certain which are the best, but for me,
personally, I prefer the bright ones. You will have to experiment
for yourself, and draw your own conclusions. The choice between
gold, black, cupper or even silver beads is something totally
different. It depends on the kind of river or lake you are fishing
in, and on the water conditions. In some rivers, one will have
excellent results with goldheads, while on other streams, the silver
version is more successful. There is certainly little need to be
faithful to any particular dressing where beadheads are concerned,
and I suggest that you convert some of your own favorite patterns to
beadheads and see what happens.
FEEDING MEMORY (be warned)
Although many people think about it differently, I strongly believe
in feeding memory of fish. Fish know the differences well and I
prove that to myself and to others many times. With gold, silver or
cupper beaded patterns the success can be enormously but this
success doesn't last forever. One of the most striking tests we ever
did happen in the mighty Glomma River in Norway were we only fish
for wild fish. In the early nineties one of our fishing groups
discovered one of the most successful fishing spots we had ever seen
so far and the catches broke all earlier records. Trout, grayling
and whitefish went totally mad. The flies they using were gold and
silver beads. The success only last for 3 days! The fish was still
there but refuse to take any beadheaded fly that came to water. Only
with very realistic fly imitations we could succeed and that set you
thinking.
Here are a few of my most successful bead headed patterns that you
might care to try.
THE GOLDHEAD
Hook: Partridge H1A, sizes 10 and 12
Head: Gold-plated brass bead.
Thread: Uni-thread 8/0 brown
Tag: Four turns of a fluorescent green material
Body: Dubbed rabbit fur, with plenty of guard hairs well picked out.
Tail: A large brown partridge hackle, wound just in front of the tag.
It is important that the fibers are positioned so as to leave the
tag well visible from the sides.
THE SILVER CADDIS
Hook: Partridge H1A, sizes 10 and 12
Thread: Uni-thread 8/0 gray
Thorax: A silver bead
Body: Dubbed rabbit fur, with plenty of guard hairs well picked out.
Hackle: Large brown partridge hackle, stripped off on one side, tied
in at the tip and wound as a collar hackle just in front of the bead
THE GOLDEN DIVER
Hook: Partridge H1A, sizes 10 and 12
Thread: Uni thread 8/0 gray
Head: A gold plated brass bead
Body: Golden yellow dubbing like haretron or substitute
Rib: Copper wire
Wing: White antron yarn or Organza fibers
Thorax: Gray hare-tron, wound over the yellow dubbing
THE GOLDEN SPIDER
Hook: Partridge H1A, sizes 10 and 12
Thread: Uni-thread 8/0 black
Head: A gold plated brass bead
Thorax: Peacock herl
Body: Five strands of yellow or pearl Crystal Flash, tied as a
nicely tapered body.
Hackle: Brown partridge feather, stripped off on one side, tied in
by the tip between the body and thorax
THE BLACK AND SILVER NYMPH
Hook: Partridge H1A, sizes 10 and 12
Thread: Uni-thread 8/0 black
Head: A silver plated brass bead
Tail: Dyed black pheasant tail fibers
Rib: Red copper wire
Body: Five herls of a black feather.
Thorax: Peacock herl, or a mixture of black sparkle yarn and
spectraflash, dubbed and well picked out.
TYING TECHNIQUE
Goldhead
Step 1
Put the bead on the hook. Wrap some tying thread in front of the
bead, and push the bead as close to the hook eye as possible. Secure
the bead by wrapping some thread behind it.
Step 2
Tie in a tag of green fluorescent material, and wrap it with four
windings on the hook shank. Tie in the partridge hackle, and wind it
as collar in front of the tag.
Step 3
Put on some dubbing, and wind a nice body. Pick the dubbing out well,
after the fly has been tied off.
|
