Last week I managed to fool a nice carp with an odd looking fly I found in the bottom of my fly box. The carp may have been pretty but the fly it fell for was ugly and scruffy. It looked as though it had been out for a night on the beer and had not shaved for a few days. I had no other fly quite like it and so decided to take a photo while out on the riverbank in case I should lose it. You never know – that kind of thing might be useful for the future.

As it happens I still have this fly and it has gone on to account for a few gypsy barbel, a couple of which were pretty respectable fish. I was thinking of tying up something similar in a slightly smaller size which might appeal to barbel which can sometimes be put off if the fly is not reasonably small (I invariably tie on size 14 hooks).

So yesterday I tied up a few little nymphs which incorporated the unkempt aspect of the original. I tend to tie with whatever materials I find lying around and came across some weird wiggly thread-like material one time somewhere and have used it on the nymphs to give a “leggy” appearance. I seem to have run out of many kinds of hooks and so settled for a size 14 dry fly/lightweight nymph hook. I tied up three of these things so that I could afford to lose one or two although I managed to hang on to the original.

I just popped out to the car to have a look at the fly that seemed to appeal to the fish yesterday and discovered it had taken quite a bashing during the day. Some of the dressing had slipped down the shank of the hook and so I had to give it quick makeover before it looked sufficiently glamorous for a “photo shoot”

If anyone tries to tell you that any fly is “the answer”, take that assertion with a pinch of salt. Flies are often the best compromise we can come up with. Yesterday´s fly was small enough to be accepted by barbel, light enough to land without too much noise, heavy enough to help straighten the leader, dense enough to sink slowly, bright enough to catch the eye of a carp. It had a bit of movement but was still pretty “nymphy.”

Even though it´s not going to win any beauty competitions I am quite happy with the way the fish responded to this thing. They opened their gobs and sucked the thing in. What more can we ask for?

This is the "nymph" the carp took. It has since become eve more dishevelled.

This is the “nymph” the carp took. It has since become eve more dishevelled.

After further abuse at the "fly" is looking as though it is close to retirement. A proper fly tier would probably wince at the sight of something like this but the fish seem to like it.

After further abuse at the “fly” is looking as though it is close to retirement. A proper fly tier would probably wince at the sight of something like this but the fish seem to like it.

Inspired by the success of that fly I put together the "A team"shown here. In the end I fished only one of these and the fish seemed to like it just fine.

Inspired by the success of that fly I put together the “A team”shown here. In the end I fished only one of these and the fish seemed to like it just fine.

Here is yesterday´s nymph tidied up a bit for the picture alongside the fly that inspired it. The materials give it a hint of life and a kind of "worminess." You may notice the hook has been straightened a little after a tough scrap with a carp.

Here is yesterday´s nymph tidied up a bit for the picture alongside the slightly larger “fly” that inspired it. The materials give it a hint of life and a kind of “worminess.” You may notice the hook has been straightened a little after a tough scrap with a carp. The smaller version was tied with red thread, and the original with black. Both look as though they are on their last legs. Thinking about it I doubt if I have ever seen two uglier looking flies. They look like mummies that have suddenly been rediscovered.