Compare and contrast...

Monday, 5 June 2023 at 21:42

...the tying and efficacy of scruffy CDC Mayfly patterns (leftmost row) with the spectacular preening of the Mohican (right of image). The Mohican looks lovely, floats beautifully, is immensely attractive to trout but is a poor hooker and holder of fish. I experimented (again) with the pattern today: rose three, hooked three, brought none to hand. (I also think the size 10 I was offering today was a bit big for what were generally rather little wild trout.) Compare with the scruffy CDC May, tied with an upright plume of yellowish CDC wound around with another, beige or grey CDC feather, parachute style and with its abdomen tied to fish just under the film. Total today: three fish risen, three brought to hand. That's not at all conclusive - but the success of the CDC May (Itchen, Test, Lathkill, Nidd, several other waters....) is beginning to seem suggestive.