With a touch of orange in the mid section of this reversed para emerger I feel that this artificial would replicate the Pale Watery ephemera (Baetis fuscatus) rather nicely, however, current abdominal colouration should match the Olive Upright (Rhithrogena semicolorata) fairly well; either way, this is room for further improvement but I don’t think it’ll matter too much to the trout.

Testing of this pattern will be carried out this coming weekend with a few guests.

Hook: Partridge K14ST (Oliver Edwards Nymph Emerger), #18
Thread: Roman Moser Power Silk 10/0, olive
Tails: 6x Whiting Midge Saddle, medium dun fibres
Body (bottom half): A mix of SLF Masterclass #09 Ephemera Danica and #02 Baetis Green Olive
Body (top half): SLF Masterclass #02 Baetis Green Olive
Rib: Monofilament, 4lb
Thorax: A mix of SLF Masterclass #09 Ephemera Danica and #02 Baetis Green Olive
Wing: Whiting Midge Saddle, medium dun

With the end of the trout season fast approaching we anglers rush to the rivers, streams and lakes like crack-addicts rushing shuffling to the nearest drug-rehabilitation clinic for their weekly allowance of Methadone. As it was also the Boss’ birthday a week of annual leave was booked and the relaxation/party begun…with a few fishing trips squeezed in for good measure I might add.

For some time now I’ve been of the opinion that my fishing life is too rudely interrupted by that of my working life. Instead of sitting in front of damned computer monitors all day long I could be stood in a river casting to a rising fish all the while being gently cooled by a light breeze instead of a hell-spawned rickety old office fan.

Instead of hearing the sounds of gently chattering waters I’m assaulted greeted with the wonderful sound of multiple server fans, whirring loudly in their non-climate-controlled server cabinets at the height of summer; instead of hearing the bird’s summer song I’m kicked (quite literally) in the nuts by whining IT support calls querying as to why, for example, they’re unable to turn their monitors on. At the risk of sounding totally honest sarcastic, it could be something to do with the unauthorised convector heater you’ve plugged into the socket where your monitor’s power cable plug used to be; and yes, I said convector heater, and yes, I know it’s the height of summer; such are the levels of stupidity I am duty bound to endure.

Such levels of annoyance are reduced by said annual leave and it was a fine week away from work responsibilities with much fun, beer and the even saw the odd fish oblige; I was lucky enough to be able to fit in a little more exploration on the new stream (Stream ‘B’) and also a nice short trip away for my better half’s birthday.

Sunday 22nd August: Further Exploration of Stream ‘B’

The stream of skulls…

Mark’s first fish of the day, a stonking 12″ wild brown trout

Finally, levels are up after a decent amount of rain and everything is refreshed at long last

Beauty with spots

Mark fishing ‘The Tunnel Pool’…

…and our slightly nervous journey through it…

…five minutes later (and after a lengthly discussion on how to get above the rapids) we’re safely out the other side

Nature abounds

Another ‘never been hooked before’ beauty for Mark

High waters

Yours truly beginning a cast

Hidden beauty

Sunday 24th August: Exploration Done, It’s Time for Relaxation With Stream ‘B’

The hike down to the stream and, this time, via one of the valley’s gentler slopes

White-tipped perfection

Spooky fish hold in the smooth, gentle glides…

…and only the most delicate of patterns will do, a Blue Winged Olive Reverse Parachute Emerger…

…the result: six wild brown trout.

Sparkling riffles and glorious glides abound…

…and hold similarly glorious trout.

Klinkhamers and greedy trout

Sunday 25th/26th August: Tenby

What British summer on the beach looks like…

The rain lifts…time for the pub…

Restaurants, shops and pubs hide well down the narrow alleys of Tenby harbor…

Couldn’t help it…FFISW.COM

Cliff-top vantage point

A windy morning but the gulls seem unaffected

Sunday 27th August: Return To The Home Stream

My glorious glorious home stream and where my thoughts are constantly fixed…

Autumn Dun (Ecdyonurus dispar)

One of the many obliging fish of the day, this one violently rose to a Klinkhamer

Riffley perfection

BWO RPE…

…and a trout that wanted to eat it

I’ve put a little more time into improving my tying of the Reverse Parachute Emerger (RPE) lately and, this time, have employed SLF’s Masterclass dubbing for the body and thorax instead of the pheasant tail fibres and Superfine dubbing incorporated into my previous pattern.

I’ve been tweaking this pattern in order to replicate the emerging small blue winged olives we are still enjoying on the small streams here in South Wales. Let me put you under no illusion, after 20 fish brought to hand in near enough as many minutes (which resulted in a very messed up looking RPE) I can only deduce that the trouty inhabitants of our beautiful tributaries give this pattern the thumbs up.

Hook: Partridge K14ST (Oliver Edwards Nymph Emerger), #18
Thread: Roman Moser Power Silk 10/0, olive
Tails: 3x dyed olive pheasant tail fibres
Body: SLF Masterclass, #02 Baetis Green Olive
Rib: Monofilament, 4lb
Thorax: SLF Masterclass, #01 Baetis Brown Olive
Wing: Whiting Midge Saddle, medium dun

The venues…

…the results…

Inspired by the mighty Roy Christie last weekend at the North Wales Country Fair, and after our over-a-beer chat regarding all things fly tying (there were others present, it wasn’t a date), it is time I pushed myself to tie his revolutionary pattern, the Reverse Parachute Emerger.

Fly tiers come and go, but true pioneers live forever. Like messrs Sawyer (for his legendary Pheasant Tail Nymph) and Van Klinken (for the world altering Klinkhåmer) before him, I believe Mr Christie’s patterns will live long after we are gone and that this fantastic pattern is a true eye opener in fly tying innovation.

Incorporating a monofilament paraloop to neatly hold the hackle, the pattern (as its name suggests) is tied in reverse with the tail at the hook’s eye and the head at the curve of the hook. Of course, this style of tying dictates that the hook’s eye is pushed through the surface-film and, as a consequence, a small amount of tippet is also buried…fantastic, I think you’ll agree, for overly spooky trout.

This is a pattern that just needs to be seen to be believed and which is also buoyant enough in all but the most turbulent of waters. Cast it into a gentle glide where fish can be just that little bit too cautious, it simply excels. Best of all, the RPE pattern can be tied to suit any style of emerger, simply match the colour of your artificial to that of your local water’s inhabiting invertebrates and you can’t go wrong. For example, I’ve tied the below pattern to match the emerging Blue Winged Olives of our streams here in South Wales.

A true classic and inspired tying.

Hook: Partridge K14ST (Oliver Edwards Nymph Emerger), #18
Thread: Roman Moser Power Silk 10/0, olive
Tails: 3x dyed olive pheasant tail fibres
Body: 3x dyed olive pheasant tail fibres
Rib: Monofilament, 4lb
Thorax: Superfine, Blue Winged Olive
Wing: Whiting Midge Saddle, medium dun

Boys and girls, if you’ve not yet had the pleasure of hearing the news, then let me tell you; Mr Baird (the master of all things small-fly-fishing and tying) of the wonderful Small Fly Funk has just published his first ever podcast featuring Federation of Fly Fishers, certified casting instructor, Marc Fauvet. They talk fishing, they talk flies (SMALL FLIES!) and Andy’s recent personal-best, the 45cm monster trout that successfully ate his size #26 dun imitation.

Visit Andy’s blog, Small Fly Funk, at smallflyfunk.blogspot.com and enter the world of Master Small-Fly Tier and Fisher. Seriously, one of the best fly fishing/tying blogs currently online, and one worth visiting regularly.

To hear the podcast, just click here.