Four “Must have “ flies for the upcoming Autumn season at Umba

The Cascade salmon fly pattern has caught thousands of fish in recent years and has become one of the most successful flies for Atlantic salmon. Fishing one the many Famous Russian Salmon river it is a  “Must” to have in the “ammunition box”. I estimate that the Cascade fly score more than 60 percent of our total catch at the Grand Varzuga

The Cascade can produce fish in almost any conditions and at any time of year. In the summer tiny flies tied on size 12 hooks or even smaller doubles will take fish in the lowest water. When the water is higher or colder, larger sizes or single, double up to size 2. For really high and cold water tube fly versions tied on plastic, aluminum or brass tubes are successful from the earliest days of spring and again for very late autumn fishing.

The Cascade

• Tail: Hot Orange & Yellow Bucktail with clear Krystal hair.

• Body: Silver medium oval tinsel rib.

• Wing: Black Fox, maybe with some silver Krystal Hair blended into the wing.

• Collar hackles: yellow & hot orange.

• Head: black thread or varnish
• Hook: Double hook 6 – 8

The Boyo fly – by Umba veteran Illtyd Griffiths

Illtyd is a AAPGAI Master Fishing Instructor in both single handed (Trout/Sea trout) and double handed (salmon) disciplines. This is the most prestigious and difficult to attain qualification in the UK. Illtyd also share a deep passion for Umba river. A river he has fished fourteen times always with good result, maybe because he is almost always fishing his trusted Boyo fly. With permission from Illtyd YOU have now a chance to fill your boxes for the upcoming season 2014 season with Illtyd Griffiths super fly – The Boyo fly

The Boyo fly

• Hook: Double 4,6,8,10 or 12 this fly is tied on a Salar Size 7
• Tag: Oval silver
• Back Body: Silver flat braid ribbed with oval silver
• Mid Hackle: Orange hen or soft cock
• Tail: Yellow and orange mixed Bucktail with a few strands of orange Flashabou Accent or similar.
• Front Body: Black UV dubbing ribbed with oval silver.
• Wing: Black bucktail or on smaller patterns Arctic Runner Hair
• Front Hackles: Black and sunburst Yellow mixed hen or soft cock hackles
• Cheeks: Jungle Cock tied below horizontal
• Head: Black with band if fluorescent red thread.

The workhorse – The Red Butt don´t need any interdiction. No other fly has caught more Umba fish than the Red Butt 

Red Butt

• Butt: Fine oval silver Tinsel
• Tag : Red Flatbraid
• Tail: Red Fluofiber
• Body: first half/ silver Flatbraid. Second half/ peacock ice dubbing
• Ribbing: medium oval silver Tinsel
• Wing: black Tanuki
• Throat: black hackle
• Hook: Partridge Double Wilson/ Low Water Size 8 – 6
  

The Podolsky fly

In August 2013 just two days before I was heading for my Fall season at Umba, I wanted to honour my long termed friend Nick Podolsky – Our Umba camp manager and dear friend during many years that passed away last summer

The Podolsky fly

• Hook: Double Hook 6 – 8
• Tail: Polar Bear or Bucktail, Kingfisher Blue, mixed with 2-4 strain of Krystal Flash in color Pearl Blue (notice that the tail should have the same length as the fly, or a bit longer
• Body: Braided Silver Tinsel.
• Wing: Black Polar Fox. (The Podolsky fly can be tied without a wing)
• Hackle: Black Hackle and Orange front Hackle