My new favorite dry fly

[Kai]

I have a new favorite dry fly.

It has a very long name ("Wilcox's J.C. Special Pheasant Tail")

It is big and ugly, not delicate and elegant, and I can't really see that it matches any hatch I know of. But, aesthetics aside, it really works well.

I originally bought these as strike indicators for when I was fishing a dropper nymph rig. I began getting so many hits on the "indicator" that I began fishing these as stand-alone dry flies.

The fish have been going crazy over these things. I used to tie on a parachute adams as my go-to dry fly. In the relatively fast water I've been fishing lately, these have been working a lot better (probably because the fish can see them better.)
As an added bonus, the big high-vis parachute on these things means that I can see them better too.

 

[tractman]

WOW, that is one ugly bug..No wonder the fish try and kill it !!!!!!!!!

Tractman

 

[hardhat]

Looks like the Chinese Crested of flys.

 

[Frank Whiton]

Hi Kai,

Very interesting fly. If you are tying them I would try a white post as an alternative. White is a natural appearing color and it might make a good choice. I like to see fly fishers with weird flies. It tells me they are thinking and experimenting. I do hope you bend down that barb before you fish it. Thanks for the picture.

 

[Silver Doc]

:tongue: Looks like a girl I used to date in high school. :banned: Very interesting. It may that it represents a buffet of thins trout like. S.D.

 

[Silver Doc]

Almost like my syntax and spelling. Sorry. S.D.

 

[BigCliff]

:tongue: Looks like a girl I used to date in high school.

Not sure I'd admit to that.

That is a super buggy looking fly alright, and I can see why it would be one that fish would hit with a vengeance. With all that stuff on there, I'd be charging $5 a pop if i was tying and selling them.

 

[peregrines]

Wow, it looks like it was designed by a committee it's got something for everyone.

I could see how that would be a killer in fast water. Neat stuff for sure. Thanks for posting.

 

[jpbfly]

Weird but very interesting tying...thanks for sharing

 

[pszy22]

What is the material used in the tail/shuck?

 

[madjoni]

Newer sow anything like it and cant see any pheasant in it eighter

 

[ant]

Looks like the platypus of dry flies.... I like it.

 

[wjc]

Now that's a mean looking bug!

Beady little eyes looking out under those teased bangs and a punk rocker tuft of hair up top. And wearing a glitter-speckled spandex ninja suit besides.

Those trout ain't about to be intimidated by a punk-rocking, breast-stroking ninja bug.

Cheers,
Jim

 

[planettrout]

The creator of this pattern, Vince Wilcox, is one of the best innovative tiers around. I have been influenced by quite a number of his creations. His "LGM"...Little Green Machine... is a killer nymph pattern. One can view many of his flies at Flytiers ...and, he has some great bugger patterns in the Autumn 2010 issue of Fly Tyer Magazine...

PT/TB :wavetowel

 

[ezamora]

MY EYES! MY EYES!!!!!!!!!

eric
fresno, ca.

 

[sevenmxf]

I concur, fully - it's a very effective fly here in the Northeast. My son and I have had great luck with Vince Wilcox's flies - especially this one and his para variant. As a matter of fact, I believe my son has only caught trout with Vince's flies. He's a great guide as well. If you're ever up in the Rainbow Lake area north of Saranac Lake, check out his shop!

Cheers!!
Michael

 

[creeker]

If Richard Simmons were a dry-fly........ From the fish-eye, view, very buggy looking!

 

[951tightline]

The uglier the better!!! When it comes to fishing that is...

Tight Lines
Scott

 

[popperfly]

WOW!! That looks like a show girl in Las Vegas......I bet that takes a few hours to tie one

 

[ausablebrown]

That is an abomination, but I'd fish with it; However, I just lost a little respect for trout...

You catching hatchers or wilds; what varieties, and conditions?