Westcoast Flyfishers Association (WFA) - Sooke BC

The Carey Special

by Robin Pike

They look like tiny sailboats drifting on the water surface. With wings and tails held upright, they catch any wind that might push them shoreward away from the hungry trout below. A few are fortunate enough to make it, while many others opt for flight to complete their emergence. Some, however, are not as fortunate and are gently sipped from the surface film or engulfed in a loud startling splash. It is this surface activity that draws many of us to the lakes at this time of year. It is the start of the mayfly season, and for many, one of the best dry fly times of the year.

Fishing with this Pattern

I generally use the Carey Special as a searching pattern. There are a variety of ways to fish this fly. I generally fish the pattern with an intermediate sink line or Full Sink (High D) along structure but I have also had success on shoals with a floating line. Once I cast out and let my line sink to the desired depth, I use a simple hand twist retrieve to make the fly pulsate in the water. It is this movement that I believe attracts a fish's attention. Sometimes I will strip the fly much like a sedgefly pupae (4-6 inch long strips). I have on occasion trolled with this pattern and have found that varying the troll speed often induces more strikes than a constant speed. I like this pattern a great deal and I think you'll enjoy it's simplicity and effectiveness too.

MATERIALS REQUIRED:

HOOK: Tiemco 200R, or Mustad 9672, sizes 8-14.
THREAD: Olive Brown or Black.
BODY: Peacock Herl (shown) or other colours of floss, yarn, chenille
HACKLE: Ringneck Pheasant Rump Feather
NOTE: The Carey Special can be tied in a multitude of colours and variations in body material. However, the defining feature of the fly is the consistent hackle of Pheasant rump. I prefer to tie my Careys with either floss (olives and browns) or Peacock Herl bodies. I also prefer purple tinged pheasant rump over browns and grays. I have found the Peacock Herl bodied fly to be my most effective Carey variation.

Tying Instructions for the Carey Special

Step 1: Debarb your hook and place in vice. Attach tying thread and position at the hook bend. Tie in 6-8 strands of Peacock Herl and twist the Herl clockwise around the thread as shown to create a chenille. This strengthens the fly body immensely.

 

 

 

Step 2: Wind the Herl towards the hook eye creating a cigar shaped body. Leave approximately 1/4 to 1/8 of an inch to finish the fly. To prepare the pheasant rump feather, strip off the fluffy part near the base and grasp the tip (4-6 fibers). Stroke the remaining fibers back towards the feather butt and tie in as shown.

 

 

 

Step 3

 

 

 

 

 

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Copyright 1999 - 2003.