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.
