Lures From New Zealand: Part IV
The Hackle Style



Flies With a Story

 

 

Flies With a Story #72

Other readings:
Lures From New Zealand: An Introduction

Lures From New Zealand: Part I
Lures From New Zealand: Part II
Lures From New Zealand: Part III

The Hackle Style, story and flies by John Nicholls

These old New Zealand hackle-style patterns probably imitate a Koura (freshwater crayfish), but can catch fish anywhere. The Red Setter is a highly regarded Steelhead fly in the American northwest and British Columbia, particularly when tied with a fluorescent orange body.  Though shown below with two hackles, depending on the hook size one to three hackles are used.

Two patterns, recipes, pictures and history follow:


Red Setter -- Perhaps the best-known of the New Zealand hackle-style recipes, this pattern catches more than its fair share of 'bows running out of Lake Taupo up the Waitahanui, Tauranga-Taupo and Tongariro Rivers.  Also, funnily enough, it is good on lake brown trout in the South Island. 

Red Setter

Photo by Peter Frailey


Hook: Sizes 10 to 1/0
Thread: Black
Tail: Brown squirrel tail
Body: Orange chenille, tied in two steps
Hackle: Brown hen, two hackles, one tied midway and one as a collar

Fuzzy Wuzzy -- An effective night fly using the same hackle style as the Red Setter.  Interestingly, this fly developed in the early 1940's and was originally tied with black hackle palmered up the body of the fly?  Sound familiar?  A night fly, this is also tied with a green or yellow body. 

 

Fuzzy Wuzzy

 Photo by Peter Frailey


Hook: Sizes 10 to 1/0
Thread: Black
Tail: Black squirrel tail
Body: Red chenille, tied in two steps
Hackle: Black hen, two hackles, one tied midway and one as a collar

 

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