Viking Lars wrote:Thanks for all the suggestions - it looks like I'll be tying some Black & Peacock today :-).
So here's another question - how the H... does one identify that fish are feeding on snails, without catching one one Bugger and opening it?
Lars
it will remain one of the mysteries in fly fishing me think. i remmember once I hooked a brown on a Black & Peacock but this river doesnt hold any snails ever. Go figure it.
Wise indeed was George Selwyn Marryat when he said: "its not the fly; its the driver"
Good observation Alex.
It should be known as the 'Black & Peacock' in the tradition of old soft hackled flies that drew no name other the the materials. In this instance black hackle and peacock body.
A forerunner was the 'Smoke Fly' and old North Country pattern which had a fine silver ribbing and a Grouse poult under-wing covert feather as a hackle. Over 100 years old that pattern.
Tom Ivens was the originator of the 'Black and Peacock' over 40 years ago.
It was said to represent either a small snail (as discussed here), beetles or caddis flies or even small stone flies.
The point is that the pattern can be classed as a good generalist to have in your fly box.
You know what they say when asked what colour is the best. "Just choose any colour as long as it is black"
Mind you he did originate it for use on still waters.
The late Arthur Cove used this effect as a team of droppers fishing them (among other spider patterns) VVVVEEEERRRRRYYYYY slow on a retrieve and caught numerous fish with the pattern.
I have an old friend in Australia that has fished nothing but this fly on streams and he has caught thousands of fish. He calls it his 'damp fly'.
i can find the Smoke Fly under No56 in Pritt, 1886. He was well aware of the fancy flies. Pritt, Stewart and Skues were all aware of the fancy flies. Only the hard headed Halford believed that a imitation should be a close copy fished upstream cast to a rising fish. What a boring approach! Id rather take fly casting rather than purism :p
No doubt in my mind that Halford would be outfished by any of the above three
In the words of the great Skues: "The imitation may be Impressionist,Cubist,Futurist,Post-Impressionist,Pre-Raphaelite, or caricature.The commonest is caricature.It therefore catches most fish." The great Gary LaFontain will talk about the caricature flies later. Nemes was doing of fly called Syls Midge, inspired from the Black and Peackock. The difference is the smaller size - from 16 and smaller ,and the hackle is of partridge. After reading the book I tied some of these on 16 and hooked fish on the very first day out. Such flies - soft hackles or traditional wets could be taken for whatever your imagination is up for - all food to fish - beetles, hatching mayflies, spinners, cripples, snails, egg laying caddis. Its fascinating using them from time to time here and there in my fishing, so old a stuff and still catching fush
Wise indeed was George Selwyn Marryat when he said: "its not the fly; its the driver"
Id rather take fly casting rather than purism :p 
