- CFF softies 006 (600x523).jpg (65.82 KiB) Viewed 5537 times
Drifting the river, we encounter back-eddies that, in summer, accumulate organic slicks composed, mostly, of the oil & debris of decayed & decaying insects from past nights hatches. Mixed with that dusty miasma are a number of still-living & edible wee insects. There are usually some trouts cruising the back-eddy slicks, tipping & sipping. The other guides, with their bobbers & beadheads, generally avoid these fish because they know they are difficult & won't eat that gear. We call these fish "scum suckers." I love them. I carry a 10', 5wt rigged with a DT & 15' leader tipped with a single Partridge & Yellow, especially for scum suckers. Thread bodies fish cleaner in the scum, as dubbing tends to gather it.
I can't think of anything more zen simple than this fly, nor as difficult to tie. It is buck naked & there's no hiding in the details. I think the trick with this, or any fly, is to get it 'right' without resorting to primness. When tying, making bait, I don't think about a rigid metric of correctness while I work. I've seen it. I'm visualizing perfect-circle grabs under lowering skies, on those summer scummed seam-lines. Trying to put that mojo into the fly in my vise. Constantly washing my hands while handling the yellow silk, it still colors with my doings.
