The Little Lehigh is a spring creek. It ‘s blessed with a fertile biomass consisting mostly of midges. Midges are the meat and potatoes of this stream. They appeal to selective and opportunistic feeders. The odds of catching fish here increase as the size of the fly and tippet goes down. Ann MacIntosht tells us, in her book, not to listen to the “experts” on the Little Lehigh.” She feels large flies are effective here. While I disagree with Ann on her view if experts, I seek expert advise whenever I can get it, I will conceed there are times larger patterns work.
Shortly after the shop opened in 1993, I watched a guy flinging around large flies and he was catching fish! I began to notice he was a frequent visitor to the stream. Whatever the “Humming Bird” he was flinging around was, it worked. And it worked consistently, even in discolored water!
As time went by, I got to meet Dave Baker of Main Line Fly Tyers” fame. He shared is “Flymph” patterns with me.
The first one is dressed as follows:
Hook: #12 3906
Thread: orange or black
Tail: Black Marabou
Dubbing: Black rabbit
Hackle: Coachman brown. 1 ½ turns
The second is tyed as follows:
Hook: #12 3906
Thread: orange
Tail: Partridge (split)
Ribbing: Gold wire
Dubbing: Mixed hares ear and Red fox fur
Hackle: GROUSE. 1 ½ turns
Dave casts the “flymph” upstream. He fishes it dead drift with a twitch. Many times the trout will hit it on the swing.
Give the “flymph” a try in discolored water. You will surprise yourself.
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