well respected
As I continued to work through the list of patterns to add to the fly box for the coming season, it was now time to tie the well respected Grouse and Claret.
Researching the history of the Grouse and Claret didn’t produce much in the way of information on this lovely little pattern’s origins; if anyone can shed any light on this it would be very welcome indeed.
Looking at the pattern I would think it would be a good choice in a midge hatch or when sedge are on the menu, in addition to just being a beautiful little pattern to try on those days when nothing too obvious is happening.
Claret is such a wonderful colour for those dark overcast days. When claret is combined in the Grouse and Claret with its silver rib and orange pheasant tippets, the fly has all the hallmark colours of a hatching insect. The slender dark grouse wing and black hackle contrast wonderfully with the silver rib and orange tail.
When tying this pattern, the claret dubbing I had for the body was I felt, a bit nearer a magenta than a true dark claret. To resolve this I tried dubbing on a very thin and ‘tight’ rope of black dubbing, over which I combined a looser layer of the claret dubbing and then formed the body with that. The resultant colour was indeed a rich and dark claret which will darken further when wet, but at the same time, will still keep those glowing magenta highlights throughout the length of the body. It is definitely a fly that I am looking forward to trying this coming season on either the point or dropper positions of a two or three wet-fly cast.
There is something quite dramatic and humbling about being stood by a stark, wild water on a cloudy, wet and grey-skied day, fishing a team of wet flies for its wild inhabitants. And including the Grouse and Claret on the cast on such a magical day, may even add further to the experience and make it all the more special.
SoftHackles 