Das Cephalopod
Springtime... the squid parade begins. Be ready to greet it with this pattern.
By Pete Gray
Spring...
Early on...
Commercial squid boats can be seen off the south coasts of Rhode Island and Taxachusetts...
The Cephalopod Parade has begun and big Toothy Yellow Eyed Devil Fly Shredders [Blue Fish] soon arrive to partake in the high protein seafood buffet...
There is also a gathering of Stripers to make it all worthwhile and goal oriented...
The squid and predators work their way inshore and soon recreational fishermen from shore and boat realize the game is on...
Fly patterns should include large herring and no kit is complete without a few squid to match the hatch...
The fish are generally hungry and obliging and wire bite tippets are not a bad idea... flyz will be utterly destroyed but fantastic stories of epic proportion will live on...
Long live das Cephalopod... 'Let the show begin!!!
About a year ago a local shop [Bear's Den, Taunton, MA] put on a great mid-winter show... [This years show was even better, if that's possible...]
Wonderful talent, lots of gear, and some very relevant seminars...
A marvelous day it was!
The BUZZZ was infectious.
I got to spend some quality time up close and personal, watching David Nelson spin straw into gold...
He has his own very elegant and distinctive style and has incorporated classic techniques with brilliant material management...
David presented to me a special "sample" and it's been on the dashboard of my car for me to fully ponder and appreciate... It's been there for a year and I still find it inspiring.
My Natural insinuation employs what I have come to refer to as a Nelsonesque approach... I've borrowed some of David's insight and added some of my own...
The full profile and undulating hackles are well suited to dead drifting and slow retrieves with a floating line [intermediate line works too...]
The basic tie is very similar to my other Naturals...
Long hackles move nicely even when the fly is left to it's own devices... and the design form and function is well suited for contemporary tube tying methods!
Ultimately, the fast approaching Striped Phocus Group will have the final say but, from observations made from the test tank, my confidence is high and I'm ready to annoy some big fish!!!
Spring can't come too soon!
