West of Ireland guide Tom Doc Sullivan shares his three favourite wet-flies for summer loughs
RED-ARSED GOLDEN OLIVE BUMBLE
Hook Size 10-14 Fulling Mill FM-1180
Thread Claret 8/0 Uni
Tail Golden pheasant crest
Rib Lagartun gold oval tinsel
Body Two turns of red seal’s fur substitute, then golden olive seal’s fur substitute
Body hackles Golden olive cock and brown or olive cock wound together
Head hackle Blue jay
T CKingsmill Moore, author of A Man May Fish, invented this great pattern. On my variant, I’ve added a red butt, and I alter the shade of one of the body hackles to brown or olive cock. Early in the season, I stick to the classic dressing without the red arse. As a size 12 bob fly, it can be irresistible to olive-feeders. However, as the season progresses, I’ve found the red derrière is a successful trigger point.
The addition of legs, eyes and beards to the Bumble in recent years has seen it evolve into many different patterns, notably the Gorgeous George, a pattern kicking at the door to get into my top three flies.
SILVER DABBLER
Hook Size 8-12 Fulling Mill FM-1530
Thread Red 8/0 Uni
Butt Glo-Brite No.4
Tail Four or six cock pheasant tail fibres
Body Flat silver tinsel
Rib Silver wire
Body hackle Red game cock (one side stripped)
Wing Rolled bronze mallard
Beard Rolled bronze mallard
Eyes Jungle cock or orange goose biots
A collection of lough-style wet-flies would not be complete without a Dabbler of some description. I was hard pushed not to include the claret version but gave the nod to the silver. This is one of few patterns I use every month of the year on the loughs. It is a brilliant fry imitator; however, during the summer, the incorporation of a Glo-Brite tag makes it a deadly pattern for daphnia-feeders in the deeps. The slim features
