Cochybondhu

[WebFreeman]

Don't remember how I found this, but I liked it and it looked easy to tie. Haven't fished it yet, but it looks good.

I've attached my version and below is the link to the tying instructions. The site is Australian and the fly, I guess, is a common British fly. It's supposed to represent a specific beetle, though is also used as a midge dry. I think I tied mine is a 16. My hackle isn't as good as the example. Did I just choose poorly? Seems too long and not as dense. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

http://www.goulburnvlyflyfishing.com.au/In...cochybondhu.htm

[troutchaser]

Cochybonhu. Sounds like an ingredient in my wife's health food cereal.

Or something you say when you step in labradoodledoody.

[Crippled Caddis]

<My hackle isn't as good as the example. Did I just choose poorly? Seems too long and not as dense>

You nailed the problem with your first statement above. Poor quality of hackle, (your hackle appears to have a low barb count on the shaft) too long and not wound densely enough. And to be a bit picky neither your fly or the example on the Oz site use Cochybondhu, the feather for which the pattern was named so neither fly can be said to be a true Cochybondhu pattern. Since I always seem to mix it up with Furnace and a few others I won't even try to describe it but suffice it to say that Cochybondhu is a rather rare hackle and looking for a good cape might prove frustrating and quite expensive if you were so fortunate as to find the authentic color variation in a good dryfly quality cape. Perhaps Davy Wotton will see this thread and chime in as he IS quite knowledgeable on the subject.

Although I've never actually gotten around to doing it I've often thought that in lieu of the proper Cochybondhu hackle a very good substitute would be to adopt the Adams hackling scheme by using mixed brown and grizzly in it's stead. It should result in a very adaptable fly suitable for many opportunities. I'd think it a very good adult midge imitator in # 18s and (much) smaller as well as suggestive of a broad range of terrestrial minutia.

[Danoinark]

I had a discussion with Davy Wotton a few months back about Cochybondhu

From what I gathered from him and as CC said, the feathers are very rare, extremely expensive and for the most part can only be obtained in a few places. The bird flu scare has caused this feather not to be imported any longer.

Dano

[WebFreeman]

I can live w/o the actual feather, I think, but it's a nice pattern. Anything easy for me to tie is a good thing.

[Guest flyfishBDS]

I used to use this some, back home in Oz I actually have a cheapie CochyBondu around somewhere Ive had for years but a shocking low barb count.

I'd be looking for a very dark version of your standard red cock. Its close enough to the AChochy to work pretty well.

I actually used red tags a lot more often that the above fly. Ive caught fish over here on them too _ its an OLD English grayling pattern which gets a bunch of use back home. Switch out the gold tag with a small tuft of red wool/poly/hackle and you get the red tag. I used to tie them a lot fatter 10s and 12 for back home, but it seems the more slender, elongated bodies are a better match for most US beetles. You can tie these with standard red hackle but I always liked the darker red mentioned above. Ived fished it plenty on Roaring River and other places you get lots of beetles.

The other critical thing with these flies, I actually learnt from the Master Noel Jetson a few years back, (Jack Dennis described him as one of the top handful of guides he'd met worldwide) is the quality of the peacock.

Most of the stuff we can access here is that nasty strung stuff, only suitable for twisting into a rope, prone to breakages, skinny herls

If you can find those nice tail feather whole, look for the ones with the widest herls you can up near the eye. Select one, tie in by the tip and palmer forward makes a delicious looking body. Noel gave me some which would fit a size 10, great herls and tie great flies.

If your ever down this way, give me a bit of notice and Ill bring some materials doiwn to the store and show you some other Aussie variants shhhhhhh LOl

Cheers

Steve

[WebFreeman]

Thanks, Steve. I'm glad you found the thread. Given your background, I knew you'd have some good info. My materials are nasty--half of which are still coming from the tying kit I found at a garage sale 15 years ago. I think it was probably 15 yrs old when I found it. But I really liked the pattern--seemed like a simple, buggy looking fly no matter what the materials. I'd be curious what other aussie/uk patterns we should be taking advantage of around here.

[Crippled Caddis]

Steve wrote:

<Switch out the gold tag with a small tuft of red wool/poly/hackle and you get the red tag.>

From whence you're only one step away from a Red Arse. Little new under the flytying sun.;o)

<Most of the stuff we can access here is that nasty strung stuff, only suitable for twisting into a rope, prone to breakages, skinny herls>

Yup----sucks like a Hoover on steroids.;o(

[Guest flyfishBDS]

Hey CC the Red Tag I think is way older than the Red butt or Arse LOl

Originally it was a wet too, the difference is the Red Tag has a tail of red

the red butt a tag (wrapped thread).

Other aussie/uk patterns, well look for some of these on line

Aussie

Guides Tag (ill show you my tie sometime

BMS (bulli Merren Special) Tie in Olive it works good here

Fuzzle Flys _ from Muz Wilson (BMS) great tier.

Spencer Dishington's Deerhair Tags

Rick Keams Hoppers are amazing

Matchams Foam Emerger series is a killed on US mayflies _ Ive adapted a bunch to suit sulphurs, BWOs, March Browns etc and used all over the US

I know some guys who have used the low riding seal's fur style hoppers from the Uk with success here, popular in UK and Oz. Im not sure that Davy doesn't have some on his site.

Lots of stuff will work, but its great fun trying new patterns.

If you get any questions on these patterns drop by.

Cheers

Steve

[Danoinark]

The cochy is a dry isn't it?

Dano

the quality of the peacock.

Most of the stuff we can access here is that nasty strung stuff, only suitable for twisting into a rope, prone to breakages, skinny herls

If you can find those nice tail feather whole, look for the ones with the widest herls you can up near the eye. Steve

I have found the best peacock fans that are in the craft and dollar stores much better than what is packaged as herl.