Mick’s Scruffy

Mick Hall, fellow contributor to the fly tying/fishing Blog page. Like my friend Barry Ord Clarke, I will be blogging on all things fly tying, entomology and fly fishing.  I live in Australia and have travelled to many parts of the world fly tying and fishing.  It is more than a hobby for me, it is a passion.  I hope to share this passion and at the same time give you some insight into the flies that we use “Down Under”.  Many are simple-to-tie patterns, others will need a little work to get it right, but we are here to help: just ask. Mick’s Scruffy – a very simple but highly effective fly Good flies develop over time: from the original idea it may take a number of adjustments until one is happy with the finished product.

The Scruffy is no different, but what a fish catching machine this fly is!  The pattern follows a number of criteria, they being simple and quick to make, the materials are easily available and the finished product is highly successful over a lot of waters.  The Scruffy has worked remarkably well in Australia, America, England and New Zealand. It can be fished with a slow retrieve or even a dead drift, with or without an indicator.  It is equally effective in flowing streams but excels in heavily weeded still waters.  It can be fished under an indicator in very shallow water and left to drift with the breeze.  With smaller versions you can grease the leader and let it hover or slowly sink.  It was designed to represent a stick caddis but will also cross for a small damsel fly nymph.

The pattern is: MICK’S SCRUFFY – As developed by Mick Hall

Hook: Mustad Signature Series R72 Size: 16 to 12

Chartreuse Glass bead: Wapsi Caddis Killer, bead size to suit

Tail: A bunch of Black Squirrel tail fibres

Body: A fifty/fifty blend of black and olive green Rabbit fur and dubbed lightly to give that Scruffy look. NOTE:  The Wapsi Caddis beads come in a number of colours and sizes; they are inexpensive and there is a generous supply in each container.

STAGE PICTURES BY BARRY ORD CLARKE For more on the Scruffy at work, see the Lake Otamangakau article on this website.

Stage 1.  Slip chartreuse bead over the bend of the hook and insert in vice Stage 2.  Give the shank of the hook a solid bed of thread Stage 3.   Tie in a bunch of black Squirrel tail fibres for the tail Stage 4.  Loosely dub the body with the Rabbit blend Stage 5.  Continue the dubbing right up to the glass bead and tie off behind the bead. Add a little head cement to finish. Stage 6.  The finished fly only takes a few minutes to make. Do not trim off loose dubbing fibres as they enhance the fly.