Tuesday 26 July 2022

The Clan Chief Cormorant

The Clan Chief trout fly as many may know is a modern day traditional bumble style wet fly of great repute for the Lochs of the Outer Hebrides first devised by Captain John Kennedy of South Uist.
Over the years this fly has become one of my favourite patterns and I've always got a few of them tucked away in my box.
Being an enthusiastic flytyer I'm always tinkering with patterns, more out of curiosity, fun and interest than anything else because why should I try changing a fly pattern that has such a great reputation? I suppose its just what flytyers do and what inspires us to keep developing.
Recently I was tying a few cormorants which I have a great fondness for and have used  to great effect over the years mainly on the local club lochs. However I've been thinking these patterns could be just as effective for the wild brown trout of the Highlands and Islands too.
Whilst looking through my materials box for marabou to tie some for a forthcoming fishing trip I came across a two tone black and red rabbit zonker strip which I forgot I had and that was when the idea suddenly came into my head of combining the Cormorant and Clan Chief together.
So far the Clan Chief Cormorant has worked well on a local Loch as well as a commercial fishery!
However I'm really looking forward to pulling hese patterns next month  on the lochs of the Clan Chief's spiritual home Island of South Uist.
I recently had some feedback
regarding these patterns from someone on the Island who thought it was an interesting idea and mentioned that he would show them to Ian Kennedy a Ghillie on  South Uist and the son of John Kennedy  the creator of the original Clan Chief to see what he thinks about it. I'd imagine the word Sacrilege might come to the fore!

The dressing is as follows!
Size 10 kamasan B175 hook
Fire Orange Unin8/0
Yellow Glo-Brite floss tail.
Black seals fur sub dubbed body
Silver wire rib
Two tone rabbit hair wing

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