New Carp Fly - Hybrid Copper Grudge Grouse

Hybrid Copper Grudge Grouse

Soft-hackles have been the fly tying theme all week.  And frankly, after tying size 14-16 soft hackle wets for trout I needed some variety.  And, that's when I opened my carp box and noticed the low reserves of trusty size 6 GB Sparrow Nymphs.   Many a carp and buff have been caught and released using this fly and it is my go-to pattern when pursuing them.  But, I wasn't going to tie Sparrows.  I needed to tie some other large soft-hackles that would catch carp, steelhead, smallies, or whatever; including trout--much like the Sparrows do.

Without much thought, I rummaged around for my size 6 TMCs… they were gone.  That explains the low supply of Sparrows remaining from last year.  Onto Plan B.  I had plenty of salmon hooks and nymph hooks of the right size; but, their shape was not what I was looking for. Then, I landed on a curious old box of size 10 Mustad 9672 streamer hooks.  I had them around for tying masses of Pass Lakes and Picket Pins for Arrowhead brookies, that I never got around to tying.  I like the length of this hook for a larger soft hackle; and, I wanted to build something with a narrow, but buggy profile on it.  The Copper John came to mind as a base fly for the fusion of patterns that was about to occur.   

I wanted more bugginess on this fly than the goose biot tails would offer from the CJ.  So, I threaded on a gold bead, tied in, and quickly put a tan rubber tail on the fly.  Then, I started with the CJ influence by wrapping a copper wire abdomen; but, ribbing it with an additional copper wire to help build the profile slightly.  Next, I wrapped the thorax with lead and proceeded to wrap 5 or 6 strands of peacock herl.  I made wraps over the herl thorax with black thread to improve the durability of the fly.  Then, I started to tie the Sparrow Nymph at the front end of the thorax--wrapping a couple turns of a ruffed grouse wing feather.  But, I wasn't satisfied with the bugginess this would offer.  And I remembered how much I liked Whitlock's Rubberlegged Red Fox Squirrel Nymph.  So, I tied in a set of rubber legs matching the tail.  The fly came to life.  I then returned to the Sparrow pattern by tying on a grouse aftershaft feather and making two turns of it before finishing the fly. 

I sat back and admired the hybrid.  I liked it.  It was buggy as hell.  Of all the right colors.  Natural but with some flash.  Slender and true in profile to the traditional soft hackle wets--but with a few modernizations.  Delicate but it would sink quickly to a laid up carp in the shallows.  Three popular flies made their way into this pattern:  the GB Copper John, the Sparrow, and Whitlock's GB Rubberlegged Red Fox Squirrel Nymph.  

This fly should work very well in the spring when large carp enter small water.  I've had days on these fish where they simply wouldn't eat anything I threw on them.  It was enough for a grudge to begin to develop.  This fly is meant to take care of that grudge.  

Copper John body with Sparrow Nymph hackle scheme.

Hybrid Copper Grudge Grouse
Hook:  Size 10 Mustad 9672 (TMC equivalent preferred for sharpness)
Thread:  8/0 Black
Tail:  Solid Tan Rubber (with random fleck)
Abdomen:  Small Copper Wire
Rib:  Small Copper Wire
Weight:  8-10 turns of Lead Wire
Thorax:  Peacock Herl (roughly 5-6 strands)
Hackle:  Ruffed Grouse (2 turns)
Legs:  Same as Tail
Collar:  Ruffed Grouse Aftershaft Feather (2 turns)
Head:  Gold Bead

Hopefully, this fly will show up again attached to some nice fish in my April and May blog posts!