This week’s Throw Back Thursday Fly is the Ida May, a fly developed by Charles Brooks.
The Ida May is listed as a general nymph fly pattern.
I probably purchased his book Nymph Fishing for Larger Trout in the 1980’s. It was early in my fly fishing and fly tying journey. I’ve always been interested in learning more about the real bugs, their life-cycle, and how to imitate them.
I think it was just before my first trip to Yellowstone Country when I purchased Brooks’ Fishing Yellowstone Waters. When I opened it recently, I found a personal note Craig Mathews wrote in it. He wrote it on one of his pictures in the book. It’s certainly a small world as I’ve gotten to know Craig a little and was able to spend time with him on his visit to Central Oregon last year. You can read about it in my Craig Mathews Winter Seminar post.
In the Henry’s Fork chapter, there’s an inscription as follows:
“To John Kreft, a friend from Henry’s Fork. Best wishes, “Bing” Lemke”
It was my first fishing trip in the Island Park area and I was able to meet a legend.
But I digress…I never met Charles Brooks. I did fish his waters and tied a few of his flies which I fished in Yellowstone Country and back in Oregon too.
So tie up a few Ida May flies and give them a try. I can’t wait to try my new-found fly for a Green Drake imitation in the near future.
I think it will work!
| Materials | |
| Hook: | Mustad 9672, #8 – 12 |
| Weight: | 10 – 20 turns lead wire the diameter of the hook shank (optional) |
| Thread: | Black 3/0 or 6/0 |
| Tail | Grizzly hackle fibers, dyed dark green |
| Rib: | Peacock herl |
| Counter rib: | Fine gold wire |
| Body: | Black fuzzy yarn or fur |
| Hackle: | Grizzly hen dyed dark green |
This is a recent tie. I decided to spin the peacock herl around the gold wire and wrap both materials for the rib.
Enjoy…go fish!
