Properties and Triggers Embedded Into The Hulk

  

With this post I'd like to get to a conclusion of the properties of The Hulk. In other words; the what and why, about this fly. The Incredible Hulk's “raison d'ệtre” you might say.

Let's start from the head. A pretty bulky head makes a lot of noise if you try to see it from a trout's point of view. The ears of a trout (well a trout doesn't have ears like we have but I call it that since it fills the same function) are long nerves that goes along their sides from the head and back to the tail. The things a trout hears or rather senses are vibrations in the water.

Every fly fisherman that have fished small gently flowing streams have noticed that. Suddenly something (e.g. a trout) takes off like a greased lightning. So the trout has VERY BIG ears if you catch my drift. Back to this particular fly I think that this is of major importance in still waters or gently flowing and maybe deep rivers.

So the sound (or vibrations) that this fly makes in the water attracts the trout. Since it's a predator it might be a prey making that noise. So it gets interested and approaches. This is the best case scenario. So what happens when the fly becomes visible to the trout?

Then we arrive at the rest of the deer hair in the fly. I call it a skirt since it kind of looks like it. Whats the purpose with that? It's to make the fly look alive. So here another aspect comes in. The movement of the fly. This is the most important with this fly. The fact that it's looking alive. I always fish this fly with and intermediate fly line with a poly leader ending in a tiny silver ring where I tie in the tippet. The thickness and length of the tippet I adjust according to the weather. Many times, especially when the sun is shining, I've looked closely at the fly while fishing. What I've seen could be described as a little olive squid moving forward. When retrieving the line the “skirt” retracts and when you pause it expands. So it really looks alive. Some words of precaution seems appropriate here. First about he head of the fly; don't trim it to much from the beginning. After a few trouts it'll need another trimming to look neat anyway. Second about the “skirt”; don't make it too long otherwise it'll be caught up by the hook and then it won't look to appetizing to the trout.

Then we arrive to the body of the fly. It just gives some sparkle to the fly and might function as a trigger to some trout.

Then we have the wing. If it's tied in properly it will add to the impression that the fly is a living thing. It will move up and down when you retrieve the fly in a very seductive way for the trout. I have a weak spot for white in a fly and therefore I use fibers from the squirrel tail that has a white tip as a wing on the fly. It works pretty well so that's why it has replaced the original wing I used on this fly.

Finally there is a tail of the fly. I use red calf tail fibers for this and I think that is something that has kind of rooted in me; a streamer or wet fly do well with a red tail. That's just what my experience tells me and the trout doesn't mind it seems. A little word of caution here too. I tie up the tail with the tying thread so it won't get caught by the hook. Well this kind of rounds up how this fly became this way. I might add that I've tried it in different colors but this one works best at least in the waters I fish. I'm open for any suggestions or comments about this fly and how I think about the properties and triggers of The Incredible Hulk.

Have fun if you wish to try it like this or with the improvements you want to make to it according to your waters or preferences,

M.O.