Okay all you stillwater guys. I have a question for you. What IS a Bibio? I did a search and I came up with at least 3 patterns that were not in any way similar. The pattern that came up the most looked almost like a winged ant (black) only larger. Anyway, I am wondering if the bibio fly is a specific fly, or just a general one.
Thanks,
Don
Don,
When one refers to a Bibio pattern this generally is meant to be an imitation of a Bibio Marci, or the more popular name of Hawthorn fly.
Here is a good imitation, as tied by Igor and Nadica Stancev from Macedonia:
Cheers,
Hans W
=== You have a friend in Low Places === [url=http://www.danica.com/flytier:1fd34]http://www.danica.com/flytier[/url:1fd34]
[This message has been edited by Hans Weilenmann (edited 28 September 2005).]
The Bibio is a Loch pattern:-
Hook: 10 - 14
Thread: Black
Body: Black Seal’s fur with a middle section of red seal’s fur.
Rib: Silver wire through the hackle.
Hackle: Black, two turns at the shoulder and palmered down the body.
This is the original version but there are now quite a few variants i.e. the Pearly Bibio.
Body: Pearly Mobile Mother of Pearl with a centre body of fluo red wool.
There are the (bibio marci) Hawthorn fly, as above (Hans), the (bibio johannis) the Black Gnat and the (bibio pomonae)the Heather fly or Bloody Doctor. The Hawthorn and Heather fly are very similar in size and appearance except that the Heather fly has bright red sections on its hind legs hence the old Scots name - Bloody Doctor. I think the pattern I gave is probably the Heather fly.
It is a very popular pattern in Scotland, Ireland and on the big English reservoirs for loch style fishing as a top dropper.
It is not a difficult pattern to dress.
I think I have covered everything.
Donald/Scotland
[This message has been edited by Donald Nicolson (edited 28 September 2005).]
there is a nice pattern, essay and step by step illustrations in oliver edwards’ excellent book, “flytier’s masterclass.” I’m not entirely sure I’ve got the title right. anyways, it’s a relatively simple pattern, at least compared to others in the book.
mgj
This here illustrates my problem. I was a readin up on it, thinkin that I might just try this stillwater Diawl Bach fishing technique listed [url=http://globalflyfisher.com/patterns/diawl_bach/index.php:7bb2e]HERE.[/url:7bb2e] From that I decided to search on the Bibio fly and came accross both the one that you showed Hans and the one that Donald did, along with one that looked like a fur ant.
Which one is actually what I should tie? Or are they the same, just Hans’ is more realistic and Donald’s is more impressionistic?
Makes you go HMMMMMmm. (Quick, name that show.)
Don
[This message has been edited by drolfson (edited 29 September 2005).]
Peter Gathercole in his “the fly-tying bible” uses the black/red seal dubbing and full palmered version. I’d opt for that version as well.
It is intended to create a surface disturbance and thus attract fish to it or the other dropper/point flys. This really, really works well. I fish single/barbless fly areas but I use an indicator and make sure everything goes “plop” when the fly lands on the water.
The problem is in terminology, Bibio is the first word in the names of a group of terrestial flies, unfortunately anglers have used it for the name of a specific pattern i.e. the one I showed above.
The pattern Hans showed you is a dry fly usually used on streams but it can be used on lakes if you wish, it is meant to be fished on its own.
The “Bibio” is a bushy fly intended as a top dropper in a team of flies for loch fishing and could be combined with the “Diawl Bach” as one or more of the others.
I hope this answers your question.
Donald/Scotland
p.s. Don, why didn’t you post this in the Frogwater (Stillwater) forum. It is beginning to need all the help it can get, remember the old saying ‘if you don’t use it, you’ll loose it’.
[This message has been edited by Donald Nicolson (edited 30 September 2005).]