HERRING DRAKE — Fly Pattern

tom-deschaine · May 31, 2014, 12:00pm

Recently, while doing some research for an article I was writing I stumbled across nifty little pattern I wanted to share with your readers. The pattern is called the Herring Drake. It was designed for lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis), which Michigan sportsmen erroneously call ‘herring’ (hence the name, Herring Drake).

Its distribution includes most of the Midwestern States and Canada. The fish live in deep inland lakes. Although extremely large ones do exist, they average about 16-18” long and average about 2-4 lbs. in weight. They are an extremely fragile fish with a delicate mouth.

During the summer months when the mayflies are on the water early in the morning and evenings these lake whitefish will feed on surface insects and rise to dry flies.

Materials:

Hook: Mustad #94831 Size 6-10 3X Long
Thread: Yellow, 6/0
Tail: 3-4 Pheasant Tail Fibers
Body: Natural Deer Body Hair
Rib: Yellow Thread
Wing: Deer Hair butts
Hackle: Grizzly or brown

Wrap the shank with a good base of thread, add you pheasant tail fibers, secure with thread then run the thread forward down the shank of the hook.

Select, cut and stack a medium bunch of natural deer body hair. Secure to the hook shank by laying the hair parallel to the shank. Using a crisscross pattern tie in the deer hair down and back leaving the tips flared at one end and the butts flared at the other end.

Now invert the hook. If you’re using a rotary vice, simply rotate 180°. If you’re using a standard vice, simply remove the hook, turn it over and re-insert it into the jaws of the vice being careful not to damage the tail material.

Pull the butts of the deer hair into an upright post position and tie off with thread.

Tie in and wrap you hackle parachute style. You may use either grizzly or brown. Secure the hackle and finish tying off the thread.

Trim off the deer hair post to form a short stubby pad. Be generous with head cement.

This pattern was created by Ann Schweigert of Roscommon, Michigan back in the 1950’s. The inversion of the hook is interesting to say the least. This is a common technique used with some bonefish, streamer, nymph and salt water patterns, but this is the first and only time I’ve ever seen it used on a dry fly pattern. Although it was designed for Lake Whitefish, I strongly suspect it might be effective on trout as well.
Next season will bring an answer to that question.

See you on the water…..

Tom Deschaine

~www.michigandryflies.net~

For more great info, check out:

Originally published May 31, 2014 on Fly Anglers Online by Tom Deschaine.