I'm very fortunate to be admin for the best Facebook fishing group going, ""Palmetto Fly N Fish..., and still going strong after 8 years. This is one my most gratifying achievements, and in the world of social media user groups, eight years just may be a record!
A blessing that comes with such longevity is that a lot of archived content accumulates across the years.
Our group has the best members from around the world, and they add content. Much of the content is added by me, something I love to do. The Blogger page you are reading now is also under the PFnF umbrella - with its own content.
Taken together,... well, 8 years of content is a lot!
Due to recent health issues in the family, my outdoor fishing adventures are curtailed for the foreseeable future, and new content from that direction is on hold.
But, with 8 years of collected content at my fingertips, I have plenty in the "database" to fall back on.
Whenever a topic comes up, I just go through the old posts and see what turns up. 90% of the time, I find something useful, and today's featured fly is no exception. A number of posts were there and waiting, about Ward Bean's, "Cockaroo."
- All photos and flies by the author, except where noted
----------<~~>----------
Cockaroos, flat wing, and tented
In the Creators Words Ward Bean may not be a household name, but in the world of warm-water fly tying and fishing, he is a big deal. This is largely thanks to his wonderful site, "Warm Water Fly Tyer."
I consider it a staple among internet fly fishing sites, and if you want to take part in this activity, you must check it out. Among the many useful patterns found there, Ward includes our subject, "The Cockaroo."
He says this about the pattern...
"The Cockaroo wet fly, so named because it's tail and wing come from a rooster Ringneck Pheasant, is one of my favorite panfish flies. Bluegills, especially love to eat this chubby little critter."
Cockaroo by Ward Bean
http://www.warmwaterflytyer.com/patterns4.asp?page=3
I couldn't have said it better myself - the Cockaroo is one of the best sub-surface patterns I have used!
And I'm not the only one to say that. Bart Lombardo, the driving force behind another must-see site, "Panfish On The Fly," he offers this:
"During a recent exchange with a gentleman by the name of David Hutton on Facebook, I was reacquainted with this particular fly.
David posted a picture of a 'Cockaroo' that he had tied and was fishing. There was immediately something familiar about the pattern - I had seen it before. David quickly pointed me to his source for the fly pattern, and all the pieces fell into place....
To address those that say panfish will take any fly, I did a side by side test with my usual early season wet flies. Both versions of the Cockaroo took far more fish than the other wet flies, when fished together on a tandem rig.
A scientific study? No, but enough for me to add this pattern to my early season arsenal as well as my regular wet fly box!"
That's ample recommendation in my book, and Bart even called me a "gentleman."
Considering the rarity of THAT..., I'll take it.
The Cockaroo For Bart
In My Own Experience
Lets look back at a few of the Palmetto Fly n Fish archive posts where I featured the Cockaroo to glean some more gems about it:
-> "The trusty Cockaroo was cast way back into the head of a pocket, maybe a foot of water was there. The fly hit the surface, sank, and was swarmed the instant I moved it. The bluegill was feisty, hand-sized, with vibrant colors. I got the pic at the waters edge, before working out the hook. Once freed, it went back quickly, unscathed."
-> "Donald Charles Schmotzer (one of the best fishing buddies anyone could have) will remember this is the fly that took a grass-bed bass early in the season. It was a surprise to him, as he was sure floating spiders were the way to go."
-> "It was raining and cool over the last week, but a little break was all I needed... and I hooked a substantial bass straightaway on a #8 Cockaroo.
This is a routine I see repeated often: Bass taking lilliputian, insect-like flies, those intended more for bluegill or trout.
Of even greater interest, is that the take is subtle.
If on a surface fly, it is just an uncertain disturbance where your fly USED TO BE ... if it is a sub-surface fly, like the excellent Cockaroo, your line just stops and you think you've snagged a bit of weed."
-> "I took off early for a little shore stumbling around the Riverbend. I spent 60% of my time roll casting from overhanging banks; my timing was a little off at first, but no tangles or break-offs occurred!
The flies that caught fish:
Red Head Cockaroo - subsurface
Moodah Poodah - topwater"
Cockaroo Variations, at Random
Here's a fairly rough version of the, "Cockaroo." Alright, a legitimately rough version. Okay.... Let's be honest; a bad copy of his version.
"Back Shank Cockaroo," the fly tied to the rear of the hook shank to discourage deep hooking
Redhead Cockaroo
There you have it, "The Cockaroo" - a most excellent fly that YOU, too, should have!
See what I mean about looking at things that came before? It can be time well spent!
----------<~~>----------
Writers should always strive for a job well done... even mediocre ones like me. So if you found value in this article, please like, comment, and share it.
Would like to add the catching pattern seen here to your own fly or tackle box? Got questions, gripes, or suggestions?
If so, email me at...dahutist@gmail.com
If you appreciate a no-drama, no-hype Facebook group, follow this link and come join us at: © All rights reserved, David Hutton/Palmetto Fly N Fish 2023
3. https://www.panfishonthefly.com
No comments:
Post a Comment
Comments are moderated