Flash.....saviour of the universe!

I generally only add a smattering of flash to most of the flies I tie...less is more I say, but since moving to Finland though, I've started to fish with flies entirely constructed out of flash. This was born about purely because many of the lakes here are extremely peaty in colour due to all the run off from the thousands of bogs that surround them. They are very popular in Sweden with many pike fly fishermen choosing only to use flash flies to target snotrockets with. This I put down to the darker coloured water around their coast line. Flash flies can be very effective if used in the correct conditions. The general rule of thumb would be during overcast days, low light conditions (Dusk/Dawn) or when water clarity isn't at its best, yet I have been catching the odd pike with them on bright sunny days....go figure!

I used this fly last night and had several strikes at it before I eventually bagged one. Whether it was the same fish that was patroling up and down the stretch we were fishing I'm not sure.

This has also been another very good colour combination.The tail is light green DNA. Then I dubbing brushed green gold using my dubbing brush maker on my Jvice. Then added an all brown flash head.

I used this one last night but just found it was a bit to flashy for the conditions I was fishing. It will get its moment to shine though.....I'm sure!

This colour combo is probably more a spring/late autumn fly. My only gripe with flash flies is they are a bugger to photograph as these images just dont do them justice. Still, I don't tie flies to photograph...but to fish with and as long as they look good in the water,thats all that matters...hey!