Fortnightly Fly - The Usual
The original Usual was a Hendrickson imitation from noted tier Fran Betters. Over the years, the fly has metamorphosed, and branched, so that there is now a variation of the Usual to cover most mayfly hatches. Here is a perfect fly for the brave little olives of April. These hardy bugs coat the water on even the worst spring days. They are also a common masking hatch, obscured by the larger hendricksons, yet preferred by educated Au Sable brown trout. The rabbit foot used in this pattern makes for a determinedly floating fly. Treat once with gel floatant, and then switch to the powder stuff.
This is the fly for the utilitarian tier, requiring only three products:
Daiichi 1180 #18
Olive 6/0 Uni-Thread
Lt. Dun Rabbit Foot
Beginning tiers can and should substitute dun Z-lon, Antron, or Hi-Vis for wing, or both wing and tail. Rabbit foot is a meditation on controlling fly-tying fury, so be patient with yourself (and with my descriptions).
This Fortnight's Fly
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