The Claret Carrot is one of the simplest and most versatile dry flies available to a flyfisher, writes Craig.
As the name suggests, this pattern is a variation of the traditional Carrot fly, simply substituting claret seals fur for the original orange seals fur. It doesn’t imitate anything specific; rather it is suggestive of many possible trout foods, e.g. beetles, mudeyes, midge balls, crickets, emerging mayfly, etc.
As with many great flies, how it is fished is at least as important than the fly itself. Simply massage some fly floatant into the fly and you have a robust pattern which will catch trout after trout with minimum fuss.
At Millbrook Lakes, it is a fly we use extensively during the cooler months when fish are feeding on midge. However, it enjoys great results nearly everywhere, from the shores of Great Lake in the Tasmanian highlands to Lake Eucumbene in the Snowy Mountains. On the right day, it is also particularly effective on many of the Ballarat lakes, and the Grampians lakes.
Although the humble Claret Carrot may not be the flashiest of flies, it has certainly caught more than its fair share of trout over the years.
Materials
Hook – Size 10 -12 Medium wire dry fly.
Thread – 8/0 Black
Tail – Red seals fur
Body – Claret seals fur
Hackle – Fiery Brown Indian cock hackle.
Tying instructions
1. Tie in a tuft of red seals fur and fold back over itself to create a tag. (If you prefer, you can use red wool or even a sparkling red dubbing to make the tag.)
2. Tightly dub in a body of claret seals fur, creating a plump carrot shape.
3. Tie in a full head hackle, facing the natural camber of the feather to the rear of the fly.
4. Whip finish, and apply head cement.
Fishing it
Due to the fly’s buoyant design, it is excellent for suspending a buzzer or other small wet underneath. It can be fished static, or smoothly figure-8 retrieved through the waves. Whilst the Claret Carrot can work well in broad daylight, for me, it really stands out as an evening fly.
It is a good option when cockchafers are hitting the water or mudeyes are hatching. And when the trout are midging, try running a Milly Midge 60-90cm off the rear of the fly, and retrieve the team using steady draws and pauses. While many takes will be on the Milly, a surprising number of trout will eat the Claret Carrot. This is one of the most consistent ways to catch midging fish.
