The Sheep Creek Special is an old school stillwater fly created by George Biggs of Jerome, Idaho. George developed this fly in the sixties for Sheep Creek Reservoir on the Nevada - Idaho border. This man was way ahead of his time as he learned and mastered the secrets of fishing stillwater with a fly rod and flies. This pattern can duplicate a snail, and many other aquatic bugs that are found in lakes through out the west. I'll be honest here, I never fished this fly until this year - I am impressed to say the least. Frenchman's Reservoir is a high dessert lake located in Eastern Plumas Co., I have a friend, FTR who fishes it better than anyone I know. His secret, float tubing with an Int. line and the Sheep Creek Special. The man is a human vacuum cleaner. I have been doing well with this fly when the trout at Lake Davis are being fussy, with such a simple fly I'm still scratching my head in wonder - What makes this fly so special?
This is a simple fly to tie, a hackle spun on the rear, a body, and a wing on top. I like to tie mine on a Tiemco 2457 #10, it looks more buggy than using the standard long shank hook and in my opinion has better hooking power. This fly has stood the test of time, and you don't argue with such great results. Nope, you just tie one on the end of your leader and have the confidence that George had.
RECIPE:
-Tiemco 2457 scud hook #10.
-Black 0/6 thread.
-Brown dry fly hackle, over sized.
-Chenille body in olive or brown. Jay Fair short shuck works very well also.
-Wood duck feather for the wing, I have been doing well with lemon wood duck.
4 comments:
My go to fly on almost all stillwaters including Davis and Frenchman's.Simple yet effective.I use peacock ice dubbing for the body and small copper brown wire for the ribbing.Great fly!!
Try it with peacock herl and white/black wood duck for the wing in size #14 tiemco dry fly hook for skinny water. one of my favorite skinny water fly. sinks slow so you can fish it in a foot of water. i often just cast it to a target and let it sit with no strip. they pounce on it.
If I am backed up on the bank in my kayak and i have a fish swimming 4-5 feet from the bank down the bank I will throw it a foot from the bank and strip in pops and get the fish to chase it. they will charge it and make a wake going after your bug. good fun. try it.
Really enjoyed your "Stalking Stillwater Trout" in the June California Fly Fisher. Your comments on Frenchman caused me to go to the computer to look up the Sheep Creek Special. I had heard it was a good one for Frenchman before but never bothered to look it up. Fished Davis last Thursday, mid day, one weak grab on a size 10 stillwater. Saw a few fish on the surface but couldn't do any good.
I tie this fly with peacock herl and a bead head and the panfish in the warm water streams around Philadelphia hit it pretty hard.
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