Humpy
By Gary Lewis
A four foot waterfall emptied into a 20 foot pool. I was there in autumn and leaves and debris churned in the underwater blender with bits of foam flecking the surface.
Knotting a #14 Humpy to my tippet, I made a roll-cast to the edge of the swirling current. A rainbow rocketed to the surface, pulling the fly down and I set the hook into the first of many trout from that waterfall pool.
The Humpy is a great attractor fly for use in turbulent water where the fish may not be very selective. Hollow deer hair keeps this fly floating long after other patterns have sunk.
Tie the Humpy on a size 12 to 18 dry fly hook. Tie a tail of deer hair, using hair that is hard and fine so that there will be less flaring of the tail. Wrap your thread to the front of the hook. Tie in a larger, fuller bunch of hair, long enough to form underbody, back, and wings. Wrap a body of yellow floss and tie off. Pull hair over the body and tie down, flaring the hair to create a wing. Use grizzly and brown hackles, tying them together, in back and front of the wing.
