September and October definitely offer some great last of the season trout fishing. The waters in the trout ponds are cooling down significantly and the trout season won’t end until October 15th. My preferred method of trout fishing is to use flies, mainly nymphs, wet flies and streamers. One of my favorite fly patterns is the Sparrow, which is great for catching trout, salmon, bass, perch and even crappies. An innovation of well-known fly-tier Jack Gartside, his "bird of another feather" pattern was highlighted in a 1970’s magazine article by Phelps Laszlo, of Fremont, Massachusetts.
Jack Gartside told me, "It’s been over 25 years since I tied up the first Sparrow in the campground at Baker’s Hole, along the Madison River. My first efforts were attempts to combine some of the basic elements of a nymph pattern with those of a baitfish. I intended to develop a fly that could be effectively fished as either. My fly was named by my friend Phelps Laszlo. The Sparrow developed into one of those ‘buggy’ flies that looks like everything and nothing, embodying a vague and indefinite impression of life. But, whatever it may seem to be to the fish, it has qualities to attract and make the fish want to take it."
The top fly seen in the photo above is
a sparrow, as designed by noted fly-tyer Jack Gartside.
Below left
is the Sparkle Sparrow tied by the author (note the strands of
Crystal Flash above the body and extending
to the near length of the tail. Below right is the Sparkle Sparrow
2 (note the strands of Crystal Flash on top
extending back toward the tail and the bright Chartruese tied
behind the collar toward the fly's head.
I was fishing on the Merrymeeting River, in Alton, N.H., when a successful angler showed me his flybox containing a dozen Sparrow flies. I was immediately impressed with their quality and bugginess. Recalling an article in United Fly Tyers Magazine, I found the recipe and tied my first Sparrow that very night. My late father-in-law, Gustave Marinier, and I gave them a test at Whittemore Lake, in Bennington, N.H., one afternoon. There were 12 boats on the lake trolling and still-fishing. No one appeared to be having any luck. It was as if no trout existed in the lake.
Trolling several different fly patterns without success, we finally tied on our Sparrow wet flies. Double hook-ups became common as we trolled around the lake. Anglers seeing the action we were getting, while they were not, just couldn’t believe it! I gave several Sparrows away to anglers witnessing our action. In an hour and a half, Gus and I caught and released 85 rainbow trout and one brook trout. The Sparrow worked well indeed. Granted, that happened back in the mid-1980s, but the Sparrow worked well then and it still does today.
For those of our readers who tie flies, here is the dressing for the Sparrow:
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Thread - Danville prewaxed or Uni-Thread 6/0 in black or olive color.
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Hook - Mustad #9671 (or equivalent) in sizes #4, #6, #8 (#8 is best all around) or Mustad #9672 for size #10. The fly can be weighted or unweighted at the thorax. For salmon trolling, use a Mustad #38941 3X, extra long shanked hook.
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Tail - A tuft of medium gray pheasant down extending 7/16 inch beyond the hook bend.
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Body - (light) fox, (medium) muskrat, (dark) mink. I prefer the muskrat fur. Dub the fur loosely, leaving the guard hairs in. I use the spinning loop method for winding the body and dubbing. The body should extend 2/3 the length of the chosen hook.
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Hackle - Rump feather, with slight greenish tint, from a male pheasant. Three or four turns wet fly style around the hook. Tips should extend slightly beyond the bend of the hook. Wrap gently to avoid breaking the feather.
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Collar - A medium gray, long shanked pheasant down (after-shaft feather) found beneath the contour of the rump feathers. Make three or four close wraps in front of the hackle, wetting your fingers and stroking the fibers back after each turn. These feathers are very fragile, so you will tend to break a few before you get the hang of it. If a feather breaks, remove it and start again.
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Cement final wrappings - Finish with a neat head, lacquered with two coats of clear fly-tying
Lacquer.
It was a couple of years later that I improved on Jack Gartside’s Sparrow fly and innovated the Sparkle Sparrow by adding four to five strands of Crystal Flash, tied on after the body has been wound on, over the back of the fly. The strands extend to the end of the tail. After the collar has been, I added a small clump of Chartreuse or fluorescent green Wooly Chenille (or a similar material) at the top, just behind the head and extending back ¼ length of the hook shank. My first experience using the Sparkle Sparrow took place on the Suncook River, in Barnstead. I caught and released three beautiful rainbow trout of 13 to 15 inches in length.
Since those times, I carry Jack Gartside’s Sparrow and my Sparkle Sparrow patterns in my fly-box. There are times when one pattern may work better than the other. For salmon trolling, I find it works best to tie the Sparrow and Sparkle Sparrow on the longer shanked Mustad #38941 hook. Use the largest rump and after-shaft feathers from your pheasant skin when using this, or a similar hook, to accommodate the longer body. Tie both versions of the Sparrow.
The secret of the Sparrow’s success is the way its tail undulates, the collar breaths and the hackle pulses when fished. Add to that the flashy colors of the Sparkle Sparrow, which also does the same, and you’ve got a deadly combination with you. I have used both patterns of the Sparrow in successful fly-fishing ventures for trout, salmon, bass, yellow and white perch as well as for black crappie. If you don’t tie your own flies, there are two professionals nearby who could do the job for you. One is: Bob Mitchell, Ipswich Mayfly Co., 16 Bay Street, Goffstown, N.H. 03045, phone: 603-232-4652. The second person is: Ron LaCroix, 10 LB Fly Shop, 590 Route 3A, Bow, N.H. 03304, phone: (603) 225-2165.
In the meantime, be sure to get out this fall and enjoy some great trout fishing before the cold winter snows blow our way. Tight lines to all.
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