The fly box · No. 14 of 36
Klinkhåmer Special
An emerging caddis or mayfly hanging beneath the surface film.
- Kind
- Emerger
- Hook sizes
- 10–16
- Season
- Spring, summer, autumn
- For
- Trout and grayling
- At the vice
- A moderate tie
The dressing
| Hook | Curved emerger or light grub hook, barbless or barb flattened, sizes 10–16 |
|---|---|
| Thread | Tan or grey, 8/0 (70 denier); a finer thread helps for securing the hackle |
| Tail | None |
| Body | Fine light tan synthetic dubbing, slim and tapered well round the bend |
| Rib | None |
| Hackle | Blue dun, chestnut or ginger cock, wound parachute-style, five or more turns |
| Wing | Post of white poly yarn |
| Also | Thorax of two or three strands of peacock herl, wound either side of the post |
Tying it
- Tie in the poly-yarn post a third of the shank back from the eye and wrap a firm thread base up it.
- Tie in the hackle against the foot of the post.
- Take the thread deep round the bend and dub a thin abdomen back up to the post.
- Tie in the peacock herl and wind a thorax behind and in front of the post.
- Wind the hackle down the post in five or more turns.
- Tie the hackle off around the base of the post or behind the eye, and whip finish.
- Trim the post to a length that suits the light.
Fishing it
Use it on riffles, pool heads and any water with enough ripple to hide a leader. Cast upstream or across on 5X (0.15 mm) and let it drift freely; takes are often confident, head-and-tail rises. It draws fish up from surprising depth, so it is worth searching likely water even with nothing showing. A size 12 will carry a small bead-head nymph underneath, which makes it a useful first rig on an unfamiliar river.
Where it comes from
Hans van Klinken, a Dutch angler, worked the pattern out in 1984 on Norwegian grayling rivers after noticing how many fish were taking insects caught halfway through hatching. He put a parachute hackle on a deeply curved hook so the abdomen would sink while the thorax stayed afloat. Fish see the body from far off; the angler sees the post.