In The Masters on the Nymph
(The Lyons Press, ISBN 1-58754-704-1) Chuck Fothergill presented a
technique for fishing a nymph that Lefty Kreh dubbed "the outrigger"
method. "The outrigger technique is a nymph presentation to those
fish located near the bottom of a river, that layer of water in which
the larvae of insects spend most of their lives and where trout do most
of their feeding." This technique would evolve into what is now
known as high-stick nymphing. It is perhaps the most deadly and
effective trout fishing technique one can employ on a trout stream.
Before the method became an
accepted standard one more fly fishing master needed to work out the
fine details of the high-stick system. This job was taken by Georges Odier
who quietly changed fly fishing in a fundamental and profound manner
with the 1984 publication of his book Swimming Flies (Stone Wall
Publishing, ISBN 0-91327-648-0). Odier was one of the first to
understand that adult caddis re-enter the water and swim to the bottom
to deposit eggs directly in desirable habitat. He determined that
eggs released at the surface would drift for hundreds of yards before
reaching the bottom and thus was an unlikely action for a species as
successfully established as the caddis. His research into the life
cycle of this important insect, and his single-minded focus on refining
Fothergill's outrigger technique, prompted an industry that, more than
two decades later, is dominated by fast action nine-foot rods engineered
to make the most of this tight-line method. Beyond this, Odier
lauds the efficacy of the Renegade as a caddis imitation many times over
in his tome.
The Renegade started its life as an
attractor dry fly. It was also fished as a wet fly on the swing. It
was only a short drop to the bottom to prove this fly is also a fine
nymph. I've suggested the use of dry flies as nymphs and
subsurface offerings many times in the past. I believe the stiff
dry fly hackles create a sonic signature in the water. This sonic
signature is a strike trigger when detected by the sensitive lateral
line of trout and other game fish.
Today the Renegade is still a fine
dry fly. Rodger Oleson recently reminded me that the Renegade is
also a pretty neat fly when presented in its historically correct
dressing, which includes a gold tinsel tag, brown hackle to the rear and
white in the front. While I usually strive for accuracy in my
patterns, on this one I resorted to the fly tier's version of the
vernacular. I present the fly as I commonly use it. No
matter how you tie it, this is a fly that works. Use it anytime
caddis or midges are on the water. Even better, add a couple split
shot 6 to 10-inches above the fly and fish it in the "layer of water in
which the larvae of insects spend most of their lives." You won't
be disappointed!
Hook: Mustad 94140 dry fly, size 10 to 18
Thread: Black, 8/0
Rear Hackle: White or cream, dry fly quality
Body: Peacock herl, 3 strands
Front Hackle: Fiery brown, dry fly quality
