About the Parachute Black Spinner Trout Fly

We have some exciting black spinner fishing along the shore right in front of our fishing lodge during the summer months. Warm afternoons and an offshore breeze usually sees 3 pound browns leaping for these dancing mayflies only a few yards from the shore. Depending on the mood of the trout, they will either suck the imitation Black Spinner under so quietly it will leave you wondering if the fish has actually taken your fly. Alternatively they will smash it from the top! Sometimes the adult mayflies will fly en masse to lay their eggs, forming a blanket of spent spinners across the surface of the water. The fishing suddenly becomes very exciting as trout fin along the top shovelling the tasty morsels down their throats- the problem is deciding which trout to throw your fly at! There are numerous variations of the Black Spinner fly, the parachute version with which I have had most success is tied by Tasmanian fly tyer Bruce Gibson. This fly is also deadly for chasing trophy brown trout when polaroiding the Western Lakes! Comments By Brett Wolf , who owns and operates Blue Lake Lodge, a luxury fishing lodge on the shores of Arthurs Lake, Tasmania's most productive wild brown trout fishery. There is a huge self sustaining population of fish in Arthurs Lake, mostly in the 2-3 pound category with some 4-5 pounders thrown in. The fly fishing on Arthurs Lake is centred around prolific mayfly hatches, midge hatches, and various terrestrial insect falls. For 6 months of the fishing season we rarely use anything except a dry fly. Almost all of the fish we catch are sighted before they take the fly. Blue Lake Lodge is also a short drive from Tasmania's wonderful wilderness fishery- the Western Lakes. During the early season w

Expert Tip:

Two hours of polaroiding and we had not even spooked a fish, morale was low. Suddenly from about 12 yards in front of us, in knee deep water, emerged a monster brown. Brian's cast landed right on line and the big brown rose up and refused the Red Tag. She then changed direction and I told Brian to cover her again. Next cast also was right on line, except this time the Black Spinner, was nearest the fish. She quietly sipped the fly, Brian set the hook, and all hell broke loose. She bolted into the shallows, churned them up, then took Brian's fly line and about 40 yards of backing into the middle of the lagoon. She jumped, then came right back in, jumped three more times, then headed for the middle of the lagoon again, this time only taking the full fly line. Having reached the middle of the lagoon, she then tail walked across the water. After a few more jumps she tired and I attempted to fit her in my landing net- without luck. In the end I had her head in the net and grabbed her tail. She came in at a little over 11 pounds- not bad on 4 pound tippet and a size 12 Black Spinner! Brett Wolf

Creator of this trout fly: Bruce Gibson

Tier of this trout fly: Bruce Gibson

Country of origin for this trout fly: Tasmania