Dry FliesConnemara Black Variant
A traditional Irish wet fly tied for loch fishing and fished as an attractor rather than any specific insect. A black seal's fur body ribbed in silver wire carries a scarlet butt and golden pheasant crest tail, with a black hen hackle, blue-dyed partridge throat, and bronze mallard wing giving it color and movement underwater.
Spring, Summer, Fall
Advanced
Trout
Feb 2026
Overview
The black seal's fur body is ribbed with silver wire and set off by a scarlet Danville butt at the tail, adding a small hot spot where the golden pheasant crest tail begins. A black hen hackle and a throat of blue-dyed partridge add motion and a contrasting flash of color low on the fly, while a bronze mallard wing lies over the back. It imitates no natural insect; it works as an attractor, its dark body and color breaks triggering strikes rather than matching a hatch. Fish it subsurface on a team of wet flies across loch and river alike.
Where to Buy This Fly
We only link to fly shops we trust. Some links are referral links, which may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.
Materials
- Hook:
- Kamasan B175 #12
- Thread:
- Benecchi 12/0, black
- Tail:
- Golden pheasant crest
- Butt:
- Danville Flymaster 6/0, scarlet
- Rib:
- Wire, silver
- Body:
- Seal's fur, dyed black
- Hackle:
- Hen, natural black
- Throat:
- Partridge, dyed blue
- Wing:
- Bronze mallard
Behavior & Presentation
Natural Behavior: The bronze mallard wing sheds water and holds its shape on the pull, while the black seal's fur body traps air and glints as it moves, giving the fly a lifelike pulse. A hint of scarlet at the butt and blue partridge at the throat add flashes of color against the dark body.
Where Trout Eat It: Fished on a loch-style team, it takes fish cruising near the surface in wave and along shoreline drop-offs where the silhouette stands out against the sky.
How to Fish It: Cast down and across the wind, retrieving in a steady figure-eight or short pulls to keep the wing and hackle working; it fishes well as a middle dropper.
Best Water: Focus on wind-blown shorelines, shoal edges, weed edges, and drop-offs where waves concentrate baitfish and invertebrates.
Strike Type: Expect a solid pull or swirl as fish take the fly on the move; hold the rod tip low and let them turn with it before setting.
Fishing Strategy
Rigging Suggestions: Fish as part of a three-fly team on a floating line with a 12-14 foot leader, spacing flies about four feet apart.
Seasonal Timing: Productive through spring, summer, and fall wherever wave action keeps fish looking up and moving.
Pro Tips: A steady drift across the wind covers more holding water than anchoring in one spot; let the boat's drift do the work of the retrieve.
