Fly Focus - Page 2 of 4

The Bibio (Hawthorn Fly)

Diptera is one of the most important orders of insects for fly fishermen, with species living in almost all environments. Some species are annoying to humans and animals such as like mosquitoes and black flies, but others, like chironomid and midges, are important food sources for trout. Diptera larvae have no tails or legs and look like a segmented tube. In its pupae form, the head, thorax, and wing pads are clumped together. As adults, only one pair of wings develop, a second undeveloped pair form small knob like appendages called halteres that act as stabilizers during flight.

Aquatic midges have long been recognized as an important food source, but terrestrial Diptera have mostly been overlooked. Common land-born Diptera like deerfly and housefly are taken by trout occasionally but members of the family Bibionidae, land on the water with enough regularity and in sufficient numbers to cause selective feeding in some locales. During mid to late April, hawthorn flies can be seen in hedgerows and bushes. On breezy days these are often blown on lakes and rivers and end up as a meal for hungry trout, eager to rise to the surface and pick them off.

The fly was originally designed with a band of Claret in the middle with two bands of Black Seals Fur. It will catch Brown Trout, Sea Trout, Rainbow Trout and Salmon and is rarely omitted from the cast by fishers in the know once afloat on the larger loughs.