4 minute read
The Ostrich
from FFE Magazine 2022
Fly Tying:
The Ostrich
Flatwings are popular flies for seatrout and other predatory fish. They’re big, lively, and capable of attracting the attention of the biggest fish out there. Danish fly tyer, Morten Hansen, has developed his own take on a flatwing - with a mixture of synthetics and natural materials. And he’s got the mix just right...
BY Morten “Coastfly” Hansen
The Ostrich is a pattern developed for seatrout - but I imagine it will do equally well for seabass, mackerel, bonito and other inshore species that have developed an acute taste for baitfish.
The fly imitates anything from a sandeel to a sprattus or small herring, and it has all the “flesh” needed to lure even the biggest of predatory fish. The weight of the UV-glueenforced head makes the fly swim with a jiggy action that really makes the body materials pulsate and shimmer.
Seatrout are opportunistic predators preoccupied with building body mass, and while seatrout eat lots of small prey such as gammarus, mysis, shrimp and other crustaceans, big seatrout tend to focus more and more on baitfish - especially those found along drop offs and in tidal currents. A big baitfish imitation is more likely to make one of these fish react than a small prey item that offers very little in terms of nutrients.
Ultimately, it’s the natural algorithm coded into the seatrout’s genes that makes it favour certain prey items. Prey that represent rewards that are bigger than both the risks and efforts involved, will be favoured.
It all boils down to wether or not the potential amount of energy gained from hunting and eating a certain prey will exceed the amount of energy used during the hunt. At the same time, it provides and explanation to why big flies are way better big-fish attractors than smaller flies.
Yes, a small fly will catch a big seatrout if put right in front of it, but a big fish isn’t likely to chase a small fly over a long distance, or zoom in on it from a distance. (Furthermore, a small fly is trickier to see from a distance).
The Ostrich is a fly for those who dream of catching a big seatrout, but rest assured - even smaller seatrout will hit it with reckless abandon. Especially during Spring and the warmer summer months. Seatrout are capable of eating surprisingly big prey, and it isn’t unlikely to catch small and medium-sized seatrout with sandeel and herring sticking half-way out of their mouths.
Try the Ostrich on an intermediate line, and don’t be afraid to speed up the retrieve. The fly can be seen from afar, and because it has just the right silhouette, size, and appearance it is bound to attract some attention.
See the full Loon fly tying product range at www.flyfisheurope.com