Mirage
By Agostino Roncallo

  For many years this fly pattern was the secret weapon that I used for capture graylings and trout, particularly difficult ones, then in the year 2001, I showed it to the readers of the Italian Fly fishing magazine “Fly Line”. In succession, I inserted it in the book “Magie in CdC” which is about artificial flies make exclusively with CdC.

  This is the fly from the simple and rational assemblage that very well represent my actual way to interpret the construction of the artificial flies.

Mirage gialla

  It was born from the consideration that nothing is more lighter than floating of a feather. I thought that if had been able to give the image of an ephemeral to a feather, I perhaps would have gotten an imitation from the extraordinary characteristics.

  Using a feather of CdC, I got what I desired, but above all I understood that the CdC could be used in a not conventional way and that, with an only hackle, could be a complete imitation.

  I called it Mirage because it is an imitation of ephemeral so slender and diaphanous even more than the fly itself. It seem to imitate his essence and for the power of capture that remember me the deadly destructive capacity of the homonym French fighter plane.

  Tie it is very simple, we need only to have the good sense of use a hackle with all the entire beards, otherwise we not succeed to get perfect tails and body.

  Mirage tying description:

1) I choose a feather of CdC with the entire beards.

2) Holding it for the point, I stretch the beards toward his base with the same procedure with which they are gotten the Wonder Wings.

3) In this way I get an extended body.

4) I position the extended body on an grub hook and I tie it on the stem in proximity of the eye.

5) I make converge the beards of the base of the feather with that which exceed from the extended body and, with any turns of thread of assemblage crossed to eight, I get vertical wings.

6) I chop off the part of feather that stretch out beyond the eye of the hook and the part what exceeds from the extended body, leaving two beards that will imitate the tails of the fly.

7) I perform the head of the fly, I confer to the wings the correct dimension and the artificial has finished.

I think that the best CdC is that of the wild ducks (particularly that of the Mallard) for which, except exceptions owed to particular imitative demands, for tie the Mirage, I use that type of CdC.

Imitation of ephemeral excellent in waters of middle slowness in presence of rises, also sporadic, it is very good for fishing the graylings and it is noted in many European rivers.

It is rather delicate and if anything catch it, it will be ruined, but this drawback is acceptable considering that you tie new flies very quickly.

By Agostino Roncallo © 2010