The Cormorant 

 

 

What is a Cormorant Fly?

 

  • Design: It features a slender body (often peacock herl or holographic tinsel), a wire rib, and a soft, sparse marabou wing tied over the back.
  • Origin: Invented by Andy Lunn in the UK and later refined by competition anglers on waters like Grafham, it gets its name from its dark, fish-like profile rather than imitating an actual bird.
  • Versatility: Depending on the size, color, and retrieve speed, trout mistake it for a chironomid pupa, corixa, damselfly nymph, or small fry.

 

 

How to Fish the Cormorant

 

  • Rigging: Fish it as part of a team of three flies on the droppers, often paired with an attractor pattern (like a Blob or Booby) on the point.
  • Retrieve: Use a slow, steady figure-of-eight retrieve so the marabou wing breathes and pulses naturally in the water. 
  • The Hang: Always pause and hold your flies completely still for several seconds at the very end of your retrieve before lifting for a new cast, as trout frequently strike as the fly pauses and rises

 

 

the Diawl bach

Best way to fish a Diawl Bach is a slow figure of eight retrieve 

  • Cast out and let the fly sink.
  • Start with a very slow figure-of-eight retrieve.
  • Keep the fly moving, but barely.
  • Every so often, pause for 2–5 seconds.
  • A lot of takes come as the fly starts moving 

If you’re not getting anything, don’t immediately change the fly, vary the depth

Try:

  • 1–2 ft down — if fish are visibly cruising or rising.
  • 3–5 ft down — a good starting point.
  • Deeper — if the water is cold or fish aren’t showing.