How to Tie Insects for Australian Trout

The Land Down Under, Australia, is home to many rivers and streams that are full of trout. Like any trout stream, the fly you use to land a trout is determined by the season, what is in nymph stage and what the trout have been hitting. One basic fly for Australian trout is the rabbit fly, designed to mimic the small aquatic insects found along the Australian rivers. Use this fly as a basic pattern and starting point for Australian trout. When you hit the river, ask locals what the trout are hitting and what colors are proper for the season to maximize strikes for your casts.

Things You'll Need

  • 2 to 8 size hook
  • 3/0 thread - color as determined by season
  • Small cone heads
  • Rabbit strips (two varying colors)
  • Australian possum
  • Flash strands - marabule and red
  • Forceps
  • Hook vise
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Instructions

    • 1

      Place a hook into the hook vise so the hook's barb points toward the vise tips. Slide the hook cone up the shank and near the hook's eye.

    • 2

      Place the end of the rabbit strip into the forceps and wrap it around the hook shank two to three times.

    • 3

      Wrap the thread around the shank several times and place a second rabbit strip at the edge of the first, and wrap two or three thread wraps to secure it to the shank.

    • 4

      Place a piece of the Australian possum between the two rabbit strips and thread around the shank several times. Fluff out the three material pieces so they mimic wings.

    • 5

      Insert three to four strips of the flash thread into the rabbit and possum, and wrap around the shank. Use this for flash in the water to attract the trout.

    • 6

      Fluff out the fur and strips and then turn the hook over and trim the fabrics so the hook barb is not hindered by the fluffy fabrics. Remove and go fish.

    Alternate Fly

    • 7

      Insert either a #10 or #8 long shank hook into the grips. Slide a black glass eye bead up to the eye of the hook.

    • 8

      Wrap the shank from the curve of the hook to the eye with brown or tan thread.

    • 9

      Place a piece of possum fur over the shank and wrap into the main shank for the body of the fly (a mud eye.)

    • 10

      Coil a strand of gold or copper wire around the shank, forming a spring shape coil over the hook's main shank.

    • 11

      Place two brown partridge hackles over the body of the fly and wrap to secure them to the fly. Fluff out the hackles to make the nymph shape. Add a piece of olive or flat green marabou over the hackles and wrap to form the wing. Fluff out and trim excess around the barb. Go fish.