Wild Northerner Magazine Summer 2018 | Page 58

BY SCOTT CURRIE

For Wild Northerner

I was hesitant to put this pattern forward as it has become synonymous with Flymart; however, it is such an essential fly to northern Ontario fly fishing, it seems cruel not to share.

The lakes in our area are generally jammed with food and I found it takes something that sticks out from the crowd to be more successful. Fly fishers in the Massey and the Algoma region have had much success fishing with the Scotty McFly for smallies.

I first tried this fly well over a decade ago to target smallmouth bass on a lake just outside Espanola. From that moment, its popularity has grown beyond what I would have thought possible and it is now fished widely throughout Canada and its neighbouring US states.

As good a fly is at catching fish it would not have the popularity and name it does now without a chance encounter over a beer at a local lodge. I had bumped into Bill Spicer, host of The New Fly Fisher Show who was filming in the area. He was having a terrible week due to horrible fishing conditions. When I was asked to share some local secrets, I light heartedly passed him a few these flies. He had a brilliant few days on the water with them. He phoned me up to ask what the fly was called as he would be showcasing it on his show. I hadn’t even considered a name for it but apparently Bill had and suggest the name Scotty’s McFly. Genius! Scotty’s McFly is now a favourite pattern for many people. If you haven’t fished it yet, you gotta to try it!

Northern Flies