Having just completed a very good fishing season, I thought it appropriate to look back at the flies that stood out and review Red Tag’s Dangerous Dozen.

Dries: First choice is still the dark brown para-emerger – especially through the October to mid-December mayfly period, and first up through summer and autumn. See tying instructions here.

If I were to change any dries in the Dangerous Dozen range it would be to drop off the Royal Wulf and replace with the Elk Hair Caddis. It (the Caddis) was very good in the early ‘hopper season when the grasshoppers were first coming into the trout’s food chain and also as a ‘searcher’ on bright summer days through to early autumn.

Although I still use the Pink Bum ‘hopper to good effect, both the Nobby’s Hopper and the Para hopper were good patterns for this food item.

Nymphs: Copper bead-heads most used and successful when nothing on top with the brass bead-head version early in the higher and discoloured waters. Sizes #14 & #12.

Wets: None in the Dangerous Dozen range, only used in dire emergencies, ie, terrible weather, flooded backwaters (of which we had some in the early season) and high water lakes margins.

Did have some success in those conditions with the (Tasmanian) Fur Fly and Woolly Bugger. Still not that keen on them to squeeze out any others in the Dangerous Dozen, but handy in the fly box.

Day 1 saw some good fish to hand on a #14 brass bead-head nymph. Although we release the vast majority of fish, this one of Ben’s supplied a nice entree that night.

Day 2 belonged to Peter, with the only single day trifecta of the season – one on the wet, one on the nymph and one on the dry.

This is Peter with his hands full on the dry fly take. Result was a beautiful wild brown trout around the 1.5lb mark, an excellent small stream fish.

Day one of Grant’s return tour set a new mark for the season and it was not yet November!

He got 14 to hand with some lovely small stream gems on light gear like this one, above.

Then next day more fun in some tight spots leading to success on the dry (emerger again) on another water.

Simon was back for another couple of days on our Tassie streams and was soon into his first wild brown trout on day one.

This one was taken on the dependable copper beadhead brown nymph. Even though still October, fish were taking the dry by afternoon.