In 1995 I was fortunate enough to participate in my first World Fly Fishing Championships in Ireland. One of the flies the team used was the Doobry, which I believe was designed by the Scottish fisherman Stan Headley.
Fast forward to 2022 and I was captaining the Australian team competing in the Commonwealth Fly Fishing Championships in Islay, Scotland. As part of the team’s preparation, I contacted Ian Hill, one of Scotland’s top competition anglers who I had met when the World Championships were held in Tasmania in 2019. Ian had competition experience in Islay and sent over a selection of flies which had worked well for him there. One fly that took my eye was tied out of hen hackle. Therefore it would have a slimmer profile in the water and pulse as it was retrieved, making it a likely candidate as a middle dropper fly.
Since then, I have continued to use this fly as the middle fly in a three-fly cast. Rather than being a game-changer, the Doobry Variant is simply a consistent performer, regularly earning its position on my loch-style leader. I tie this fly on both size 12 and 14 hooks: fishing the size 12 in a big wave, and the 14 in calmer conditions.
With a wave and overcast conditions, I'll usually fish the Doobry in size 12.
Unfortunately, I don’t know the pattern’s true name! If anyone does, please let me know. In the meantime, I’m calling it the Doobry Variant.
Materials
Hook – Competition medium short shank wet fly, size 12-14
Thread – Fluoro orange 8/0
Tail – Glo-Brite Fluorescent multi yarn Bright Scarlet No 4
Body – Claret possum dubbing
Rib – Fine gold wire
First front hackle – Orange Hen
Second front hackle – Black Hen
Tying instructions
1. First, tie in the multi yarn tail, folding it over itself to create more volume.
2. Cut the tail the same length as the hook shank, which is longer than usual.
3. Tie in the gold rib and then dub in a tight body of claret possum fur. (Other materials such as rabbit would also be suitable.)
4. Then put in 2 turns of orange hen hackle, followed by 2 turns of black hen hackle; slightly longer than the orange hackle.
5. Finish off the head with the fluoro orange thread and varnish.
