Deadly Damsels
Phil Dixon gives instruction on fishing methods for deadly damsels.
Our instructional videos are below – scroll down to view them.
In our first Video he explores the traditional damsel lure methods and explains the static method to catch the ‘wiser’ trout.
The second video explains the static method and using a sinking line and buoyant damsel to chase the fish laying deeper as the water gets warmer.
The final video footage is both videos combined, if you require all the techniques in one hit, while you enjoy a coffee 🙂 – try these methods out and the best of luck.
Six variations of the damsels, that prove deadly when fished correctly.
Glister Damsel Olive
A great unweighed pattern which I will fish on my dropper as part of a team of flies on the larger waters, but on the smaller waters I like to fish this pattern on its own with a 15ft leader in shallow water. Because this fly is unweighted you can fish it slow with the odd jerk to get the movement in the marabou tail and still keep it off the bottom.
Hot Head Orange Damsel
One of the most fished patterns out there at the moment and this is a genuine fish catcher from the start of the season to the end weather your fishing on large waters or small waters this is a MUST FLY for everyone’s fly box. I fish this pattern always on the point and with its Orange bead head in any coloured water they will pick this fly out. This is one of my favourite patterns and it will be on my cast at any new venue to find the fish..
Flashy Blue Head Damsel
Another very popular fly for this time of the year and catches plenty of fish, again I like to fish this pattern on the point but mainly on a sinking line and fish it faster than the other patterns, with the Blue bead and flashy tail it will attract the fish from a distance. This doesn’t mean that you can’t fish the fly slow and on a floater but my best results have come on sinkers fished on a fast retrieve. If the hothead damsel doesn’t take you any fish then this one will for sure.
Living Damsel
This is my favourite small still water damsel pattern, when the trout have seen every damsel in our fly boxes and get a bit weary then this is the fly to go to. One of the most realistic patterns out there and for hard fish that are feeding on damsels or even olive buzzers this will take them. I always drop my tippet down to 5lb if I fish the fly on its own or 6lb if I have a dropper on, fish this pattern on a stop start retrieve to get the tail working like the real damsel swim.
Flashy Blue Damsel Cats
Another pattern with the blue Crystal Flash material in this one has beaded eyes to give a different profile than the others. A great pattern for freshly stocked trout with all the flash in this pattern they will be attracted from a long way away especially in clear water. Fish this again on the point with a varied retrieve, this fly can be fished on all your lines depending on the weather, a bright day fish deeper in the water.
Crippled Damsel
Now this pattern can be fished right off the surface and works well, Fish this foam pattern again in the shallower water where the trout are chasing the damsels as they hatch. This pattern comes in various sizes down to a 14 so will trick the hardest trout in the water. The other top way to fish this pattern is to fish a short leader on a sinking line and sink and draw the fly back along the bottom. Try this fly on the point as well on the washing line set up to hold your other flies up in the water where the trout are feeding.
