modern Michigan dry fly · c. 2003
Potter's Opal Trude
Also called Opal Trude
Unverified origin Only the archive card, contributed by Potter. Michigan Public confirms Potter as a Michigan tyer but does not mention this fly.
History
Dennis Potter's Opal Trude grew out of his Pearl Trude, a size 8 calftail-wing fly from the late 1980s that he fished in the One Fly contest at Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Around 2003 he switched to opal tinsel, which he found better than the pearl, and to a synthetic wing that is bulkier, easier to see and sheds water.
It can be dead-drifted or skittered, as a general attractor or during caddis and stonefly hatches.
Materials
| Hook | TMC 2312, sizes 10 to 16 |
|---|---|
| Thread | Brown 8/0 |
| Rib | Fine gold wire |
| Abdomen | UTC Opal Tinsel, medium or large |
| Wing | Light gray EP Fibers or McFlylon |
| Thorax | Peacock herl or peacock Arizona Synthetic dubbing, kept full |
| Hackle | Brown dry-fly saddle, heavy |
Sources
- Deschaine, T. "Potter's Opal Trude." Michigan Dry Flies archive recipe card.
- Graham, L. "Artisans of Michigan: Angler hooked on tying flies." Michigan Public, June 9, 2017.
Know more about this fly's history, or spot a mistake? Send a correction.
No photo yet. Every photo on michfly is of a fly tied for the site, so they're added a few at a time.
Original recipe cards for many Michigan patterns are kept at the Michigan Dry Flies archive, built by the late Tom Deschaine.