JAB's Cream Larva - #10 of 150

The spawning period on Putah Creek is just about over.  (Yes it January!)  And it is nearly time is to start making the weekly trips to scratch my head trying to figure out what makes these fish tick.  The creek is fished so hard that bringing your "A Game,"  more often than not, is simply not enough.  

One of the secrets to my success on Putah Creek is constantly changing patterns until I find a pattern that brings continued success during the day.  As hard as is may seem to believe a pattern that brings fish to the net 200-yards upstream may or may not work in the next run.  Do I go through a lot of leader material?  Oh boy!

There are less than two handfuls of the well known patterns that consistently produce fish on this creek.  I try to have at least one of these patterns on my leader at any given time,  However I am constantly in search of the holy grail...   One such pattern is my cream colored larva pattern. 

This pattern is only tied with slight variations of the rib- either copper or brown wire.  And it is only tied in sizes 20 and 22.  I am positive it can be productive in larger sizes, but the Putah fish won't touch them. Additionally, despite the small size, I tie these patterns with cream UTC 70 (approximately 6/0) strictly for the thread color.  It has a distinct shade/color when tied flat against the bronze shank.

The cream larva is a great example of what thead control, indelible ink and UV resin can do to create some awesome patterns.  

Materials

Hook:  TMC 200 or Daiichi 1270, size 20 or 22 (Daiichi size 22 pictured.)

Thread:  UTC 70, cream

Ribbing:  Copper or brown Hend's 0,09

Body/Thorax: Cream UTC 70
Hot Spot:  Red indelible ink
Thorax/Wing Pad:  Brown indelible ink.

Notes:

1.  Once the body is tied flat, and before the ribbing is brought forward, barely touch the butt of the fly with a fine, red indelible ink pen.  This forms the hot spot and represents a small amount of hemoglobin.

2.  Once you've formed the head, whip finished and cut the thread, apply a very thin coat of UV resin and cure.   After the fly has been coated and cured with UV resin mark the upper thorax with brown indelible ink,  When the thorax has dried apply a second thin coat of UV resin over the thorax area.