A Cast of Flies for Irish Loughs, Claret Dabbler

Nov. 2022

Over the closed season I will be posting a pattern per week for fishing on Irish Loughs. This will include flies for Brown Trout, Seatrout and Salmon. This week's tying is the Claret Dabbler.

The Dabbler is definitely one of the most popular Irish patterns to have on your cast here in Ireland. For visiting anglers coming to Ireland it's definitely a must for your fly box for Irish Loughs.The Claret Dabbler would be one of my most popular flies to tye over the winter months, I nearly always give one a swim on my cast of flies during the day.

Standard Claret Irish Dabbler
Standard Claret Irish Dabbler

Dressing for the Standard Claret Dabbler:
- Hook: Fulling Mills heavyweight 10s, 12s.
- Thread: Black Uni 8/0.
- Tail: Pheasant tail.
- Rib: Oval Gold.
- Body: Claret Seals fur.
- Body: Hackle Claret Cock.
- Wing: Bronze Mallard cloaked.

For the Claret Dabbler Variant for Lough Arrow, I used the new dubbing range from Fulling Mills, which will be launched next year. I was asked to tye a range of wet flies and dry flies with the new range of colours.

This variant has caught plenty of fish for my clients over the last few months of the season on Lough Arrow and Lough Melvin.

The dubbing definitely added a bit of life to the fly.


Standard Claret Irish Dabbler
Claret Dabbler Variant for Lough Arrow

Dressing for the Claret Dabbler Variant for Lough Arrow:
- Hook: Fulling Mills heavyweight 10s and 12s.
- Tag: No 4 Globrite.
- Thread: Uni 8/0 Black.
- Tail: Pheasant tail.
- Rib: Red Wire.
- Dubbing: Fulling Mills Claret.
- Body Hackle: Blood Claret.
- Under wing: Pearl Twinkle.
- Wing: Bronze Mallard.
- Cheeks: Red Holographic.


See you in 2023

For guided fishing please use my contact page to get in touch. Now taking bookings for the 2025 season.

Tight lines,

Jackie Mahon

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