Pink Squirrel
 
Flies With a Story

 

Fly Tied By: David Orsborn
Recipe By: John Brekke, Westby, WI
Story By: David Orsborn
Home: Lombard, IL
E-mail: dorsborn@hotmail.com

 Almost all of Dave's fishing is done in the scenic Coulee region of SW Wisconsin. But he actually spends more time tying than fishing.  Like many of us, the vice is closer than the water! Originally from central Ohio, Dave lives in the Chicago area with his beautiful wife and daughter.

 

"...witnessed only by myself and about 20 cows...."
These days I do almost all of my fishing on the wonderful little spring creeks of Southwest Wisconsin. My most memorable night of fishing occurred on one of these streams, witnessed only by myself and about 20 cows.

I was fishing a stretch of water that had become something of a honey-hole: it seemed to have a pretty good supply of fish, it had riffles, runs, and a couple decent pools, and there were seldom any other anglers. In fact, in two years of fishing here, I only have only seen four other anglers.

I had fished this stretch in the morning for a few hours with very moderate success, had then left for a few hours to explore (and to nap!) and had now returned at dusk to fish a bit longer. I had read about the pink squirrel on a regional computer bulletin board and decided to tie a few to see if it was really the killer pattern that people had said it was. I quickly became a believer- just as the sun started going behind a hill, and the herd of cattle surrounded me on their way back to the barn, I got hit after hit on my pink squirrel. These weren't little taps either- the fish, both browns and brookies, were attacking this fly! It was amazing! For about 30 minutes, rarely did a cast go by where I didn't get a strike. Now of course something was going on- and another pattern could possibly have provided similar results; but in my mind this frenzy will always be attributed to the pink squirrel.

--David Orsborn

 

Pink Squirrel as tied by David Orsborn

 Photo by Peter Frailey

Order of Ingredients:

Hook: Size 14-18, TMC 2487 scud-shaped hook
Thread: White 8/0
Tail: Two strands of rainbow Krystal Flash
Body: Red Fox Squirrel
Rib: Red copper wire
Egg: Pink Ultra Chenille
Head: Brass Bead


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