Apologies, the temptation to play on “Aptly Named” was too much… Anyway, I’ve been fooling around with my Nondescript Terrestrial by incorporating a turn (or two) of hackle and come up with the APT (All Purpose Terrestrial). Of late this modest pattern has been doing some serious damage amongst our wild trout populations, including several notable specimens. Incidentally, grayling have an eye for it too. Depending on what fish are feeding the APT may pass for a black gnat, beetle, ant or any other small, dark terrestrial. The original boasts a fluffy CdC wing. However, when fish are feeding hard, it’s easy to become impatience by wanting your fly back in the mix. Now, a version tied with TMC Aero Wing floats more readily and requires far less maintenance. An added bonus is brightly coloured yarns can be used to deal with bad light. One sporting a fluorescent yellow wing is a particular favourite. This coupled with a hackle (clipped underneath) gives you a fly capable of floating in the rougher parts of any trout stream. Spinning (literally dubbing) the herl around your thread achieves a durable abdomen. Dabbing the hook shank prior to winding this rope helps no end too. My first choice of hackle shade is pale dun, simply because this might pass for the splayed wings of a trapped natural rather than just suggesting legs. That said, fish will happily pounce on a black hackled dressing without a second glance. In truth, you can ring the changes to whatever suits your needs. A good, honest pattern, you shouldn’t encounter any drama when dressing this fly, giving you more time to get on with the important things like fooling trout.
~The original APT~
Hook: TMC 2488 #16-18
Thread: Veniard’s 14/0 black Sheer
Abdomen: Peacock herl (3 strands)
Wing: Beige or Natural CdC
Hackle: Pale dun or black cock
Thorax: Orvis peacock Ice Dub
~APT Variant~
Hook: TMC 2488 #16-18
Thread: Veniard’s 14/0 black Sheer
Abdomen: Dyed black pheasant tail fibres (3 strands)
Wing: TMC Aero Wing-white, fl yellow or orange
Hackle: Pale dun or black cock
Thorax: Orvis peacock Ice Dub
~A handful of APTs ready for action~
