I have fished the Jumbo MosquitoTM fly a number of times over the past few years and it is the best trout pond fly I have ever used. The only negative I can state is that the fly is not very durable. After a few fish landings and especially when the forceps are needed to remove a fly from a trout, the fly gets beat up and starts to unravel.
Because the fly is so easy and inexpensive to tie, I have always compensated by tying lots of them and switching flies when this happens. That is, until I came up with the Super Jumbo MosquitoTM fly. A slight modification has made the fly more durable, and takes a minimal amount of additional effort.
Fly Tying Materials:
Same materials as the Jumbo Mosquito:
- #14 dry fly hook
- Black thread
- Peacock Hurl
- Head Cement
I could use a smaller hook, I have, but #14 seems to be the size the trout like.
Tying the Fly:
Step 1: Place your hook in the vise and wind your thread on to the start of the hook bend. I like to catch the bottom half of the hook bend with my vise so that I can wind the thread further back.
Step 2: Pull off two stands of the the peacock hurl. I found this particular peacock feather lying on the ground at the local zoo. Trim off any excess material that may have pulled off the stalk of the feather. Then catch the peacock hurl in place with a few wraps of thread. Leave the thread at the hook bend.
Step 3: Wind the peacock hurl towards the eye in tight wraps, touching the previous wrap. Once you reach the eye of the hook, place a hackle pliers on the peacock hurl to hold them in place and free up both hands.
Step 4: Wind the black thread over the peacock to the eye. This gives the fly the added durability, keeping the peacock fibers from breaking and unraveling.
Step 5: Trim off the excess peacock, build a small head with a few more wraps. Perform a whip finish and put a drop of cement on the head.
The finished fly:
The picture below has the Jumbo MosquitoTM fly in the center, and four Super Jumbo MosquitoTM flies around it. The Super Jumbo MosquitosTM are slightly thinner, but have proven to catch just as many fish, and far more durable.
How to Fish this Fly:
Anytime trout are feeding on small top water bugs, this fly works. Especially if a mosquito hatch is underway. Because I fish it on trout ponds (still water = mosquito breeding ground), I can be pretty sure there are mosquitoes around from mid May to mid September.
You can toss the fly randomly, hoping to catch the eye of a fish looking to the surface. I’ll do that until I see a fish rise, then I’ll quickly lay the fly in the middle of the ripple. A couple quick short pulls will get the attention of the fish feeding there. If not, move the fly to another spot. Sometimes I will catch a fish after pulling the Super Jumbo MosquitoTM for 10 or 20 feet but most hits are within 2 feet of where it lands.