102 mick mics mudey brownPresented from Issue 102, February 2013

Mudeye time is anytime

Dragon fly larva, or Mudeyes, as we all know them, comes in two forms loosely known as the couta and bug (Corduliid) mudeyes. The couta is the larger of the two and many species, in fact close to 300 species, are found all over Australia. They are found in mountain streams, inland lakes, marshes and wetlands, in general. What species dominate your local waters? I guess it is up to you to work out; during summer you will see them flying around.

 

Here is a tip on how to easily tell the difference. The couta, or large dragonfly, holds its wings out flat on either side of its body whilst at rest. Their smaller cousin, the damselfly, when resting holds its wings together out over the back of its body.

102 mick bug damselfly
Damselfly
 
102 mick bug mudeye
Bug Mudeye
 
102 mick dragonfly
Dragonfly
 
102 mick bug enrico puglisi streamer brush
Enrico Puglisi streamer brush
 
102 mick couta mudeye 
Couta Mudeye
 
102 mick bug ep spider mudeye
EP Spider Mudeye
 
102 mick mics mudey brown
Mick’s Mudey - Brown

Dragon flies come in various colours and some feel that this is due to diet, whilst others consider, and correctly so, that they simply blend in with surroundings. Either way, it is just another thing to look for. Naturally it is in your interest to select a pattern that resembles the same or similar colouration as those that are in your local waters.

The EP Bug/Spider Mudeye is in just one colour, mottled brown, and can be treated with floatant if required. It was first shown to me by a chap who called into see me at a tackle store in Melbourne; he had made it out of Hi-Vis and I thought it was ingenious but do you think I can remember his name? I hope he makes contact so that I can make amends.

I replaced the Hi-Vis with March Brown EP Trigger-point winging fibres for the body, because of its natural mottled appearance and non-matting characteristics. Plus this material has been pre-treated with “Watershed” to assist floatation or to allow this bug to swim high in the water column. In the “Flybox Collection” we have tied a brown and olive green version of Mick’s Mudeye to help alleviate this problem.

Just the same, buy them or tie them, it is worth carrying both. Whilst the Mick’s Mudeye is available in two colour and two styles, there are the slow floaters in All Brown with matching glass eyes and All Olive with matching glass eyes.

To add to the floatation, simply treat the body with a gel floatant.

The same two flies are available with black metal beads to assist sinking over deep water.

Mick’s Mudeye is a new addition to the range but I first put this pattern together over twenty years ago. In those days the body was made of spun wool then trimmed and coloured with a marking pen to match. It worked well, in fact very well but took some time to make.

Then my close friend, Enrico Puglisi, sent me out some samples of his new EP-Streamer Brush in a whole range of colours and, as you can see, it is buggy looking stuff.

What else could I do but make up a Mick’s Mudeye. You just wind it over the hook to create the body, a little trimming to shape and a huge amount of time is saved. It is much lighter in weight and it takes a marking pen as if was made for its use. This product is freely available and again, it is distributed by Clarkson Imports.

Mick Hall