Petru Dima Flies

Red & Green Hot Chilli Pepper Shrimp
Designed and Tied by Petru Dima

Take a good look at this original by new Contributing Fly Tyer, Petru Dima. He employs a revolutionary braiding technique that is aesthetically pleasing and durable. Petru's Red & Green Hot Chilli Pepper Shrimp won the MUSTAD Scandinavian Open Fly tying Competition 2002, cat. 8 Open (which see). Shrimp flies designed for Atlantic Salmon are favorites of mine because they have also proved to be a very effective fly for Steelhead. Petru has promised to send some more flies and we are really looking forward to it. See his notes below.

PETRU'S NOTES: The inspiration for the colors of this fly comes from a fly with almost the same name, "Chilli Pepper", tied by an American, Phil Strobel. His fly is much simpler, but I liked the idea of being inspired by the colors of a small red hot chilli pepper and to name the fly after it. The red/green combination is successful also when it comes to the actual fishing. This fly has all the characteristics of a "killer".

What is new is the way I braid the silk. The technique of mixing different materials or colors in the body opens up new doors for the imagination. The body of the fly is not only more beautiful, but also stronger. The traditional way of using the silk means that just one fish can spoil half an hour's work at the vice (sometimes more), as the silk unravels. With my technique, which means that the ends hold each other in place, the fly can easily be repaired with a scissors and some glue. The advantages are obvious and I know many flyfishers will appreciate it. They can now start tying beautiful floss bodies for their salmon flies again. Those who only tie their flies for fishing will no doubt wave it off and call my method nonsense.

For me, it is important that the flies I fish with are also beautiful. That is at least half the pleasure. The other half is the fishing itself and being on the river.

To see more of the flies of Petru Dima, see The Flies of Petru Dima.