Milkfish flies: Dreaming the Can-Can

The antics of this past weekend have given me reason to head back to the drawing board with regards Milky flies.

The fact that we had two enquiries and two hookups - that's four positive encounters - with flats Milkfish on a CanCan Girl (its actually a Gotcha variation) has altered my thoughts a little with regards the chasing of Milks on the flats. The fly has been working too well on the Bonefish lately and has accounted for my last 11 Bonefish, plus several smaller Permit and a Golden Trevally.

The name CanCan Girl comes from a comment that the line of finished flies looked like a row of dancing girls - naughty and ready for action. And also from the fact that the flats dwellers can't seem to say no to them!

A nice row of naughty CanCan Girls ready for action.

Back to the Milks - it all started last Saturday. With four Bonefish and a Permit already accounted for (the Permit was released ala long line just short of reaching distance), Dad presented a CanCan Girl to a moving shadow. A heavy cloud that had just pulled in above us caused the vis to drop significantly and we were struggling with sighting and identifying any fish that was further than five or so meters. I was standing behind the Old Man watching rather intently the regular movement of a tail about 80m away. I had just set off after the tail in question when Dad hooked up; I missed it and the first jump and was alerted by Dad's call and bent rod that he into a decent fish. With that I saw a Milk accelerate past within half a rod length of me. What blew my mind was the fact that it had a CanCan Girl right in the scissors. Two cartwheeling jumps and a burnt finger later Dad was standing with a limp fly line and knocking knees.

"That must have a fluke!" were the first words out his mouth. I was inclined to agree.

That was until the entire process was repeated, this time with a Milk we identified clearly - thanks to the clouds removing themselves - before presenting, about five minutes later.

You could have knocked me over with a feather.

Once more that day and again the following morning we had solid knocks from sighted Milks. Although the they did seem less interested in the flies than the first two.

So, at the desk I've tied a few unweighted CanCan Girls. I've also combined the body of the CanCan and Arno's Milky Dream fly.

CanCan Girl Recipe (Picture below):

Hook: Gamakatsu or Grip #2 - #6
Thread: Soft pink Danville 6/0 or something like it.
Tail: Red Bunny Fur
Body: UV Minnow Body wrapped over pink thread on shank
Eyes: Depending on weight - tungsten eyes to bead chain.
         For unweighted version just leave the eyes off.
Wing: White or cream calf tail.

Dreamy CanCan Recipe (Picture below):
Replace the calf tail wing with a fluorescent green or chartreuse egg yarn.

Skirtless CanCan Girl (Picture below):

Same as the CanCan Girl just without the red tag.

Now only time will tell as to whether those living torpodoes are going to repeat the mistakes of last week end.

An old used and abused CanCan Girl showing the rigours of the hard work on the flats...