Fulling Mill Martini Black Cat Hummie

Bead chain, so it swims level rather than nose down

The head weight on a small lure decides how it swims. Bead chain is light enough that the fly holds its depth and keeps a straight, even swimming action, where a heavy head would tip it and turn every pause into a dive. That suits a fast strip, which is exactly how this one is meant to be fished. Black over chartreuse is a combination that provokes rather than imitates, and it works well beyond trout: yellowbelly and redfin take it just as readily.