Guest Blogger: Mike Cline, Bozeman, Montana
The stories behind a fly’s name are always interesting. That is especially true when the fly has a global reputation. Such is the case for the “Pink Thing”, as one Aussie writer says, is “The Greatest Barra Fly of All Time”. I’ll be on my way to Darwin in 2020 where I hope to get in some decent fly fishing for Barramundi. We’ll be there during the end of runoff and expect stained water conditions in the smaller creeks and estuaries. I’ve been tying up some Pink Things and their variations for the trip. The story behind the name is an interesting one. The fly’s originator was Graham White, an English fly angler and fisheries biologist who emigrated to Australia. In Darwin, he became well-known as the guy who knew how to catch Barra on the fly. In the 1980s he was a member of a dedicated group of Darwin fly anglers known as The Saltwater Flyrodders of the Northern Territory. They met regularly after days of fishing to enjoy a few brews at one of the member’s residences outside Darwin. Although bait and spin casting for Barra was probably the most efficient method of catching these large fish, club members had an interesting rule. Anyone found to have used gear other than flyrods for the days angling was fined a carton of green cans—mostly likely Victoria Bitter, one of the most popular beers in Australia—which they had to bring to the evening’s beer fest. more…
