Hornberg fly

[td566]

Not sure where to even post this but here goes.

I’m going through my flies today and came across a Hornberg fly. While I may never have used it more than once or twice, I don’t think I ever caught a fish of any species on one.

Anyone use them? What conditions would you use one? What is it supposed to represent? Is it a dry fly or wet fly?
Thanks. TD

 

[TimMurphy]

Not sure where to even post this but here goes.

I’m going through my flies today and came across a Hornberg fly. While I may never have used it more than once or twice, I don’t think I ever caught a fish of any species on one.

Anyone use them? What conditions would you use one? What is it supposed to represent? Is it a dry fly or wet fly?
Thanks. TD

Dear td566,

Here is a little background information on the fly from Charlie Craven. It is essentially whatever you want it to be.

Hornberg

Pattern Description:The Hornberg comes from the mid-west originally, but has been a favorite pattern of many old timers in Colorado and Wyoming. The very first commercial order of flies I ever tied was a batch of Hornbergs and I have hated them ever since;-) The “Hornberger” as my kid likes to...

charliesflybox.com

Regards,

Tim Murphy 🙂

 

[fritz]

Friend of mine put me on to Hornbergs. He uses them wet. I do too. They've been good.

 

[tjsingle]

I use them frequently when fishing up in Maine. I use them mostly as a dry fly, but they can be used as a wet fly as well.

 

[falcon]

I have used them on the Ausable River in NY. Fish it dry upstream and wet down and across. The water it is most effective on is the rough and tumble water; riffles and pocket water.

 

[raftman]

I got my first hornergs from the Abol Bridge Store on the W. Branch of the Penobscot when I worked at Baxter State Park. I hiked there through the park on one of my off days. Didn't really know what I was doing fly fishing, but it's where I learned. The Hornberg is great. I've got big brookies and landlocked salmon on them as dry flies, but they are deadly as wet flies, at least up in Maine. I've use them here in PA on brook trout waters with a lot of success as well.

 

[barrybarry]

I had a couple of excellent days in the middle of summer. Fish it dry and then pull it under at the end of the drift. The hits were both as dry and as wet.

 

[RLeep2]

30 years ago when I was working in the Orvis shop in Tionesta, there was a group of guys who fished the Allegheny down behind Betts Park in Warren after dark for big browns. We used to stock a few big Hornbergs for them when they would come in. They claimed that the Hornberg was deadly on trout that were keyed in on adult dobsonflies which were often flitting around when they were fishing. I have no idea whether it was a real thing or if they were all drunk. They always bought all the Hornbergs though..

 

[raftman]

Hmmm. This makes me think I should try the Hornberg on the Susky this summer....

 

[laszlo]

When I worked in Chambersburg I would head over to Falling Springs after work, I used to fish a Hornberg in the riffles like a streamer and caught many a brook trout