Aldo Orlando
Italy

My name is Aldo Orlando.  I am now forty-six (2002) and I have been fishing from the age of six.  I began fly tying by hand at age14 and three years later bought two instructional books in England.  My father made for me a simple vise and I started to work in a conventional way. 

I live in Italia, in the southern part of the region of Piedmont, land of great wines and small trout creeks.  I am secretary of a fly fishing club that works hard to protect a local strain of brown trout.

I fly fish mainly for trout and grayling in Italy and Austria but my flies have worked also for salmon in Norway, bonefish & tarpon in Cuba and a kind of shad in tributaries of the Po river.

I work at a secondary school teaching physical education in the small town of Gavi (who gives the name to an excellent dry white wine) only minutes away from my home waters of the Lemme and Scrivia basins.  I like very much, and use extensively, patterns of masters like Gary La Fontaine, Roman Moser and Hans Van Klinken.  I am sure their flies work everywhere that trout and grayling are found.

Select a fly below:

Bagoun

Van Gogh

Water Hen Stone

Bagoun

Tier:  Aldo Orlando

Hook:  Standard hook like TMC 102Y # 13/15/17.

Thread:  UNI 8/0, black.

Back/Shell:  Black foam.

Legs:  Black Krystal flash.

Abdomen:  Thread and peacock herls twisted.

Post/Indicator:  Hi-viz poly yarn.

Note:  Bagoun is the dialect name for black, hard shell, rounded terrestrials.  Simple and deadly; it has taken huge graylings resting in back eddies in very hot, sunny days during July and August in Austria.

Ed's Note.  The picture doesn't do this fly justice.  My digital camera fails to capture the iridescence of the peacock herl and Krystal flash.  

Van Gogh

Tier:  Aldo Orlando

Hook:  Grub hook fine wire like TMC 2487 # 14/16/18.

Thread:  UNI 8/0 same colour as hackle.

Hackle:  The original is from the breast of a hen mallard but any similar waterfowl hackle is suitable in order to match the colour of the insect you try to imitate.

Wing/Shuck:  Six to eight fibers of clear or cream Antron.

I've developed this fly in the last two years.  It's a creation of mine but the general silhouette and the hackle is reminiscent of the classic French dressing "Peute".

If you like minimalism this is a recipe you surely appreciate: only three ingredients and a really simple tying technique.   It's a dry/emerger/wet pattern.  When you fish slick water, and you are not sure what fishes are taking, try it.  It's really good also fished slightly submerged if you can detect the rise.  Never grease this fly!

I named this fly it in honour of the great master of impressionism:  That's the general idea behind this imitation.  

Ed's Note:  The contrast of the picture at right is harsh but shows more detail to help you tie.  I recently fished this fly quite successfully by dead drifting in moderate runs where sporadic March Browns were hatching.  As a result, they have taken permanent residence in my fly box.  This is a very nice creation by Aldo.

Water Hen Stone

Tier:  Aldo Orlando

Hook:  Standard hook like TMC 100 # 16/18.

Thread:  UNI 8/0 grey.

Hackle:  Grey or blue dun cock.

Wing:  Water hen breast hackle.

Body:  Thread and grey heron herls twisted.

Post/indicator:  Hi-Viz poly yarn.

This is an early to late season pattern in Italy.  It also takes trout and grayling in Austria in the summer.  Works better in cold waters with fast, stony riffles.  Be careful and