The two patterns presented here were created and tied by one of fly fishing’s true greats.
Armand J. Courchaine of Mansfield , MA.
Don’t recognize his name? For those that don’t I can only say they missed a truly special person. Armand was as intensely passionate about the sport as a fly fisher could be. Armand was one of fly fishing’s all-time great ambassadors. He was New England’s version of the legendary fly fishing personality Lefty Kreh. Always friendly and cheerful Armand would help anyone who wanted to know about fly casting , fishing and tying. His primary goal in freely answering their questions and giving advice was to get them hooked on fly fishing hoping they would become as passionate about it and eventually pass on their knowledge just as he had done for so many years. In my sixty-five years of fly fishing I’ve never met anyone who has done more to bring people to the sport and help them along the way.
These patterns were included in a letter Armand sent me on April 8, 1995. The letter included their recipe along with how and why he used them.
Armand’s Mummichog:
Hook: Size 1 or 1/0 Short Shank
Thread: Tan Kevlar
Tail: Two Mallard Breast Feathers
Body: Yellow Medium Chenille
Wing: Olive Bucktail (Sparse)
Head: Clipped Deer Body Hair (Leave fibers for Throat)
Optional– Some people use Magic Marker to add bands, Eyes are optional but I don’t use them.
Armand’s MummiChucker: (Name given by Jim Manning, Foxboro MA)
Armand Courchaine’s Mummichucker
Hook: Size 1 or 1/0 short shank
Thread: Kevlar
Tail: Olive dyed Grizzly hen hackle
Body: Yellow Chenille
Ribbing: Fine Gold Oval tinsel or Fine gold wire
Wing: 2 Olive dyed grizzly hen feather back to back, tied Mutuka Style
Head: Clipped deer hair, leave a few fibers to and bottom
In his letter Armand noted: “Both flies deadly in waters where Herring Runs have diminished or tidal shoreline such as Cole’s, Lee’s, Assonet and Taunton rivers. Wherever I see Mummichogs dimpling the waters surface I like to drift the fly to them then twitch it to make the surface ripple. I believe the deer hair head pushes water. We’ve seen bass charge thru a pod of mummichogs to take this fly. Enough said.”
NOTE: Overall length of both patterns 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches