The Ironman fly was originally christened for its likeness to the time trial position of an Ironman athlete on a bike. LeRoy’s goal was to create a pattern that creates a very particular-shaped wake. The pattern today is much evolved from the early prototypes and the version available here is exclusive to Fly Revolution and the most high-spec version yet. There are various incarnations of this fly available elsewhere but this is the original crafted by the originator. It is a highly durable fly that features an Sculpting Fibre back section (rather than the original deer hair), an impressionistic, silicone-based tail (a tail which LeRoy believes is a definitely trigger on slower days) as well as small claws to finish off the profile. Other improvements to this Breede River killer include a wider hook gape for better contact; as well as a stronger connection and improved mobility between the two articulated segments. It was designed to be fished over mud banks on a 7- or 8-weight with a slow, continuous overhand retrieve.
LeRoy Botha
Garden Route-based musician, artist and fly-tying savant LeRoy Botha has been crafting flies since primary school back in the Boland. He recalls of those days: ‘When I started, my mentors let me know (in no uncertain terms) that tying flies was part and parcel of fly fishing. You couldn’t have one without the other.’ Much like his taste in music, his views on fly design are pretty eclectic, taking inspiration from various influences, tying styles and tyers. Through it all LeRoy is a stickler for research, burrowing deep down the rabbit holes of existing patterns and new ideas to not only redesign, but completely reinvent the proverbial wheel. This is particularly true of his grunter surface fly, the Ironman...
