hiya,
sorry for the confusion, i meant simply exchange the deer hair for something else while keeping the same profile of the fly.
there's a good number of other french flies (Devaux was french)(and a much neater tier...
) that have a similar concept. i'll try to find some images to share here.
tbo, the hook's position is more gimmick than of any actual use apart from serving as a keel, something just about every hook in the point-down position does anyway.
umbrella hooks never made the scene and i suspect its because of poor hook-up rates. on less aggressive takes (slurps), what happens often is the hook bend seems to be pushed away (bend towards the angler with the hook point in the wrong direction) by the fish's lips when it takes. it's a style and it's called
'nip & release' marc