Sunday, November 27, 2022

Dean River Lantern

Dean River Lantern, Green 

Steelhead, Sockeye, Silver, and King Salmon

Hook - Single salmon

Thread - Fluorescent green

Tail - Dyed black squirrel tail

Body - Dyed chartreuse monofilament over an underbody of fluorescent green floss*

Hackle - Black tied on as a collar and tied back

Head - Fluorescent green


Dean River Lantern, Orange 

Steelhead, Sockeye, Silver, and King Salmon

Hook - Single salmon

Thread - Fluorescent fire orange

Tail - Dyed black squirrel tail

Body - Dyed orange monofilament over an underbody of fluorescent orange floss*

Hackle - Dyed fluorescent fire orange grizzly tied on as a collar and tied back**

Dean River Lantern, Purple 

Steelhead, Sockeye, Silver, and King Salmon

Hook - Single salmon

Thread - Black

Tail - Dyed black squirrel tail

Body - Dyed purple monofilament over underbody of fluorescent blue floss*

Hackle - Dyed purple grizzly tied on as a collar and tied back**

Dean River Lantern, Red 

Steelhead, Sockeye, Silver, and King Salmon

Hook - Single salmon

Thread - Fluorescent red

Tail - Dyed black squirrel tail

Body - Dyed red monofilament over an underbody of fluorescent red floss*

Hackle - Fluorescent red tied on as a collar and tied back

Dean River Lantern, Yellow

Steelhead, Sockeye, Silver, and King Salmon

Hook - Single salmon 

Thread - Yellow

Tail - Dyed yellow gray squirrel tail

Body - Dyed yellow monofilament over an underbody of fluorescent yellow floss*

Hackle - Dyed fluorescent yellow grizzly tied on as a collar and tied back**


*I used Magic Stretch beading cord as a substitute for the dyed monofilament

**I do not have any dyed grizzly, so I used a solid color hackle

Dr. Arthur Cohen of San Francisco, California, created the Dean River Lanterns. Since that time there have been a number of variations developed. There was also an orange pattern that used orange bowstring for the body.

Terry Hellekson. Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art - Terry Hellekson

Dean River Lantern

Category Pacific Salmon/Steelhead

Hook - Gamakatsu T10-6H or equivalent, Sizes 1/0 - 8
Thread - Matching
Tail - Black squirrel tail, long
Under body - Flat silver tinsel
Body - Fluorescent chartreuse, red, orange, yellow or green Edge Brite overlapped
Hackle - Matching hackle
UV Resin coated head

May also be tied with a wing matching the tail material.


The Dean River Lantern series was developed by Art Cohen for the Dean and other rivers of British Columbia. It has proven effective on a number of fish, including Steelhead, Sockeye, Silver, and King Salmon.

The Complete Illustrated Directory of Salmon Flies - Chriss Mann

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