Tuesday, January 31, 2023

Juno


Juno

Hook - Straight eye bass

Thread - Red

Tag - Flat silver tinsel

Tail - Red over white goose or duck quill fibers

Ribbing - Oval silver tinsel

Body - Pale green chenille

Hackle - Scarlet

Wings - Scarlet and jungle cock

Favorite Flies and Their Histories - Mary Orvis Marbury

Monday, January 30, 2023

Beeman


Beeman

Winged Wet Fly

Body - Light green chenille

Hackle - Brown

Wing - Gray mottled turkey

Trout - Ray Bergman

Dark Flagon



DARK FLAGON


Hook - Mustad Heritage S80AP

Thread - Black

Body - First half brown floss, second half peacock herl

Ribbing - Oval gold tinsel

Hackle - Black

Wing - Brown hen

Light Fox

Light Fox

Hook – Mustad Heritage S80AP

Thread - Black

Tag – Flat gold tinsel

Tail/tag - Yellow wool *

Ribbing – Flat gold tinsel

Body - White wool

Hackle - Yellow

Wing - Slate

* A tail-tag is generally cut off even with the hook bend.

Trout – Ray Bergman

Sunday, January 29, 2023

Light Polka


Light Polka

Winged Wet Fly

Hook - Mustad Heritage S80AP

Thread - Black

Body - White chenille

Throat - White hen hackle

Wing - Guinea fowl

Trout - Ray Bergman

Puffer

 

Puffer

Hook - Straight eye bass

Thread - Black

Tag - Flat gold tinsel.

Tail - Red goose

Ribbing - Light green floss behind oval gold tinsel

Body - Blue mohair

Hackle - Ring-necked pheasant breast or neck feather

Wing - Black rooster or crow

Head - Red wool

Favorite Flies and Their Histories - Mary Orvis Marbury

Owner


Owner

Hook - Straight eye bass

Thread - Black

Tag - Flat silver tinsel

Tail - Red goose

Body - Yellow silk floss

Rib - Yellow silk chenille

Hackle - Orange

Wing - Guinea hen dyed red

Head - Black chenille and black thread

Favorite Flies and Their Histories - Mary Orvis Marbury

Gaudy Wet Flies of the Golden Era | Fly Tyer

Saturday, January 28, 2023

Plymouth Rock


Plymouth Rock

Hook - Straight eye bass

Thread - Red

Tail - Mallard flank

Body - Oval silver tinsel

Hackle and wings - Grizzly

Favorite Flies and Their Histories - Mary Orvis Marbury

Mather



Mather 

Hook - Straight eye bass

Thread - Red

Tag - Oval god tinsel and red floss

Body - Black ostrich herl with a waist of pale green floss

Wing - Brown speckled hen, partridge or pheasant

Hackle - Brown speckled hen, partridge or pheasant

The Mather was created by Charles Orvis and named by his friend and fishing companion, Mr. A. N. Cheney. The fly itself was named after Fred Mather, fishing editor of "The Forest and Stream" magazine.

Favorite Flies and Their Histories - Mary Orvis Marbury

Tribute to MOM | Global FlyFisher

Ondawa

Ondawa

Hook – Straight eye bass

Thread - Red

Tag - Oval gold tinsel

Tail - Black goose

Body - Read 2/3 pale green floss, front 1/3 orange seal

Rib - Oval gold tinsel

Wing - Matched Ringneck Pheasant body feathers

Hackle - Brown hen 

According to Marbury; "The Ondawa is a bass fly, to which has been given an old Indian name belonging to a little river in a valley of the Green Mountains."

Favorite Flies and Their Histories - Mary Orvis Marbury

Tribute to MOM | Global FlyFisher

Friday, January 27, 2023

Heckham Peckham

 

Heckham Peckham 

Winged Wet Fly 

Hook - Mustad S80AP

Thread - Black

Tail - Golden pheasant tippets 

Ribbing - Flat gold tinsel 

Body - Reddish seals fur, SLF or substitute

Hackle - Black hen

Wing - Slips of blue wing feathers from a mallard wing

Davie McPhail video

Thursday, January 26, 2023

Blue Sunoco

 

Blue Sunoco

Atlantic Salmon

Hook - Single salmon

Thread - Glo-Brite #14 blue

Tag - Blue wire

Tail - Dyed blue guinea fowl

Ribbing - Blue wire

Body - Tying thread

Wing - Dye blue squirrel tail

Collar - Yellow hen

My grandfather owned a small restaurant in the mill town of Taftville, Connecticut serving the best damn cheeseburgers around. In the basement of his restaurant, he used to make his own liquor/moonshine (1920's 30's) and serve it to his patrons. As my father told me years ago, it got to be known as "Blue Sunoco". Hence the tribute to my grandfather (he passed away long before I was born).

Western Woofta


Western Woofta

Chironomid

Hook - TFS 2305

Bead - Black nickel, brass

Gills - White Uni floss or uni stretch

Thread - Red, black and burnt orange 

Butt - Red thread

Ribbing - X-Small silver wire

Body - Black thread

Thorax - Fuchsia holographic tinsel

Wing Pads - Burnt orange thread

UV Resin

Phil Rowley Video

Wednesday, January 25, 2023

Spruce Variant

 

Spruce Variant

Steelhead

Hook – Single Salmon

Thread – Wine/red

Abdomen - Copper tinsel tip & red tinsel

Tailing - Golden pheasant tippet

Thorax - Peacock herl

Wing - Yellow-dyed squirrel tail

Hackle – Brown brahma hen


Tuesday, January 24, 2023

DP-42


DP-42

Hook - Mustad C068

Thread - Gray 

Tail - Coq De Leon

Ribbing - Olive 

Body - Tying thread

Wing bud - CDC 

Thorax - Black

Fire Ball



Fire Ball

Hook - Single Salmon

Thread - Black

Tag - Flat gold tinsel

Tail - Golden pheasant tippets

Ribbing - Oval gold tinsel

Body - Yellow floss and purple yarn

Wing - Orange dyed squirrel tail

Hackle - Orange hen

From an internet photo


Swedish Killer

 

Swedish Killer

Hook - Single Salmon

Thread - Black

Tag - Oval silver tinsel

Butt - Yellow chenille

Ribbing - Oval silver tinsel

Body - Black chenille

Wing - Black or gray squirrel tail

Hackle - Blue

Head - Deer hair, trimmed

From an internet photo

Fly Supply » Swedish Killer #8

Monday, January 23, 2023

Butchers

Butcher

Hook - Wet fly

Thread - Black

Tail - Originally Ibis, few strands of red dyed goose work well.

Ribbing - Oval silver tinsel or wire

Body - Silver tinsel

Hackle - Black

Wing - Slips of blue wing feathers from a mallard wing

This famous wet fly was originally called Moon’s Fly after a butcher called Moon whose favorite pattern it was. Developed by John Jewhurst the fly was newly named by William Blacker around 1838 as per Moon’s profession arguably as a marketing gimmick. Well, the name change worked well as it became one of the bestselling trout flies and I think many falsely associated the name with the killing abilities of this fly. There have also been theories that the color red represents blood, silver the blade and blue wing the apron of a butcher.


Bloody Butcher

Hook - Wet fly

Thread - Black

Tail - Originally Ibis, few strands of red dyed goose work well

Ribbing - Oval silver tinsel

Body - Silver tinsel

Hackle - Red

Wing - Slips of blue wing feathers from a mallard wing


Peacock Butcher

Hook - Wet fly

Thread - Black 

Tail - Red hackle fibers 

Rib - Silver wire 

Body - Silver tinsel 

Hackle - Dyed red cock or hen 

Wing - Blue peacock neck feather 

Eyes - Jungle Cock



Kingfisher Butcher

Hook - Wet fly

Thread - Black 

Tail - Goose Shoulder dyed kingfisher blue 

Rib - Gold wire 

Body - Gold tinsel 

Hackle - Dyed hot orange hen 

Wing - Mallard blue quill






 Hardy's Gold Butcher

Hook - Wet fly

Thread - Black

Tail - Goose Shoulder dyed red

Rib - Gold wire 

Body - Gold tinsel 

Hackle - Dyed hot orange hen 

Wing - Natural mallard quill 

The butcher range of flies have been around for years, and account for many fish throughout the season. Great for browns, rainbows and works well for sea trout and even salmon in low water conditions. The Hardy's Gold Butcher is the only one in the series that abandons the mallard blue wings.

Hardy's Gold Butcher (fliesonline.co.uk)

Trout Flies of Ireland - Peter O'Reilly


Canary Butcher

Hook - Wet fly

Thread - Black

Tail - Originally Ibis, few strands of red dyed goose work well

Ribbing - Oval silver tinsel

Body - Silver tinsel

Hackle - Yellow hen

Wing - Slips of blue wing feathers from a mallard wing

Internet Photo


Orange Butcher

Hook - Wet Fly

Thread - Black

Tail - Goose shoulder or wing quill fibers dyed orange*

Rib - Gold wire

Body - Gold tinsel

Hackle - Dyed hot orange hen

Wing - Mallard blue quill

* I did not have goose shoulder or quills. I used orange hen hackle fibers.




Galway Butcher

Hook - Wet fly

Thread - Black

Tail - Golden pheasant tippets

Ribbing - Silver wire or oval silver tinsel

Body - Bright blue floss

Hackle - Dark Claret cock for clear or light claret for colored water

Wings - 
Blue peacock neck feather 

Irish Trout and Salmon Flies - E J Malone


Leven Butcher

Hook - Wet fly

Thread - Black

Tail - Fluorescent scarlet floss (Glo-Brite #4)

Ribbing - Oval silver tinsel or wire

Body - Flat silver tinsel

Wing - Black marabou with a single strip of holographic tinsel on each side

Cheeks - Fluorescent scarlet floss (Glo-Brite #4)

Trout & Salmon Flies of Scotland - Stan Headley


Teal Winged Butcher

Hook - Wet fly

Thread - Black

Tail - Bunch of scarlet or red hackle fibers

Ribbing - Oval silver tinsel or wire

Body - Flat silver tinsel

Hackle - Black hen

Wing - Strip of teal flank; rolled

Trout & Salmon Flies of Scotland - Stan Headley


Butcher - Dark

Hook - Wet Fly

Thread - Black

Tail - Brown hackle

Ribbing - Brown silk

Body - Scarlet dubbing or substitute

Hackle - Dark red

Wing - Yellow and Black

This is an odd coloration of a "Butcher" fly pattern.

Flies - J E Leonard

Perrault's Standard Dictionary of Fishing Flies - Keith Perrault


References


Flies - J Edson Leonard

Trout & Salmon Flies of Scotland - Stan Headley

Irish Trout and Salmon Flies - E J Malone



Hardy's Gold Butcher (fliesonline.co.uk)

Trout Flies of Ireland - Peter O'Reilly

https://youtu.be/kNIX9FNnLVQ?feature=shared

https://youtu.be/vh97_mLed30?feature=shared

Thursday, January 19, 2023

Woodworth Butterfly

Woodworth Butterfly

Atlantic Salmon

Wilfred “Woody” Woodworth 

Hook - Single salmon

Thread - Black

Tag - Silver tinsel & fluorescent green wool

Rib - Oval silver tinsel

Body - Peacock herl

Wing - Yellow calf tail, divided & slanting back

Collar - Brown hen

Fly Patterns of Canada - Paul C Marriner

Prince of Darkness

Prince of Darkness

Hook - Mustad C068
Bead - Black brass or tungsten
Weight - lead free wire (Optional)
Thread - Black
Tail - Black goose biots
Ribbing Oval silver tinsel
body - Black ice dubbing
Hackle - Hungarian partridge
Wing - White goose biots

Wednesday, January 18, 2023

Witherwox Special

Witherwox Special

Steelhead

Hook - Standard wet fly style

Thread - Black

Tag - Flat sliver tinsel

Tail - Mallard flank

Butt - Green chenille

Ribbing - Oval silver tinsel

Body - Red floss or yarn

Hackle - Brown

Wing - White bucktail

Classic Steelhead Flies - John Shewey


Tuesday, January 17, 2023

High & Dirty Nashwaak

High & Dirty Nashwaak

Atlantic Salmon

Cliff Brown

Hook - Double Salmon

Thread - Black

Tag - Oval silver tinsel

Ribbing - Oval silver tinsel

Body - Flat silver tinsel

Wing - Orange calf tail

Cheeks - Jungle cock

Collar - Brown hen

Modern Atlantic Salmon Flies - Paul C Marriner

Canada

 


Canada

Winged Wet Fly

Hook - Mustad Heritage S80AP

Thread - Red under the body; black head

Tail - Scarlet wool as a short tag

Ribbing - Gold tinsel

Body - Red floss

Hackle - Red

Wing - Mottled gray turkey

* The written recipe for the Canada lists a tip of ‘scarlet tag’ but it is more accurately a tail. 

By standard definition this fly has no ‘tip.’

Trout - Ray Bergman


Gagne Special


Gagne Special

Atlantic Salmon 

Hook - Single Salmon

Thread - Black

Tag - Oval gold tinsel

Tail - Red goose quill fibers

Ribbing - Oval gold tinsel followed by black floss

Body - Yellow floss

Wing - Mix of white and light brown bucktail

Cheeks - Jungle cock

Collar - Brown hen hackle

Modern Atlantic Salmon Flies - Paul C Marriner


Monday, January 16, 2023

Sunset


Sunset

Atlantic Salmon

Daryl Peter Burry 

Hook - Single salmon

Thread - Black

Tag - Oval silver tinsel, orange seal merging into red seal or substitute

Ribbing - Oval silver tinsel

Body - Black seal fur or substitute

Wing - Grey squirrel tail

Collar - Hot orange hackle

*I substituted Ice dubbing for seal's fur

Fly Patterns of Canada - Paul C Marriner

Funfly

Funfly

Atlantic Salmon

Peter Dunne

Hook - Single Salmon

Thread - Red

Tag - Copper wire

Tail - Fluorescent red marabou

Butt - Black ostrich herl

Ribbing - Copper wire

Body - Fluorescent yellow chenille

Wing - Gray squirrel tail

Collar - Black hen

Throat - Eurasian jay or dyed blue guinea fowl

UV Resin coated head

Modern Atlantic Salmon Flies - Paul C Marriner


Sunday, January 15, 2023

Black Hackle

 

Black Hackle

Soft Hackle

Hook - Mustad Heritage S80AP

Thread - Black

Hot Spot - #3 Fluorescent red Glo-Brite floss

Ribbing - Silver wire

Body - Black tying thread

Thorax - White ostrich herl

Hackle - Black hen

Wet Wasp


Wet Wasp

Hook - Mustad Heritage C46XSAP

Thread - Black

Ribbing - Tag end of body thread colored with a black sharpie marker

Body - #9 Glo-Brite Chrome yellow floss coated with uv resin

Wings - Brown, ginger, furnace hackle tips

Hackle - Black hen

From a Spirit of the River video

Mosquito


Mosquito

Hook - Daiichi 1770

Thread - Black

Body - #3 Glo-brite thread coated with uv resin

Wings - Grizzly hackle tips

Eyes - Black plastic

Wing case - Pheasant tail fibers 

Legs - Partridge

Thorax - Dark hare's ear dubbing

From a Sprit of the River video

Saturday, January 14, 2023

Tail Light Streamer

Tail Light Streamer

Hook - Mustad 3665A 

Thread - Black 

Tail - Golden pheasant tippets 

Body - Gold mylar tubing or substitute

Underbelly - White bucktail

Wing - Yellow bucktail over orange bucktail over a few gray bucktail fibers; peacock herl top 

Cheeks - Jungle cock eyes

The Classic Streamer Fly Box - Mike Valla 

Ross Special


Ross Special

Atlantic Salmon

Jamie Caddick

Hook - Single salmon

Thread - Black

Tag - Fine oval silver tinsel

Tail - Golden pheasant crest

Rib - Oval silver tinsel

Body - Red wool

Throat - Yellow hackle fibers

Wing - Pine or fox squirrel tail

Fly Patterns of Canada - Paul C Marriner

Friday, January 13, 2023

Willow

 

Willow

Atlantic Salmon/Steelhead

Hook - Single Salmon

Thread - Black

Tail - Lady Amherst pheasant tippets

Ribbing - Oval gold tinsel

Body - White yarn

Collar - Badger hen

Wing - Gray squirrel tail

Brent Jones video