Guide’s Special

Guide’s Special

Hook - 7xl or 9xl streamer

Thread - Black

Body - Double wrapped flat silver tinsel

Belly - Long blue bucktail

Wing - Long red bucktail with four slim Ewing yellow saddle hackles over

Author's Note

This fly is one of those simple patterns that has an interesting history and has produced for years. The following history is a combination of what I have read and have been told by individuals who have a connection to Jim Warner and Lake Winnipesaukee.

Jim Warner use to tie and sell many of these Guide’s Specials. He was given the pattern by a very popular local guide on the lake Glenn Morrill of Alton, NH. The color combination of this fly when wet and the materials blend together closely imitate the coloring of a smelt. One other pattern the Babbs Ghost has similar colors in it. Jim created the Babbs Ghost and today it is still very effective.

Little is known about who created the Guides Special, which is consistent with how many of these fly patterns got passed down from angler to angler. I’ve personally used this pattern with success and tied it for anglers fishing in New England all reporting back that they caught fish with it.

https://partridge-of-redditch.co.uk/the-guides-special-streamer-tutorial/