Tuesday, December 2, 2025

McClain's Fancy

McClain's Fancy 

Hook - Single salmon

Thread - Brown

Tail - Coastal blacktail deer hair

Ribbing - Single strand of brown yarn

Body - Dubbed with yellow lamb's wool

Wing - Coastal blacktail deer hair tied over the body

Author's Note

Don McClain of Portland, Oregon, originated this pattern for summer-run fish. This fly should be sparsely dressed and fished with a floating line in the surface film.

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

Feather Merchant

Feather Merchant

Hooks - Single salmon

Thread - Black

Tail - Golden pheasant tippet barbs

Butt - Dubbed with red lamb's wool

Ribbing - Oval silver tinsel over peacock only

Body - Peacock herl

Hackle: Orange tied on as a collar and tied back and down

Wing - Red calf tail tied over the body

Cheeks - Jungle cock eyes or substitute

Author's Note

Ted Trueblood originated this fly in the early I 960s as a tribute to Wayne "Buz" Buszek and his Feather River Trading Company. The gesture proved to be more than that; many fish have since surrendered to it.

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

Feather Merchant

Tail - Golden pheasant tippets

Butt - Red uni stretch

Body - Peacock herl

Throat - Orange hackle fibers

Wing - Red calf tail

Steelhead Fly Tying Manual - Tom Light & Neal Humphreys (1979)

McLeods' Skykomish Sunrise,

McLeods' Skykomish Sunrise

Hook - Single salmon

Thread - Red

Tip - Oval silver tinsel

Tail - Scarlet red hackle barbs

Ribbing - Oval silver tinsel

Body - Red chenille

Hackle - Scarlet red and yellow tied on as a collar mixed and tied back and down

Wing - White calf tail tied over the body

Author's Note 

Ken and George McLeod of Seattle, Washington, originated this pattern in the 1940s.

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

Skykomish Yellow

Skykomish Yellow

Hook - Single salmon

Thread - Red

Tip - Oval silver tinsel

Tail - Scarlet red hackle barbs

Ribbing - Oval silver tinsel

Body - Yellow chenille

Hackle - Scarlet red and yellow tied on as a collar mixed and tied back and down

Wing - White calf tail tied over the body

Author's Note

Ken and George McLeod of Seattle, Washington, originated this pattern in the 1940s.

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

Nite Owl (Silvius)


Nite Owl (Silvius)

Hook - Single salmon

Thread - Black

Tail - Yellow hackle fibers

Butt - 2 turns of red chenille

Body - Silver oval tinsel

Hackle - Orange

Wing - White bucktail

Hairwing & Tube Flies for Salmon & Steelhead - Chris Mann

Odds & Ends



Odds & Ends

Hook - Standard wet/nymph fly style, size 4

Thread - Black

Tail - Red hackle fibers

Rib - Flat silver tinsel, wide, 1 long wrap

Body - Golden yellow wool

Wing: White bucktail

Hackle - Dark brown

Author's Note

Bill MacArthur

Fly Patterns of Canada - Paul Marriner

Monday, December 1, 2025

Thompson River

Thompson River

Hook - Single salmon

Thread - Black

Tail - Scarlet red and orange hackle barbs mixed

Body - Flat gold tinsel

Hackle - Scarlet red and orange tied on as a collar mixed and tied back and down

Wing - Red bucktail tied over the body, with an over wing of natural brown bucktail

Author's Note

Walt Johnson of Seattle, Washington, originated this pattern in the 1960s.

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