Saturday, November 1, 2025

Brindle Bug

Brindle Bug 

Hook - Single salmon

Thread - Black

Tail - Two brown hackle tipstied on edge in a V

Body - Black and yellow variegated chenille

Hackle - Brown tied on as a collar and tied back

Author's Note

Lloyd Silvius of Eureka, California, originated this pattern in 1960.

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

Chiquita


Chiquita

Hook - Single salmon

Thread - Black

Tail - White marabou, with a small bunch of fluorescent yellow marabou tied on top

Body - Copper wire

Hackle - Small bunch of fluorescent yellow marabou tied in at the throat

Wing - Fluorescent yellow marabou

Topping - Small bunch of red Flashabou Accent

Author's Note

Darwin Atkin of Porterville, California, originated this pattern.

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

Chief


Chief

Hook - Single salmon

Thread - Black

Tail - Scarlet red hackle barbs

Ribbing - Oval gold tinsel

Body - Dubbed with brown-gray raccoon fur

Wing - Dyed black squirrel tail tied over the body and extending to the end of tail

Hackle - Natural black hen hackle tied on as a collar and tied back

Author's Note

Originator unknown, but the fly popped up in northern California around 1950 and was popular for three or four seasons.

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

Chaveney


Chaveney

Hook - Single salmon 

Thread - Black

Tail - Golden pheasant tippets

Ribbing - Oval silver tinsel

Body - Muskrat dubbing

Hackle - Grizzly tied on as a collar and tied back and down

Wing - Brown bucktail

Fish Flies Volume Two - Terry Helleckson

Friday, October 31, 2025

Chappie


Chappie

Hooks - Single salmon

Thread - Orange

Tail - Grizzly hackle tips tiedon edge in a V with concave sides out

Body - Dubbed with orange lamb's wool

Wings - Grizzly neck hackle tied on edge in a V over the body with concave sides out

Hackle - Grizzly tied on as a collar and tied back

Author's Note

C. L. Franklin of Los Angeles, California, originated this pattern about 1945. During the later 1940s and early 1950s there were a number of articles written about this fly, suggesting it was an international predator of fish. Those articles that touted it as a "real killer" on the Klamath River for steelhead and salmon were overstated. At best, this fly never achieved any acceptance other than as a mediocre summer-run fly when tied in a size 8. It is a good crappie and bass fly and it probably should be treated as such.

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

Carter's Dixie

Carter's Dixie 

Hooks - Single salmon

Thread - Black

Tail - Yellow calf tail

Body - Oval gold tinsel

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

Wing - White bucktail tied over the body

Author's Note

Jim Pray of Eureka, California, originated nated this pattern in 1934 and later named it after Harley Carter, a client and friend from Berkeley, California.

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

Carter Fly

Carter Fly

Hook - Single salmon

Thread - Black

Tail - Golden pheasant crest feather

Ribbing - Oval silver tinsel

Body - Red chenille

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

Wing - Black bucktail tied over the body

Author's Note

This fly is of unknown origin, but Harley Carter of Berkley, California, is responsible for popularizing it.

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

Carson

Carson

Hook - Single salmon

Thread - Black

Tail - Golden pheasant tippet barbs

Body - Peacock herl with a red floss center band

Hackle - Brown tied on as a collar and tied back and down 

Wing - White bucktail tied over the body, with an over wing of a small bunch of red bucktail

Cheeks - Jungle cock

Author's Note

Sumner Carson of Eureka, California, originated this pattern around 1900. His original flies had wings of married red and white duck quill sections. About 1935 this was changed to hair wings. This was a period strongly influenced by Jim Pray, when a number of patterns made the transition.

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

Caldwell

Caldwell 

Hook - Single salmon

Thread - Fluorescent red

Tip - Flat silver tinsel

Tail - Fluorescent red hackle barbs

Ribbing - Flat silver tinsel

Body - Dubbed with florescent hot pink lamb's wool

Hackle - Fluorescent red 

Wing - White over red bucktail

Author's Note

Louie Caldwell originated this pattern.

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

Thursday, October 30, 2025

Valdum

Valdum

Tag - Silver tinsel and red floss

Tail - Red hackle fibers

Butt - Black ostrich herl

Ribbing - Black floss

Body - Silver tinsel

Throat - Black hackle fibers

Wing - Black goose quill segments

Cheeks - Jungle fowl

The Complete Illustrated Directory of Salmon Flies - Chris Mann