Professor
Hook - Single salmon
Thread - Black
Tip - Flat gold tinsel
Tail - Amherst pheasant crest feather
Ribbing - Flat gold tinsel
Body - Dubbed with yellow lamb's wool
Hackle - Brown tied on as a collar and tied back and down
Wing - Gray squirrel tail tied over the body
Author's Note
This is a steelhead variation of an old Scottish wet-fly pattern that dates back to about 1830.
Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art - Terry Hellekson
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
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
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
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
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
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
McKenzie Sapphire #1
Mike Brooks
Steelhead
Hook - Single salmon
Thread - Black
Tag - Flat silver tinsel & yellow floss
Tail - Blue hackle fibers
Ribbing - Flat silver tinsel
Body - Black seals fur or substitute
Hackle - Blue
Wing - Underwing of mixed red, yellow, light blue and green bucktail; soft white hair over
Cheeks - Jungle cock (optional)
McKenzie Sapphire #2
Mike Brooks
Steelhead
Hook - Single salmon
Thread - Black
Tag - Flat silver tinsel & yellow floss
Tail - Blue hackle fibers
Ribbing - Flat silver tinsel
Body - Black seals fur or substitute
Hackle - Blue
Wing - Underwing of mixed red, yellow, light blue and green bucktail; black squirrel tail over
Cheeks - Jungle cock (optional)
The Complete Illustrated Directory of Salmon Flies - Chris Mann