Saturday, January 31, 2026

The McCullough

The McCullough - Summer 

Les Johnson

Hook - Single salmon

Thread - Black

Tip - Embossed silver or gold tinsel

Tag - Hot orange yarn or floss

Tail - Golden pheasant crest under hot orange hackle fibers

Butt - Peacock herl

Body - Embossed gold tinsel

Hackle - Orange

The McCullough - Winter

Les Johnson 

Hook - Single salmon

Thread - Black

Tip - Embossed or oval silver tinsel

Tag - Hot orange yarn or floss

Tail - Golden pheasant crest under hot orange hackle fibers

Butt - Fl\lime green chenille

Body - Embossed gold tinsel 

Hackle - Hot orange

Wing - Brown pheasant rump fibers

Cheeks - (Optional) Jungle cock

Fly Patterns of Canada - Paul C Marriner 

Monday, January 26, 2026

Stillaguamish Sunrise and Sunset

 Stillaguamish Sunrise

George McLeod, late 1940s 

Hook - Wet fly

Thread - Black

Tail - Red and yellow hackle fibers 

Body - Yellow chenille 

Ribbing - Silver oval tinsel 

Hackle - Orange 

Wing - White bucktail

Stillaguamish Sunset

George McLeod, late 1940s

Hook - Wet fly

Thread - Black 

Tail - Red hackle fibers 

Body - Orange chenille 

Ribbing - Silver oval tinsel 

Hackle - Orange 

Wing - White bucktail

Classic Steelhead Flies - John Shewey

Stillaguamish Belle

Stillaguamish Belle

Hook - Single Salmon

Tail - Golden pheasant tippet barbs

Butt - White chenille

Body - Black floss with a joint of yellow chenille tied in front

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

*Wing - Gray squirrel tied over the body

Author's Note

Al Knudson of Everett, Washington, originated this pattern around 1930. 

*The original wings on this fly consisted of natural gray goose quill sections.

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

Monday, January 5, 2026

B.B.L

B.B.L

Hook - Single salmon

Thread - White

Body - Silver polyglitter tinsel (Bill's body braid)

Wing - Purple over red bucktail or substitute

Throat - Bright blue bucktail or substitute; tied body length

Author's Note

The pattern for this fly, came from the fine book by Bruce Ferguson, Les Johnson, and Pat Trotter, Fly Fishing For Pacific Salmon. They write that this fly is a Bristol Bay Lodge pattern. It is said to be a good pattern for freshwater Coho.

www.angelfire.com

The Zebra


The Zebra

Hook - Single salmon

Thread - Black

Tip - Silver oval tinsel followed by fluorescent white floss

Tail - Two sections of barred wood duck feathers back to back

Butt - Black ostrich feather

Rib - Silver oval tinsel

Body - Gudebrod HT Braid 1/8 black (originally the body was made of stretched and lacquered black Krystal flash)

Underwing -Two strands of pearly white oval micro tinsel and one strand of fluorescent white floss

Wing - Gray fox fur

Throat - Black hen

Author's Note

I created this artificial fly in July 1998. My first salmon caught with this fly was on the Matane River. Effective in both clear and cloudy weather, brown or clear water, I often return to the Zebra.

www.quebecpeche.com

Thursday, January 1, 2026

R/O & W/O Trinity



R/O Trinity

Hook - Single salmon

Thread - Black

Tip - Gold tinsel

Tail - Red duck or goose quill segments or red hackle fibers

Body - Three balls of fluorescent red chenille, separated by wraps of gold tinsel

Hackle - Fluorescent red

Wings - White calf tail or polar bear



W/O Trinity

Hook - Single salmon

Thread - Black

Tip - Gold tinsel

Tail - Orange duck or goose quill segments or red hackle fibers

Body - Three balls of fluorescent orange chenille, separated by wraps of gold tinsel

Hackle - Fluorescent orange

Wings - White calf tail or polar bear

Author's Note

The pattern for this fly, came from the fine book by Bruce Ferguson, Les Johnson, and Pat Trotter, Fly Fishing For Pacific Salmon. They write that this fly was originated by James Garrett of Sequim, Washington. It is good for Coho, Pinks and Chum.

www.angelfire.com

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Pale Rat



Pale Rat

Hook - Single salmon

Thread - Black 

Tip - Holographic silver tinsel

Tail - Peacock sword fibers

Rib - Silver oval tinsel

Body - First half bright uni-glo yellow, second half peacock herl

Hackle - Guinea hen feather

Wings - Silver fox fur

Topping - Peacock sword fibers

Author's Note

I found the recipe for this fly in a book by Dick Talleur; this Scandinavian fly would be a real nuisance in sunny weather.

www.quebecpeche.com

Tuesday, December 30, 2025

Foxtrot



Foxtrot

Hook - Single salmon, size 2-6

Thread - Black

Tip - Oval silver tinsel and chartreuse green floss

Tail - Fibers from a blue downy feather

Butt - Black ostrich herl

Ribbing - Oval silver tinsel

Body - Black holographic Gudebrod HT braid

Underwing - A few strands of black Krystal Flash

Wing: Gray fox fur

Throat - Fibers from a blue downy feather 

Author's Note

Ah, the Bonaventure River... True to form, when I wake up in the morning I admire it and carefully observe the color it reflects. It's inspiring and helps me create the fly of the day. So, one morning in September 2003, I tied that fly and it was to bring me two catches in two days, a beautiful male of about fifteen pounds in the Upper Rock pit in full afternoon sun and another of about eight pounds in the Salmon pit just after sunset.

www.quebecpeche.com

Monday, December 29, 2025

La Ouelle


La Ouelle

Hook - Single salmon

Thread - Black

Tail - Orange hackle fibers

Body - Glossy gray chenille (giving silver highlights, avoid cheap, dull chenille)
(I twisted gray chenille with oval silver tinsel to achieve the silver highlights)

Ribs - Large silver oval tinsel

Wing - Silver fox fur

Collar - Orange hen neck hackle

Author's Note

The creator of this fly is unknown to me. I had heard in a riverside conversation that the creator was a certain Mr. Jean-Marie Lord?... Personally, it was Christian Milliard, an experienced local salmon angler, who introduced me to him.

According to this recipe. La Ouelle catches its share of salmon every season... Why not try it on the rivers of the north shore with the same colors!

https://www.quebecpeche.com

 "La Ouelle" likely refers to Rivière-Ouelle, a picturesque town in the Kamouraska region of Quebec, Canada

Sunday, December 28, 2025

Unknown Woman


Unknown Woman

Hook - Single salmon

Thread - Black

Tip - Oval gold tinsel and gold yellow floss

Body - green chenille

Rib - Oval gold tinsel 

Throat - Blue hackle fibers

Wing - Gray squirrel dyed green, one golden pheasant crest feather

Author's Note

The Unknown is a creation of Mr. Gilles Aubert. It's a simple pattern to tie and an excellent fly.
I mainly use it in small sizes

https://www.quebecpeche.com