|
||
| To order by mail, send check or MO to: Bob Blumreich PO Box 105 Viroqua,WI 54665 |
| My second love behind the full dressed featherwing flies would have to be the old Scottish Spey & Dee patterns. |
| The old ghillies used barnyard materials & the furs & feathers obtained while hunting as a matter of economy. While it's no longer legal to use heron, rail, kite, & plumage from other protected species, we have excellent substitutes available. Wild turkey, pheasants, & other game birds have feather markings similar to the protected species, & are very effective on fishing flies. Modern patterns keep the style & character of the Spey/Dee fly, while using "hot" colors that are deadly on steelhead. |
|
||
| To order by mail, send check or MO to: Bob Blumreich PO Box 105 Viroqua,WI 54665 |
| Hook: Any salmon/steelhead type | Sample is an Alec Jackson # 1.5 |
| Thread/head: Wine colored 8/0 or 12/0 | Small, tapered head |
| Tag: Bright yellow floss | From barb to point |
| Tail: G. P. crest | A "topping" about 1- 1 1/2 hook gaps long |
| Butt: Yellow ostrich herl | 2 turns over hook point to hide tie-offs |
| Body: Bright blue floss | Smooth & tapered |
| Ribs: Medium oval silver tinsel | 5 turns evenly spaced; tie off UNDER shank |
| Hackle: Kingfisher blue schlappen | Wound tight behind the ribs, from 2nd turn |
| Throat: Hot purple mallard flank | 2 turns only, wound "doubled" |
| Wing: Narrow strips of hot orange goose or turkey | Set flat & tentlike |
| With Thanks to Bud "old coot" Smithers , who originated this pattern as a whole feather wing salmon fly; the "German Forest Ranger". |
| Hook= Any long shank, light wire salmon/steelhead model | Sample fly is on an Alec Jackson #1 1/2 |
| Thread= Black | 6/0-12/0 |
| Tag= Fine silver tinsel | Oval tinsel is stronger than flat, & adds a bit more flash |
| Tail= G.P.crest | Crests are often referred to as "toppings" in the old tying books |
| Butt= Black dyed ostrich herl | 2 turns only, to hide the tie-offs of the tag & tail. Avoid leaving excess material forward of the butt; it will make a "lumpy" body |
| Body= Black silk floss | Floss is tied in at the front, & wound towards the butt; binding down the ribbing tinsel. Reverse direction, & tie in the hackle tip with the floss. This tie in should be at the point where the 2nd or 3rd turn of ribbing crosses under the body |
| Ribs= Flat & fine oval gold tinsel | 5 or 6 turns, with the oval butting against the trailing edge of the flat |
| Hackle= Imitation heron belly, dyed loden green | Use a permanent marker to blacken the tips of a green dyed maribou hackle. Strip one side, & wrap immediately behind the tinsel rib |
| Throat= Teal flank | Tied in by the tip, "doubled", & wrap 2 or 3 turns |
| Wing= Goose strips dyed loden green, with narrow strip of yellow over narrow strip of black married to top edge | Reversing the thread will prevent the far wing from collapsing. The yellow strip replaces a topping, which was used in the original Ranger type wing. The black strip replaces the bars in the original's tippet wing. |
| Cheeks= Jungle cock | Set drooping |
| This is a variation on the old Pacific North West steelhead standard. It uses soft materials that give more action & mobility in the water than the chenille & bucktail used in the original. I like to tie it on fairly large hooks. The fly in the picture is on an Alec Jackson #1 1/2. The nickel plating prevents the floss butt from turning "muddy" in the water. |
| Hook=Any salmon/steelhead model | Partridge "N" series have a 2x long shank, similar to the old Spey/Dee style. |
| Thread=Black | 6/0-12/0 |
| Butt=Flourescent Lime floss | Underwrap with silver tinsel, or use plated hook. |
| Tail=G. P. crest dyed bright red | 1-1½ hook gaps long |
| Body=Black dyed seal or substitute | Loop dub loosely |
| Ribs=Flat silver tinsel & fine oval silver (wire) | 5 turns only.Oval is counter-wrapped to re-enforce hackle. "Pick" hackle clear as wire is wrapped. |
| Hackle=Schlappen or imitation heron ie:maribou or pheasant rump, dyed black | From 2nd turn of flat tinsel, & following back edge of tinsel. Right handed tyers will strip left side of feather, & tie in by tip. |
| Throat=Mallard flank dyed chartreuse | Tie in by tip, "fold" or "double", & wrap 2 turns. Tie off under shank to avoid a lump at the wing position. |
| Wing=Narrow strips of white goose or turkey | Set low & tented. Reversing the thread helps prevent crushing the far side wing. Practice will allow setting both at once. |
| This is a modern variant, tied in the old style. The combination gives a great silhouhette, with just a touch of hot color that seems to turn on fall steelies. I like to tie it on fairly large hooks, and fish it on a hard swing. The fly in the picture is on an Alec Jackson #1 1/2. The gold plating adds a little extra flash. |
| Hook=Any salmon/steelhead model | Partridge "N" series have a 2x long shank, similar to the old Spey/Dee style. |
| Thread=Black | 6/0-12/0 |
| Tag=Embossed gold tinsel | Butted turns, DO NOT OVERLAP |
| Tail=G. P. crest dyed hot orange | 1-1½ hook gaps long |
| Butt=Hot orange dyed herl | 2 turns to hide tail tie-down |
| Body=Black dyed seal or substitute | Loop dub loosely |
| Ribs=Flat gold tinsel & fine oval gold (wire) | 5 turns only.The oval is wrapped touching the back edge of the flat. |
| Hackle=Schlappen or imitation heron ie:maribou or pheasant rump, dyed black | From 2nd turn of flat tinsel, & following back edge of tinsel. Right handed tyers will strip left side of feather, & tie in by tip. |
| Throat=Mallard flank dyed hot orange | Tie in by tip, "fold" or "double", & wrap 2 turns. Tie off under shank to avoid a lump at the wing position. |
| Wing=Narrow strips of hot orange goose or turkey | Set low & tented. Reversing the thread helps prevent crushing the far side wing. Practice will allow setting both at once. |
| The Milwaukee Spey was created to combine the black/pink colors that are so effective on steelhead into a pattern that would trigger strikes under most conditions of clarity & temperature. Black flies have a good silhouette, & pink gives a splash of hot color. The pattern has been effective on the winter run steelies in Wisconsin's Lake Michigan tributaries. |
| Hook: Alec Jackson #1 1/2 or equivilant | Any long shank, light wire salmon model |
| Body: Half hot pink, half black seal | Any seal substitute may be used |
| Ribs: Medium flat & fine oval silver tinsel | 5 turns only, with the oval following the flat in touching turns |
| Hackle: Imitation heron belly dyed hot pink | From the 2nd turn of tinsel. Strip one side, & tie in by the tip, from the 2nd or 3rd turn of ribbing. |
| Throat: Mallard flank dyed hot pink | Two turns, "doubled" |
| Wing: Strips of black goose | Set low & flat( tent-like), by reversing the thread |
| Head: Black thread | 6/0-12/0 |
