Malinda's Rainbow Spey Fly

[flytie09]

Malinda’s Rainbow Spey
designed by Malinda Barna
2005

View attachment 10034

Hook: Daiichi 2051 size 1.5 or 3
Thread: Danville Flat Wax Nylon, Fl. Red (Fl. Hot Pink)
After rib change to UTC 70 or Danville 6/0, BLACK
Tip: UTC Large Oval Tinsel, Silver
Body: Danville Flat Wax Nylon, Fl. Red (Fl. Hot Pink)
Rib: UTC Large Oval Tinsel, Silver
Spey Hackle: Collared Blood Quill Marabou, White
Throat: Mini Marabou, Red
Flash: Mirage Opal Tinsel, One strand each side of body
Wing: Ringneck Pheasant Rump feather, Dyed Golden Yellow (laid flat on top)

ft09

 

[dillon]

Pretty fly

 

[mcnerney]

Awesome work, congrats!!!!

 

[flytie09]

Well....I revisited this pattern. It appears as though my original pic has disappeared. This is a minor variation from Malinda's original pattern. An additional couple of turns of red teal to throat and I tented the wings vs a single feather over the top. I used ringneck rump in caddis green under gray ringneck rump as I didn't have any olive. Made for a cool look I think. Sorry for the picture quality.....I tie flies.....I'm not much of a photographer. I guess it helps to cover up my mistakes.

Malinda Barna is the owner of Malinda's Fly Shop in Altmar, NY. She's been in business there for 30 years. She is very soft spoken and modest...but absolutely knows her stuff. Her shop caters to those that target biting fish and all things spey. There's no sponge, no slinkies or any of that nonsense. The Spey revolution I'm sure has been a welcome phenomena for her and I'm glad for that.

The shop when you walk in is slap full of Spey goodness. It's like you walked through the wardrobe to Narnia. She has hackles and capes wrapped around the shop from the ceiling down to the floor, every kind of feather, fur, tinsel or hook you can imagine. And she is a Hardy, Fenwick, Echo, Hatch, TFO, RIO, Airflo, and Royal Wulff products dealer. If you want it....she's got it. You might be intimidated if you don't know your single spey from your double spey. Malinda, Walt or one of the locals will make you feel at ease and give you the lowdown on how to catch a fish there.

I never miss a chance at stopping in to say hi. I suggest you do as well. If you do, just be sure to ask her if she cleans fish or where her smoker is.

 

[Ard]

It's good to hear how that business turned out Mike. I was only there once and I'm not sure it is still in the same location. If it's 30 years in business then I must have been there during year one and it wasn't anything like you describe today. Now if every shop in that area became sponsors of more ethical fishing practices things would turn a bit on the river. Can't say I'm a fan of the fly but you tied it well and if it catches there I guess that's what matters not what I think

 

[flytie09]

You're a tough customer Ard. I like the looks of the fly. It's a close representation to an actual minnow compared to the many others in my box. Does it work? Well I'll have to let you know. 2017 is when I started tying spey flies......and 2020 has been a wash for me so far from a fishing standpoint as far as getting out to fish. I haven't caught a fish yet on every one of the 200+ patterns I've listed on here.......but I'll die trying.

Malinda's shop has changed quite a bit inside over the years...but it is in the same location that I always remember. Prior to her owning the shop it was the Altmar Smokehouse for many years. Perhaps that was when you were there. They had a pack of hooks, some lead sinkers and free coffee and that's about it. Every time I go up there.....I swing by to see the shop and say hello. The trip is as much about nostalgia and memories to me now than it is about actually catching fish.

Perhaps my next fly will catch your eye.

 

[Ard]

Yep, it was the old Smokehouse spot.

I don't mean to be critical like I've witnessed people behave regarding fly tying but I am painfully honest when it comes to fishing related talk. Hopefully that can be appreciated because I have a hard time just liking everything I see....... I do however see the dark back and light belly as being a good representation and the shape will be good when wet. I guess it was the seeming clash of the rose colored throat area against the olive toppings that made me say what I said

 

[Unknownflyman]

Not to be contradictory to Ard but I think that fly is seriously awesome, the color, the proportions and it totally represents steelhead smolts in the late summer when they are jumping by the thousands and lake run browns and kings are coming up. I think it could be a good fall fly here.

 

[flytie09]

It’s all good Ard. You’ve been around the block a time or two so I listen to what you’re saying. Flies are very much a personal connection and preference. What some guys love...... others wouldn’t be caught dead throwing. The Intruder early on in its development was not a well regarded fly outside the Skagit clan. Oh how that’s changed.

I’ll give it a swing This Fall. Interestingly enough.... I saw a video from Jay Peck’s guide service where they were swinging the SR a couple weeks ago. A nice brown came to net and he had barfed up two 6” Steelhead smolts. Got me thinking.

 

[Ard]

I once was sitting along a spring creek in Pennsylvania, a large spring creek and saw what appeared to be a large fish in its death throes drifting down the other side of the stream some 60 feet away. I'd found some large dead fish there over the years and wanted to see exactly how big this one was so I got up and waded across. What I found twisting and corkscrewing along were 2 brown trout. The larger maybe 17 - 18 inches maximum and the smaller maybe 11 inches.

The smaller fish, the 11 inch one had a real problem. Matter of fact so did the larger fish as well. The shared problem albeit different depending on which fish you were was as follows........... The smaller trout was stuck to the gill plates in the mouth of the larger fish. Now this condition couldn't have been existing long before I spotted them coming my way because they were both still alive.

I kinda nudged them to the near shore water and took a careful look and handled them a bit. It was clear that they were stuck and would be like that until death. How they got that way is anyone's guess but it was fall and I thought most likely this condition had to do with the larger fish being dominant male at some nesting spot and the smaller fish was just coming too close and not running when pursued. I intervened and separated those 2 brown trout. The smaller guy (they were both male) his whole head was discolored, from the circulation being affected was my guess but he was still breathing. I found a comfy spot to sit right in the creek and spent a long time with that fish until it was able to swim away. Never forgot that and wish I had a photo. I've seen trout, char and 5 different species of salmon fight during the spawning seasons. Seen sockeye's here get stuck to one another with those big teeth they just have a hard time freeing their grips on the other fish.

Another interesting thing I've encountered here in Alaska occurs when the King Salmon are nesting, that occurrence is that you will on occasion find some pretty darn big rainbow trout floating dead. When I scoop them up they could easily be mistaken as having been caught and then dropped by an eagles talons but based on eyes on examination of 3 different dead trout and having seen many trout being chased from the nest redds by king salmon as large as 40 pound fish I'm pretty sure those trout were killed by salmon. The rainbows and the char will get as near to the tail of the salmon as possible hoping to be there when those precious eggs spill.......

Good chance as any that I may find a trout this year who got a bit too close to the Kings.....

Brown trout will eat pretty much anything they can swallow.

 

[Unknownflyman]

My friend got attacked by a big king, kept slamming into his legs while wading, from what Ive seen they are pretty aggressive to anything that swims. A friend had it on video it was pretty funny. You hear LOOK OUT! and you see my friend trying to get away and then OOWWWWW and it kept coming back till he got out.

 

[quadesherwood]

I recounted my love for Malinda's on your thread in speypages, but I thought I'd chime in here.
Malinda is a fantastic woman and I love spending time in her shop, even if it's just a 40 minute drive to drink a cup of coffee with her, Craig and Rocky.

I'm going to hate it when I move away from that place

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

 

[Ard]

My friend got attacked by a big king, kept slamming into his legs while wading, from what Ive seen they are pretty aggressive to anything that swims. A friend had it on video it was pretty funny. You hear LOOK OUT! and you see my friend trying to get away and then OOWWWWW and it kept coming back till he got out.

Never had one come after me Steve but then I was killing them up until 2010 and they feared me

I have had them swim really close in pre dawn conditions but nothing out-scares the Kodiak incident. I'll be brief: Remote river and you're alone, pre dawn about 150 yards above the surf and in the river thigh deep .......... Suddenly something so big that it is pushing water swims right past you headed upriver! You get the hell out of the water because that genuinely scared and surprised you. Remember you are really close to a part of the Bearing Sea and whatever that was it was huge! You even think it may have had some white on it but in the very poor September light at 5:45 AM you can't be sure. Then here it comes down river nearly an hour later and you can now see in the overcast and drizzling conditions, there were two of them!

Spotted seals; think big ones at around 250 pounds and 6 1/2 feet long, dark back light belly and in the dark in the water one of those babies will become a sea monster or at least a shark...............