Classic New Zealand Streamers

[ChrisinselwynNZ]

I was reading one of my pattern books and come across an old streamer and in the story that went with it there was a refrence to a handfull of older patterns in another book I had so Ill work my way through them and post them as I tie them as these old patterns can be quite fun too tie. Its a pitty that some of these patterns have no story with them Ill post the story with the pattern.

I think some of them would look better with jungle cock but it wasnt in the pattern so Ill leave it out.

Potts Pet:

Hook- 2-6
Tag- orange
Tail- gold pheasant tippets
Body- yellow wool
Wing- bronze peacock herl
cheeks- lesser hen pheasent wing covets
head- black

This pattern was devised by Gwyenne Potts a ranger from the Taupo/Rotorua area and used to be a staple fly of the fishermen from that area roughly 80 years ago.

Chris

 

[simmons_j_m]

Nice throwback fly Chris :thumbsup: Are you going to get it wet in the future? It'd be cool to hear the story of how you landed a monster fish on a fly that was developed 80 years ago... I'll keep an eye on your posts and thanks for sharing your journey!

Justin

 

[ChrisinselwynNZ]

Thanks Justin, any fly I tie will see the water at some stage, it could be interesting to try it in the Taupo area if I make it there one day

Chris

 

[cicvara]

great Chris, I will certainly try to do something like this.

 

[ChrisinselwynNZ]

Thanks Cicvara

It would be nice too know how it fishes for you over there

Chris

 

[Pocono]

That's a nice fly, Chris. The older patterns are always interesting to me.

I like the way that the hen pheasant covert colors work with the yellow yarn body and it looks like there's enough herl on that fly to attract the attention of a whole slew of fish.

I'll bet it would work well in the area that it was originally designed to fish. With an 80 year old history, it certainly would be a "new" pattern to the fish that are there now.

Nice job on the head.

Looking forward to seeing the others when you get them tied up.

Pocono

 

[Kerry Pitt]

Good looking fly Chris. It would be pretty cool if you did a series on the old patterns and your experiences fishing them......might bring them back to life again?

 

[HuronRiverDan]

Great looking fly Chris, looking forward to more old classics...

Dan

 

[ChrisinselwynNZ]

Thanks Allan and Kerry

It would be great to go to Taupo and Rotorua to fish them, the other style of them are for the area I live in which is for Lake Ellesmere rivers. It would be good to get that in an album to share with others

Thanks Dan

Chris

 

[jpbfly]

Nice streamer Chris...size 2 to 6....a big fly for big fish

 

[Jimmie]

Thanks Chris. I like seeing those older patterns, and will look forward to more from your book. They are so much different than what I'm used to seeing. Nice tie and fly. Wish that my heads were as good as yours, perfect.

 

[ChrisinselwynNZ]

Thanks JP and Jimmie

The fish targeted in Taupo and Rotorua are big rainbows
in canterbury big Browns

Chris

 

[mcnerney]

Chris: That is a great looking Streamer, thanks for posting the pattern, I'm going to have a go at tying one and trying on the Colorado or maybe over on the Green!

Larry

 

[Ard]

Hi Chris,

Yep, that will work. I like the old streamer patterns and have caught more than a few fish off guard with them.

 

[ChrisinselwynNZ]

Thanks Larry tell me how you go with it larry

Thanks Ard I also enjoy the old patterns they can be pleasing to tie and look at

The Turkey and Red (or Yellow)

Hook- 2-6
Tail- a bunch of brown turkey, the tail ends under the long wing tip
Rib- flat silver or embosed silver
Body- thick wool or mohair usualy yellow or red
Wing- brown turkey, tied long and swept back
Hackle- long soft red cock, let some cover the wing base but very sparse, tie the rest under
Head- black

The turkey and red/yellow was one of the flies that was part of the transition from the classic brittish salmon fly to the Taupo streamer that is used today, and no Taupo angler would be with out turkey flies when they were in use.

This Old tie is suposed too be tied rough, thick wool or mohair was normaly used, later devalopments of the turkey was the split tie and in most cases the feather used was grouse, even this style of tying is now forgoten.

The method of tying a split fly is spliting the tail feather of a partridge or grouse and tie it in with the rib using the matching slips, I will do some split flies when I get some of materials needed, split flies were some of the most sucessfull tied and only lost popularity because of the cost of the sutible feathers ($2 each 5-10 years ago).


Chris

 

[ChrisinselwynNZ]

Nailer R.Naylor

Hook- 2-6
Tag- Silver
Tail- Golden Pheasent
Body- 4 segments alternate yellow and black (wool or chenille)
Wing- Turkey
Cheeks- Lesser hen pheasent wing coverts
Collar- Soft black cock
Head- Black

This fly made it in to the stores by chance, the night R. Naylor tied it the fly was lost to a trout and several days later the trout was caught by an other angler and the fly was taken in to be copyed, the shop that copyed it was Kellys of Rotorua and appears it one their old pattern sheets.

Chris

 

[Ard]

Chris,

Really nice and I like the back story, keep them coming.

 

[ChrisinselwynNZ]

Thanks Ard
The next one is simalar too this one but more fully dressed and no back ground story

Chris

 

[FlySlinger]

That is a very nice Streamer Chris....I like It A lot...I am in the process of moving my house ..every thing is packed....When I get into my new house...I Try my hand at some Streamers...They look like Fun.....Look Very nice Chris...


FlySlinger

 

[ChrisinselwynNZ]

Thanks Flyslinger I get alot of enjoyment from them

Tongariro Queen

Original tier Unknown

Hook- 2-6
Tag- silver
Tail- golden pheasent topping
body- yellow and red wool alternating with ginger hackle tied between each segment
Wing- turkey
Collar- soft ginger cock
Head- black

This is an old pattern that is no longer used, some tiers have tryed to revamp it for modern fishermen by using flashy chenille and some flash in the wing with no hackle or tag and tail the new pattern looks nice an Im shure it catches fish

Chris