Ok folks.
For those who expressed interest in participating (and indeed those who just want to watch), this will be the thread in which to post your progress photos.
Its gonna be over a few weeks, simply due to the fact that I generally don't get time (nor do i want to) tie a salmon fly in one go.
I'll post simple step by step photos of what needs to be done, you do it, post photos, and i'll critique it or make recommendations for how to fix something. You can also ask questions in the thread, or shoot me a PM.
Red Rover per George M. Kelson
Hook: Gaelic Supreme Harrison Bartleet 2/0 blind eye - for the gut eye you can use dacron backing - These hooks are $15 for 6, the most expensive item on the list.
Tag: Silver tinsel (fine or small) yellow silk - dont get the uni floss, its cr@p for these kind of flies (IMO)
Tail: Golden Pheasant Topping
Butt: Black Ostrich herl
Body: Magenta Wool
Rib: Oval Silver Tinsel (Large)
Hackle: Yellow rooster saddle (from the second turn of tinsel)
Throat: A red rooster saddle hackle
Wing: GP tippet, bustard (sub with dark mottled turkey), Red turkey tail or goose shoulder, Golden pheasant tail, Peacock wing, a topping
Sides: Jungle Cock
First things first - some prep.
By now you should have all your materials.
You're going to want to prepare the golden pheasant crests.
Typically they will have kinks in them. To remove those kinks, you need to soak the crests, plucked off the head, in water for a few hours, or overnight.
Typically i select the crest from the top and back of the head. Pluck the large and medium crests, as well as some smaller crest. The small/medium will be used for the tail. The medium Large, for the topping - for this project, about 10 of each size will do.
When they've soaked for a sufficient time, you need to take them out of the water and lay them, on their sides on a flat piece of glass or plastic, this will help keep them straight and also allow for the nice cascade effect often seen on salmon flies.
When you lay them, its is best to use some tweezers.
You should end up with a plate like this. You can gently tap the tips to flatten them out on the glass
Dry them overnight on the bench.
When dry they should look like this, slightly raised off the glass and with no kinks in the stem or rachis
You also want to make sure you have tippets long enough for the wing. But since we're tying at 2/0, that should not be a problem if you're taking them from a new GP head.
That is part one. Get your toppings prepped. I'll get mine done then i'll post the first part of the fly. Gut loop, tip, tag tail and butt. This should be a relatively quick part
For those who expressed interest in participating (and indeed those who just want to watch), this will be the thread in which to post your progress photos.
Its gonna be over a few weeks, simply due to the fact that I generally don't get time (nor do i want to) tie a salmon fly in one go.
I'll post simple step by step photos of what needs to be done, you do it, post photos, and i'll critique it or make recommendations for how to fix something. You can also ask questions in the thread, or shoot me a PM.
Red Rover per George M. Kelson
Hook: Gaelic Supreme Harrison Bartleet 2/0 blind eye - for the gut eye you can use dacron backing - These hooks are $15 for 6, the most expensive item on the list.
Tag: Silver tinsel (fine or small) yellow silk - dont get the uni floss, its cr@p for these kind of flies (IMO)
Tail: Golden Pheasant Topping
Butt: Black Ostrich herl
Body: Magenta Wool
Rib: Oval Silver Tinsel (Large)
Hackle: Yellow rooster saddle (from the second turn of tinsel)
Throat: A red rooster saddle hackle
Wing: GP tippet, bustard (sub with dark mottled turkey), Red turkey tail or goose shoulder, Golden pheasant tail, Peacock wing, a topping
Sides: Jungle Cock
First things first - some prep.
By now you should have all your materials.
You're going to want to prepare the golden pheasant crests.
Typically they will have kinks in them. To remove those kinks, you need to soak the crests, plucked off the head, in water for a few hours, or overnight.
Typically i select the crest from the top and back of the head. Pluck the large and medium crests, as well as some smaller crest. The small/medium will be used for the tail. The medium Large, for the topping - for this project, about 10 of each size will do.
When they've soaked for a sufficient time, you need to take them out of the water and lay them, on their sides on a flat piece of glass or plastic, this will help keep them straight and also allow for the nice cascade effect often seen on salmon flies.
When you lay them, its is best to use some tweezers.
You should end up with a plate like this. You can gently tap the tips to flatten them out on the glass
Dry them overnight on the bench.
When dry they should look like this, slightly raised off the glass and with no kinks in the stem or rachis
You also want to make sure you have tippets long enough for the wing. But since we're tying at 2/0, that should not be a problem if you're taking them from a new GP head.
That is part one. Get your toppings prepped. I'll get mine done then i'll post the first part of the fly. Gut loop, tip, tag tail and butt. This should be a relatively quick part
Last edited:
