This is a freestyle salmon fly I designed and tied on a whim. I just started tying and recording and added feathers and materials together. It was a challenging fly to tie but using the hook as a measuring tool helps. For example, the distance between the barb and the hook point is the area for the tag, the end of the return eye to the point is the body, Even the size of the hook eye itself, I want the finished head the same size, if possible, as the hook eye, to give it a proportioned neat look.
Select materials are important for these types of flies, not only for married wings, but also for using the right threads for building up the underbody for a smooth taper when using silk floss. The body hackle is important as well; besides the color and the length of the fibers a thin stem is a must for it to blend in properly with the rib. Adding the cheeks and the veil around the wing is demanding, focus is the key to this step and flattening the stems makes it easier to tie in.
Hook: Daiichi 2051 size 3/0
Threads: Uni-Nylon 70 Denier White, Uni-Thread 17/0 Trico and Semperfli Nano Silk 18/0 and 24/0 White
Tag: Small Oval Silver Tinsel and Black Silk Floss
Rib: Fine Oval Silver Tinsel and Small Flat Silver Embossed Tinsel
Tail: Lady Amherst Pheasant Crest
Veil: Kori Bustard and Jungle Cock Tips
Butt: Ostrich Herl
Body:
First Half:
Gold Silk Floss. Rib: Fine Oval Silver Tinsel, Small Flat Gold Embossed Tinsel and Small Red Oval Tinsel
Veil: Top and Bottom; Lady Amherst Pheasant Crest.
Sides: Jungle Cock Tips
Mid-Body Butt: Ostrich Herl
Body:
Second Half:
Purple Silk Floss, Rib: Fine Oval Silver Tinsel and Medium Flat Gold Embossed Tinsel
Body Hackle: Dyed Blue Badger Hackle
Underwing: Dyed Orange Peacock Quill
Wing:
Married strands of Lady Amherst Pheasant Tail Quill, Florican Bustard, Dyed Black Turkey, Dyed Yellow Turkey, Argus Pheasant, Dyed Blue Turkey and Cory Bustard
Throat: Dyed Red Golden Pheasant Body Feather
Sides: Lady Amherst Crest and Jungle Cock feathers
Hood: Wood Duck Flanks
Cheeks: Indian Crow or Sub.
Veils: Lady Amherst Pheasant Crest Sub-Feather
Topping: Golden Pheasant Crest
Horns: Blue Macaw
Head: Black
Note: The Uni-Nylon 70 Denier is a flat thread that’s used to build up the under body for a smooth finish and wont fray when burnished. The Uni-Thread 17/0 Trico is another flat thread about half the width of the Uni-Nylon which is used to secure the veils. The Semperfli Nano Silk 18/0 is used to secure the ribbing, a strong thin thread is needed on this step to apply enough torque to cinch down the tinsels for the ribs. The Semperfli Nano Silk 24/0 thread is used to cinch down the married wing, a very strong thin thread to keep the bulk down to a minimum.
Chapters
0:00-Intro
0:12-Hook and Thread
0:28-Adding the complete Tag
4:45-Adding the Tail, Veils and the Butt
8:04-Adding the First half of the Body and Rib
13:50-Adding the Veils and the Butt in the middle of the body
16:03-Adding the Second half of the Body, Rib and Body Hackle
22:34-Preparing and Adding the Underwing
23:56- Preparing and Adding the Married Wing
26:16-Adding the First Sides and Trimming the Excess Fibers
26:56-Adding the Throat
28:28-Adding the Second Sides and the Hood
30:25-Adding the Cheeks
31:07-Preparing and Adding the Veils
32:22-Adding the Topping
33:07-Preparing and Adding the Horns
34:04-Trimming and Finishing the Head
35:04-Outro