wanting to try salmon tying...

[Polarbear78 0]

I am hoping to get a chance to try my luck with some salmon and steel head later this year with my fly rod so I was wondering if anyone would be able to give me a few good flies to tie up and possibly a basic material list including hooks for this style of tying. I have never tried salmon flies or steelhead for the matter. I have lots of materials for bass, panfish, and pike flies... I am hoping to be able to use some of this but am sure I will need different types of hackle and hooks for sure. I am really interested in tying these spey flies. Thanks.

[Frank G. Swarner III 0]

What river or rivers do plan on fishing? Do you plan on fishing this spring or are you getting a headstart for the fall season?

 

I bet some people can help get you dialed in with just a tad more info.

 

For starters, I don't think you can go wrong with an egg sucking leech for salmon or steelhead, any river, any time of year.

 

If your talking about true spey flies and not just any fly with long hackle, a Lady Caroline is a good pattern to start with.

[Polarbear78 0]

What river or rivers do plan on fishing? Do you plan on fishing this spring or are you getting a headstart for the fall season?

 

I bet some people can help get you dialed in with just a tad more info.

 

For starters, I don't think you can go wrong with an egg sucking leech for salmon or steelhead, any river, any time of year.

 

If your talking about true spey flies and not just any fly with long hackle, a Lady Caroline is a good pattern to start with.

 

I would be fishing on say the Pere Marquette in the NW lower peninsula of Michigan and also some waters in the upper peninsula. Not sure if I will be able to go out for this spring, but for sure next fall.

 

To be completely honest the term "spey" does confuse me and as I search on google it appears to confuse many others as well. I suppose when I said spey I was referring to something like the Lady Caroline as you posted something with long hackle and a slim and sparse body...I want to learn how to tie those more" traditional" patterns... I also know that traditional patterns are another topic. Hopefully you can understand what I am trying to say and maybe someone can point me in the right direction.

[Bruce Derington 0]

If fishing the pm, Steelhead or Salmon, use simple patterns , whooly buggers egg sucking leaches, egg flies, stone flies, or any bigger streamers that can be swung

Bruce

[Polarbear78 0]

If fishing the pm, Steelhead or Salmon, use simple patterns , whooly buggers egg sucking leaches, egg flies, stone flies, or any bigger streamers that can be swung

Bruce

 

Okay, thanks. Any specific colors or sizes?

[Frank G. Swarner III 0]

To be completely honest the term "spey" does confuse me and as I search on google it appears to confuse many others as well. I suppose when I said spey I was referring to something like the Lady Caroline as you posted something with long hackle and a slim and sparse body...I want to learn how to tie those more" traditional" patterns... I also know that traditional patterns are another topic. Hopefully you can understand what I am trying to say and maybe someone can point me in the right direction.

 

Technically, any fly tied for the "River Spey" is a spey fly. Today when most knowledgeable people refer to "spey flies" they are referring to flies that have thin bodies, flowing hackle(sometimes long sometimes not), a throat of gadwall or teal, and low set wings of bronze mallard.

 

Patterns such as the silver speal, gold green reeach, purple king would be great examples.

 

Feather wing spey flies tied by Syd Glasso would be a great example of modern day spey flies.

 

Bob Veverka and John Shewey have great books on spey flies.

[Polarbear78 0]

Thanks Frank. I'll look into those patterns and books and see what else I can learn. I have read a little bit about Syd Glasso in what I have been able to find so far.