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flyDology

The Majestic Twelve - #1, General Practitioner.

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I've been away from my fly tying desk the past couple of years and away from the forums. Thats a bad practice that I must alleviate at once, I hope I am forgiven for my neglect. Fly tying is therapy and art and good for your soul, if not a gateway to fly fishing fulfillment. It's good karma to share art.

 

Recently, I have decided to assemble a collection of the twelve most influential and popular steelhead patterns for the West Coast to motivate my fly tying sessions. You can read more about the Essential Twelve Classics on my website. I am sure we all have our own list of what the most influential, classic and essential steelhead fly patterns are, I am sharing my list of what I have collected over my lifetime of fly tying. I am sure you have your list - we all do.

 

#1 on the list is the General Practitioner as developed by Esmond Drury as an Atlantic Salmon Fly. This fly has been popularized by West Coast steelheaders and has undergone many transformations as creative as steelhead fly tiers are. I once tied this fly commercially to be sold in Portland Oregons fly shops. Bill McMillan had commissioned me to tie these on heavy 3/0 salmon irons for use with the dry line technique in vogue before spey rods marched onto the scene back in 1995. I now tie them as close to what I can find are the original dressing as noted by Esmond Drury -- Mainly from memory and mainly by my own fly tying style.

I caught my first Pacific Salmon and Steelhead on a 2/0 General Practitioner and thats why it has earned a spot in the Essential twelve.

GeneralPractitioner.jpg

  • Hook: Partridge Salar #3
  • Thread: Orange
  • Tag: Medium gold oval french tinsel
  • Tail: Dyed hot orange polar bear with a topping of golden pheasant tippets and golden pheasant flank feather.
  • Tag: Medium gold oval french tinsel
  • Rib: Medium gold oval french tinsel
  • Body: Hot Orange Seal fear tied in two sections. In the middle section a golden pheasant tippet feather and flank feather tied flat on top.
  • Hackle: Orange saddle hackle palmered through both sections.
  • Wing: Golden pheasant tippet feather and flank feather tied flat on top.

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Wow, fantastic tie! I really like this, hang on the Bill McMillan?! Totally awesome, i very much look forward to seeing more, thanks for posting!

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