An historical perspective: Western classical steelhead fly patterns

Terry Hanson
  The art of fly-fishing and fly-tying goes way back in time. Scholars tell us anglers first deceived trout with hook and hackle during the early times of Macedonia.
  Subsequently, versions of the fly appeared on bone hooks sparsely decorated by feathers of sea-birds or forest fowl. Flies tied on hooks made of wood and eventually iron, meant for trout, evolved into elaborately-dressed salmon flies. In the British Isles tyers produced versions of the salmon fly during the 15th century while it took until the late 1700’s and early 1800’s for tyers to develop the classic salmon fly. By the late 19th and early 20th centuries well documented accounts surfaced detailing the art of fly-tying.
  Hale’s book: How to Tie Salmon Flies, first appeared in 1891 with a few patterns while his second edition, 1919, included numerous patterns that Hardy presented in his book Salmon Fishing in 1907.
  In Great Britain tyers commonly obtained feathers from such regions as India, South America and Africa. These feathers, equally in demand as decoration for the superb hats of Victorian women, became the fabric of flies used by men and a few women along salmon streams of the British Isles.
  The elaborate design of the classic salmon fly, made up of some 16 parts, has in many instances been replaced today with sparsely dressed hair-wing patterns; some original materials are no longer available or are illegal, as in the case of the Heron feather.
  Feathers such as the Indian Crow, the Blue Chatterer and the Orange Cock-of-the-Rock, for instance, are also exceedingly scarce. Currently, tyers render classic salmon flies using substitutions for rare materials.
  Akroyd, Durham Ranger and Jock Scott typically are a few examples of the classic salmon fly. While originally designed to take Atlantic Salmon, the salmon fly will take steehead. Several steelhead patterns are simplified versions of the classic salmon fly.
  The art of fly-tying specifically for steelhead has come a long way in the 20th century and many striking fly patterns exist originating from British Columbia and the northwest coast of the United States. Creations by Canadian immortals such as Roderick Haig-Brown, Major Thomas Brayshaw and Brigadier General Noel Money grace the pages of steelhead literature leaving B.C. steelhead fishermen a rich tradition to build upon. Such developments are evident in many local fly tackle shops nevertheless our heritage is worth noting.
  Roderick Haig-Brown’s fly patterns developed for cutthroat and summer-run steelhead include: Silver Lady, Silver Brown, Humpback Fry, a general fry imitation, Bullhead and Stickleback. Haig-Brown’s Golden Girl is a famous and effective attractor pattern for steelhead while the Steelhead Bee is his most renowned steelhead dry-fly pattern.
  When asked for a few suggestions with respect to local fly-fishing, orange and black versions of the General Practitioner immediately come to mind - sizes 2, 4, 6 and 8 - low water hooks. Incidentally, some dry-line specialists use weighted flies while others use hooks up to size 4/0 in order to sink that fly to the bottom.
  Younge’s Firefly is an effective local pattern. Mr. Younge, originally a Vancouver Police Officer, fished the Vedder River for several years, his fly pattern often brought him success.
  Local fly fisherman Bill Turnbull has contributed some interesting original steelhead patterns as well with his Pink Marabou and Early Morning.
  Although several steelhead fly fishermen tie inventions of their own and summer/winter patterns intermingle, following are a few of the well known standards.
  Winter-Run: Babine Special, Golden Girl, Winter’s Hope, Polar Shrimp, Davie St. Hooker, Thompson River Rat, Squamish Poacher, General Practitioner (orange and black versions), Green Butt Skunk, Stillaguamish Sunrise, Skykomish Sunrise, General Money’s No. 1 and No. 2, Orange Optic, Fall Favorite, Thor, Kispiox Special and Yonge’s Fire fly.
  Summer-Run: Lady Caroline, Steelhead Bee, October Caddis, Steelhead Caddis, Coquihalla series (orange, orange dark, red and silver), Royal Coachman, Silver and Mallard, Purple Peril, Stone-fly Nymph, Grease-liner, Steelhead Muddler, Silver Doctor, March Brown and Blue Charm.
  With the passage of time many new, exciting and effective patterns have emerged by local fly tyers; however, the classic patterns will always remain a source of inspiration and guidance for those tyers steeped in western traditions of steelhead fishing.