Advice on how to lay out a good classical salmon fly.
Although each salmon fly pattern may call for its' own proportions and components, the following diagram and table identifies the standard anatomy and proportions used in salmon fly tying. Understanding proper proportions is essential to world-class salmon fly tying. (see also The Salmon Fly Proportion, Design & Layout Guide)
| SALMON FLY PROPORTION CHART | |
| Tag | With the hook shank parallel to the tying surface, the tag starts at the barb point and proceeds to the hook point. The tag may consist of several materials such as tinsel and floss. |
| Tail | Length is 1-1/2 of the hook gape, Height is 1/2 to equal of the hook gape |
| Tail Veiling | Length is 1/2 of the tail |
| Butt | Typically 3-5 wraps of material: osterich, dubbing, etc. |
| Body | From the butt to 1 hook-eye length back from the head |
| Ribbing | Generally, palmered tinsel or floss; 5 wraps from butt to head |
| Body Hackle | A feather folded over and palmered behind the body ribbing |
| Main Wing | Length is from the head to where the topping & roof meet the tail, not to exceed out of the borders of the two |
| Roof | Length is from the head to the tailing, height is approx. equal to 1/2 to 3/4 hook gape |
| Topping | Length is from the head to the tip of the tailing, height is approx. equal to one hook gape. |
| Shoulder(s) | Length is approx 2/3 of main wing, or to the butt |
| Cheek(s) | Length is generally 1/2 of shoulder |
| Horns | Length equal to intersection of topping and tailing |
| Throat | Length is just a smidgen longer than the body palmered hackle extending to 1/2 the distance from the hook eye and hook point |
| Throat Veiling | Length is max to the length of the throat, sparsely tied |
| Head | Evenly tapered and not grossly large. The smaller the better. Finish with gloss coat on thread-based heads. |
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