Cheapskate Heron

The Cheapskate Heron is a poor man's Spey fly.

The Cheapskate Heron is a poor man's Spey fly.

This article is based on my entry in the FF@ 1997 Illustrated Pattern Swap

I came upon an idea. Actually I combined two incidents into one idea. First of all I was going through my heron feathers (yes, I have more than one) and found some butts that I had saved after having tied whole body hackles. I wanted to use these feathers, which still had a lot of useful and long barbs, but unfortunately a very thick stem.

Spey and Dee style
The tying style Spey originates in the north eastern corner of Scotland by the rivers Dee and Spey. These flies are probably some of the oldest of the classical salmon flies. Their obvious character comes mainly from two factors:
1) the low and often slim construction often topped by a mallard, turkey or pheasant feather wing
2) the long and very mobile heron hackle
These two traits will immediately reveal a fly as a Spey or Dee fly.

Click here for detailed tying instructions.

Don't think that heron is just for filthy rich criminals. Spey flies are both beautiful and good fishing flies. Try them.

To the pattern

Special Spey hooks are available, but it's not at all impossible to tie a Spey flies on any salmon hook. I personally prefer the classic curved Bartleet bend as seen on the Partridge hooks to the left. But a real cheapskate would never choose these expensive hooks. The plain Sprite hooks to the right are just fine - at less than half the price.

Did you find the above interesting?

This other story related to "spey flies" might also interest you: Spey Fly book Beautiful book: I have admired Bob’s tying for quite some time – as I always considered him one of those rare tyers whose flies are museum quality beautiful, yet they have the sleekness and symmetry of a well tied fishing fly Click here to read the whole review Click to see other stories with the keyword "spey flies"

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