Streamers From a Left Coast Tyer

Original streamers

By Mike Boyer

Growing up on the West Coast, I learned about East Coast fly patterns and tyers mostly from books, and the occasional television show. I remember seeing Lee Wulff and Joe Brooks on the American Sportsman show as a youngster, fishing for Brookies. I somehow learned about Carrie Stevens and the Gray Ghost fly early in my tying, though I didn't have the materials to tie her patterns until much later. I always thought it was such an impressive looking fly. You can see more of Mike's flies at his web pages: http://www.favoriteflies.net/mikes_site/page/home.htm http://www.displayfliesmarket.com/marketplace/the_marketplace.html In the 1980's, my tying interest had progressed to West Coast Steelhead flies and their history. Many of the Steelhead patterns had their roots in Atlantic Salmon flies, which led me to collecting books and materials needed to tie these complex and demanding flies. One of the books I found was the Joseph Bates book 'The Art of the Atlantic Salmon Fly', which led me to his 'Streamer Tying & Fishing'. Both books are full of important fly tying information and history. Along the way I picked up the two booklets by Mike Martinek, which influenced me greatly. For many years, I 'paid my dues' tying mostly Atlantic Salmon flies, Steelhead flies, and the occasional Streamer fly. 1999 was an important year for my tying outlook. That was the year that Paul Schmookler and Ingrid Sils groundbreaking book 'Forgotten Flies' came out. I got to see an advance copy of the book brought to the Oregon Fly tying Expo by Paul Rossman. He was tying some of the flies from the Mary Orvis Marbury chapter (he tied all the Marbury flies in the book). I hardly moved from his table that day. Besides sending me down the Marbury tying path, the book opened my eyes wide to streamer tying, both in the Carrie Stevens chapter, but also in the general streamer chapter. The varieties and possibilities were seemingly endless. The creative flies of Mike Martinek, Tom Fawcett, Kevin Perkins, Matt Crompton, Derl Stovall, and Mark Kieras were quite inspiring to me. Marcelo Morales, Don Bastian, Pedro 'Pep' Dieppa, Paul Rossman, and many others tied a lot of the traditional Streamer patterns. The book has been open on my desk since 1999, and still provides inspiration. I really see my creative flies as an exercise more than for fishing, though they could be fished and are based on traditional methods. I do tie the traditional streamer patterns: Stevens, Welch, Quimby, Hogan, et al, but somewhere along the way started tying creative streamers. I really see my creative flies as an exercise more than for fishing, though they could be fished and are based on traditional methods. I enjoy combining different materials and colors to make a pleasing composition, as one would in a painting. Harmony on a hook is what I strive for. People say they can recognize a fly tied by me, whether it's a Streamer or an Atlantic Salmon fly. I guess somewhere along the way, with all the countless hours of tying, my hands and eyes have developed a rhythm and a style that translates to a hook. That, and all the great examples and help I've been given along the way. Some notes on materials: I bring the same materials and applications to tying a Streamer as I do when tying featherwing Atlantic Salmon flies. I use silk floss and metal tinsels (although I do have a weakness for pearl mylar on occasion). I've collected quite a few different feathers along the way, so I try to incorporate them when tying streamers. I look for well marked feathers for tail veilings, shoulders, and cheeks. For hooks, you can't beat the Gaelic Supreme Mike Martinek streamer hooks. The Sproat bend suits me. I prefer them in 6xl and 8xl.

The Big Orange

Tag: flat gold tinsel Tail: Golden Pheasant crest veiled with slips of a dark barred feather dyed orange Body: orange silk floss Ribs: flat gold tinsel followed by black silk floss Belly: orange Bucktail and GP crest Wing: orange hackles Throat: orange schlappen Shoulder: Wood Duck flank over red dyed goose shoulder tip Cheeks: Jungle Cock

NOTES: I built a layered shoulder on this one, using the tip of a goose shoulder feather underneath the Wood Duck for a different look. I don't glue wing assemblies together before mounting. I know it's traditional, but find it faster and easier to tie in each material separately. I may use a drop of cement to hold a feather in place after the thread wraps on occasion, but not before.

Bandit

Tag: flat silver tinsel Tail: Wood Duck strips Body: yellow silk floss Ribs: flat silver tinsel Belly: grey Bucktail and Golden Pheasant crest Wing: orange and yellow dyed badger hackles Throat: red schlappen (black schlappen on top) Shoulder: French Partridge Cheeks: Jungle Cock

NOTES: The French Partridge makes a bold shoulder on this one. I used the Mike Martinek method of adding schlappen over the shoulders. I think it helps frame the shoulders visually.

Fall Special

Tag: flat gold tinsel Tail: Golden Pheasant crest Body: orange silk floss Ribs: oval copper tinsel Belly: a mix of pink and white Bucktail and GP crest Wing: a pair of claret hackles flanked by bronze dun hackles Throat: yellow schlappen Shoulders: Wood duck flank Cheeks: Jungle Cock

NOTES: I built a pronounced taper in the body by first using UTC 140 denier thread (keeping the wraps flat by counter spinning the bobbin every 10-12 wraps). I then add a layer of flattened UTC 70 denier or Danvilles 6/0 white, and burnish the underbody well before wrapping the silk floss. For ease of application and because of rough hands, I roll the silk floss onto old thread spools and load it into the bobbin holder. To keep the floss flat, I take it over the hook and pass it to the other hand so no twist occurs (all the way up the hook), flattening the hanging silk with a smooth bodkin every few wraps. There are no shortcuts to a smooth tapered silk body that I know of.

Pintail Darter

Tag: flat gold tinsel Body: red silk floss Ribs: flat silver tinsel Wing: Pintail Throat: yellow schlappen Cheeks: Jungle Cock

NOTES: The Pintail duck has many well marked, beautiful feathers. Tying any Duck feathers on vertically (on top of the hook) like in this fly is difficult because of the elliptical shape of the rachis. I find the easiest way to make them work is to flatten and twist each of the stems 90 degrees with flat pliers, which can take several tries. I usually mount the far wing until it's sitting straight, then work on the near wing. Once they tie in straight, a drop of cement on the thread wraps helps hold them permanently.

Faulkner Streamer

Tag: flat silver tinsel Tail: orange dyed goose shoulder Body: flat silver tinsel overwrapped with pearl mylar Belly: orange then grey Bucktail, GP crest under Wing: golden olive hackles Throat: black schlappen (bottom and top). Shoulder: speckled Lavender Guinea fowl Cheeks: Jungle Cock

NOTES: I tied this one for my friend George Faulkner who passed away not long after he retired. RIP, George. The hook is a Chesterton. I straightened out the kirbed bend. The 'eye' is twisted silk gut. The lavender Guinea fowl doesn't have the big white spots like the Pearl variety, but rather a finer speckling, and an overall lavender/grey coloration.

Fall Streamer

Tag: oval copper tinsel Tail: Wood Duck strips Body: flat gold tinsel Ribs: oval copper tinsel and orange silk floss Belly: orange Bucktail and GP crest Wing: bright orange and dark orange (terra cotta) hackles Throat: white schlappen Shoulder: Wood duck flank Cheek: Jungle Cock

NOTES: A pleasing combination of materials, in my eyes. I like to finish my heads off well. I use UTC 70 denier or Danvilles 6/0 kept flat by counter spinning every few wraps, and well waxed. I'm using some nice wax from my friend Mike Norwood at the moment. I use white thread colored with a black marker, and finish the head off with at least three coats of Sally Hansen's Hard as Nails for a smooth look.

Saint Paddy's Streamer

Body: 'scotch' embossed silver tinsel Ribs: oval silver tinsel followed by green silk floss Belly: yellow Bucktail, GP crest Wing: dyed green Golden Pheasant crest between dark green hackles Throat: bright green schlappen Shoulder: dyed yellow Ringneck Pheasant Cheeks: Jungle Cock

NOTES: I tied this one in honor of Saint Paddy's day. The common Ringneck Pheasant has some great feathers for many uses, from Streamers to Spey flies. I have a skin dyed yellow, which gives the fly a good look.

Gold and Olive Streamer

Tag: flat silver tinsel Tail: Golden Pheasant crest and orange Weaver Butt: black Ostrich herl Body: gold silk floss over wrapped with pearl mylar Ribs: oval silver tinsel Belly: olive and lavender Bucktail Wing: shell pink, golden olive, and dun hackles (outside) Throat: olive schlappen Shoulder: Wood duck Cheeks: Jungle Cock

NOTES: I like trying different colors of hackle to create multi color wings. I use both strung saddle hackle and Rooster neck hackle, depending on the colors or shape I want. The pearl mylar over the silk floss was an experiment. It has a nice look in hand.

Amherst Streamer

Body: embossed silver tinsel Ribs: oval gold tinsel Belly: orange Bucktail and GP crest Wing: badger dyed yellow hackles with GP crest over Shoulder: feathers from the base of an Amherst Pheasant tail Cheeks: Jungle Cock

NOTES: The Amherst Pheasant has a few of these well marked feathers at the base of the tail, which give a distinct look to the shoulder. I designed the rest of the fly around these feathers.

Claret Raider

Tag: flat gold tinsel Tail: Argus Pheasant and claret dyed Turkey "married" Butt: black Ostrich herl Body: claret silk floss Ribs: flat gold tinsel followed by oval gold tinsel Belly: purple and white bucktail, GP crest Wing: claret and bronze dun hackles Throat: white schlappen (brown schlappen above wing) Shoulder: Wood duck flank over red Golden Pheasant flank Cheek: Jungle Cock

NOTES: Dual colors on the tail, wing, and shoulder make for an interesting look. I used Turkey with the Argus Pheasant because the texture of the fibers are similar, making it easier to marry the two. All the claret in the fly is Chris Del Plato approved.

Aggravator

Tag: flat silver tinsel Tail: Wood Duck and orange goose shoulder strips "married" Body: orange silk floss Ribs: flat silver tinsel followed by oval copper tinsel Belly: white Bucktail Wing: dark orange, bright orange, and ginger hackles Throat: yellow schlappen Shoulder: Wood Duck Cheeks: Jungle Cock

NOTES: Wood Duck is always a winner on a streamer, I think. The tail has strips from the barred feather "married" to orange goose. I used goose because it closely matches the Woody's fiber size, making it easier to marry together.

Smelty

Tag: flat gold tinsel Tail: Golden Pheasant tail Butt: black Ostrich herl Body: red silk floss Ribs: oval gold tinsel Belly: white Bucktail and GP crest Wing: lavender hackles and thinner gold badger hackles Throat: yellow schlappen Shoulder: Wood duck flank Cheeks: Jungle Cock

NOTES: My version of a Smelt-like fly, somewhat in the Rangeley tradition. Golden Pheasants have so many useful feathers, used both in streamers and Atlantic Salmon flies. GP tail is used a lot in Atlantic Salmon flies, but not so much in tying Streamers. I like the look.

Silver Interceptor

Tag: oval gold tinsel Tail: Wood duck strips Butt: black Ostrich herl Body: two sections of flat silver tinsel, the first butted with Jungle Cock and black Ostrich herl Ribs: oval gold tinsel Wing: black saddle hackles Throat: Jungle Cock and black schlappen Shoulder: Wood Duck Cheeks: Jungle Cock

NOTES: This one was tied for my friend Dave in Maine. He likes any fly with Wood Duck in it, so I included that and some extra Jungle Cock.

Tiger Streamer

Tag: flat silver tinsel Tail: GP crest and Amherst Pheasant tail dyed orange (strips) Body: orange silk floss Ribs: flat silver tinsel followed by oval copper tinsel Belly: dark orange and grey Bucktail, dyed red GP crest Wing: bright orange, terra cotta, and 'dark antique' saddle hackles Throat: orange schlappen Shoulder: bronze Mallard dyed orange Cheeks: Jungle Cock

NOTES: Lots of interesting orange dyed feathers on this one (if you can't tell by now, I like the color orange). Thanks to John McLain for all the choice in hackle colors.