Published May 1. 1999 - 24 years ago
Updated or edited Mar 11. 2023

Umbrella for streams

I have been experimenting a bit with stream patterns for sea trout. One of the results has been a larger and more salmon fly like version of the Umbrella - a salt water fly that I have used with good success.

The fly

I have been experimenting a bit with stream patterns for sea trout. One of the results has been a larger and more salmon fly like version of the Umbrella - a salt water fly that I have used with good success.


The larger version still has the hallmarks of the salt water fly: tail and wing from golden phesant body feathers and a double hackle, but also has a tag and a butt.

Hook 6-2 Bartleet salmon fly hook
Thread Black
Tag Narrow flat silver tinsel
Butt Red wool
Tail Red golden phesant body feather
Body Flat silver tinsel
Rib Oval gold tinsel
Wing Red golden phesat body feather
Hackle Two furnace or badger hen hackles separated by a small ball of opossum dubbing
Head Black

Proportions

  1. Cover the hook shank with a smooth layer of thread. Let the thread hang down to reach the hook point
  2. Tie in a strip of narrow silver tinsel and wind it to reach a point above the point of the barb and back
  3. Tie down and cut surplus
  4. Remove the webby barbs on a red golden phesant body feather. Only the barbs of almost equal length should be left.
  5. Tie in the feather as a tail, curve down, tip reaching a point above the curve of the hook
  6. Cut surplus
  7. Cover the base of the tail and tag with a small tuft of red wool
  8. Tie in the ribbing under the hook shank
  9. Wind the thread in touching turns to the return point of the eye
  10. Tie in flat silver tinsel and wind in smooth, touching turns to the butt and back (see detailed instructions for ribbed tinsel body)
  11. Tie down and cut surplus
  12. Wind the rib in five open turns to the front of the silver body and tie off under the hook shank
  13. Tie in a large furnace hackle, tip first and shiny side out (see detailed instructions for classic hackle)
  14. Wind clockwise to form the rear hackle. 2-3 turns will suffice
  15. Tie down and cut surplus
  16. Dub a rather large and webby lump of opossum in front of the first hackle, leaving room for the second hackle and the head
  17. Tie in and wind the second hackle as the first
  18. Form a rather small head, whip finish and varnish

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