#64 - Cains River Highlander

Tied by: Bryant Freeman
Originated by: Fred N. Peet
Source: Streamer Fly Tying and Fishing, Bates - Pg. 243 - 247

Bryant's Variation
Hook: #2 Partridge CS17 Ken Baker
Tail: 2 sections of barred wood duck feather
Body: Medium flat silver tinsel
Wing: 2 emerald (highlander) green hackles flanked by Plymouth Rock (grizzly) hackle on each side
Cheek: Jungle cock
Collar: A few turns of silver badger hackle followed by golden badger hackle
Head: Black

Original dressing as per Mr. C. Jim Pray (Bates)
Hook: #2 sproat hook
Tail: 2 sections of barred wood duck feather
Body: Medium flat silver tinsel
Wing: 2 emerald (highlander) green hackles flanked by Plymouth Rock (grizzly) hackle on each side
Cheek: Jungle cock
Collar: A few turns of an emerald (highlander) green hackle followed by gray Plymouth Rock
Head: Black

Notes: Bryant offers a slight, but interesting departure on the original so I wanted to also include the original dressing as well as Bryant's. Fred Peet designed the streamer, undoubtedly based on the traditional Green Highlander salmon fly. The streamers were originally designed to pursue Atlantic salmon, but are wonderful for keying in on trout as well. The series is most notably set apart from other streamers by its use of the barred wood duck tails and vibrant colors.

The Cains River style of streamers was popularized by Fred N. Peet and C. Jim Pray and have become known to be effective lures for sportfish such as Atlantic salmon, steelhead, Pacific salmon and pike as well as a range of saltwater targets. Some general notes when tying this style are outlined in Joseph D. Bates book, Streamer Fly tying and Fishing.

On all Cains River streamers all wing hackles are of the same length. When a two-color- collar is called for, the rear color should be twice as heavily dressed as the forward color. Two or three turns of tinsel should be taken around the bend of the hook below where the tail is tied in. The heads are varnished black. Mr. Pray used regular number two sproat hooks, although the flies may be dressed on hooks 2X or 3X long. Nearly all the series are similar in design.

Bryant has provided the project with 6 examples of the series and they will be available for sale as a group near the end of the project.