FLYMPH FORUM

Found this one on Don Bastian's site; a vintage pattern of Western origins. Also tied in black body, tail, body hackle.


hook - Mustad 3906 #4
thread - Danville 6/0 black
tag/rib/head - Uni-stretch green
tail - hackle tip brown
body - fox squirrel
body hackle - brown (clipped)
hackle - hen grizzly


mash barb, start thread, tie in Uni-stretch and wrap to hook point




wrap tag back to barb




measure (gap width past bend) a hackle tip; tie in front of tag






dub thread/dub body to 80% mark






tie in hackle at front of body (sorry; no pic); reverse palmer to tail




twist the Uni-stretch tight; capture tip of hackle, continue wrapping thru the hackle






clip hackle (half the gap)




tie in (folded) hackle by tip




wrap, capture tip with Uni-Stretch




build head, tie off/trim, half hitch x 2, SHHAN








Regards,
Scott

Masterfully done.

Id love to hear the history behind this fly. Can you provide a link to Don's article?

This fly reminds me a lot of the "Bent Hackle" pattern found in Datus Proper's book.

Ray,

Here you go:

http://donbastianwetflies.com/2012/01/0 ... l-wet-fly/


Regards,
Scott

Thanks Scott! That was a great read. Have you shown Don your tutorial? Im sure he would be impressed.

Thanks for sharing this with us. A great piece of our fly fishing history.

Excellent, Scott.

Hook- Mustad 79580 size 10
Tag- Green Floss
Body- 2 Black feathers 1 Brown
Head- Green Floss



http://www.classicflytying.com/index.ph ... opic=45342

I tried to correspond with Mr. Bastian about the origins of the pattern, but he chose not to answer.

The Carson Lake Specials and a myriad of other patterns were developed by a man named Dow Jones. Yes, same name as the stock exchange. Mr. Jones was the very first permanent game warden in Western Colorado (1912?). He lived to be almost 100 years old. I am guessing he passed away in the early 1990's. He was responsible for the original introduction of Brook Trout and Rainbow trout to the Grand Mesa. A mountain that borders my valley. The Mesa has over 200 fish able lakes on it. Carson Lake is one of them. Mr Jones used mules to stock the lakes.

I met him in the early mid 1970's. He was a customer at my fathers drive inn dairy, where he bought his milk. My fathers game roosters were near the dairy, and Mr. Jones saw me feeding some of the birds when he had stopped by to buy milk. He walked over to me and commented on what pretty roosters they were. He told me he was an avid fly tyer. Originally from Texas, Mr. Jones knew what game roosters were used for. He asked if he could secure some hackles. In the years to come, I exchanged hackles for flies with him.

Later, a few years before his passing, he sat down and showed me how to tie the Carson Lake Specials. They are very good still water producers, but not so good for rivers.
The Carson Lake Special was morphed by other tyers before Mr. Jones even passed away. I asked him about that. He grinned at me and said he did not mind.

He and I were not friends, but more than fly fishermen that exchanged materials for flies with each other.

His patterns were in most of the sporting goods store here in Grand Junction. He was a bit of a local legend, and had many articles written about him in our local newspaper, Outdoors Section. He gave me my first fly tying lesson.

I do not write this to cause a disagreement. Just to add a little history to a forgotten man and one of his patterns.



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Mesa

Very interesting and informative post, Wayne. Thanks for giving us a glimpse into your connection with this gentleman.