Royal Coachman Soft Hackle

[William Anderson]

Sweet, Ray. These are really striking. You and CB have put together a host of patterns that look like killer steelhead flies. This in larger sizes would be awesome. Not to say they wouldn't be great on smaller water as well. It's a nice interpretation, and always especially well tied. Very cool.

w

[letumgo]

William - Your comment got me thinking about Jon's (CB's) great double hackle flies. I headed straight back to the vice to tye a up-scaled steelhead variation. I moved the tippet fibers to a mid-wing type position. They looked pretty cool until I roughed them up futzing with the rear hackle.

[tie2fish]

The effect of moving the tippet forward is remarkable, Ray! And the double hackle gives it a profile suggestive of Jim Teeny's surprisingly successful steelhead patterns.

[hankaye]

Ray, Howdy;

They looked pretty cool until I roughed them up futzing with the rear hackle.

Yah, RIGHT ... still do look 'cool' Ya tye so well even your throwaways probably still look 'cool' after you
strip them off and are laying in the bottom of the trashcan.



hank

[letumgo]

Thanks guys. I appriciate the encouragement. I am still tinkering with the pattern. I'm still not happy with it. I've got a couple more ideas...back to the vice...

[JohnP]

Great looking flies. There have been a bunch of nice patterns posted by a number of tiers lately. I have had to live vicariously through you guys, as my back has prevented me from doing any tying lately. Not that I could come up with anything half as nice, but at least it's fun to dream.

[letumgo]

Here is my latest variation of this pattern.


Steelhead Royal Coachman Double-Hackle
Hook - Tiemco Model 700/SIze 8
Thread - 8/0 UNI-Thread (Black)
Rib - Narrow Gold Oval Tinsel
Rear Body - William Bailey's Berlin Wool (Red)
Rear/Skirt Hackle - Golden Pheasant Tippet Fibers
Front Body - Peacock Herl Fibers (reinforced in thread dubbing loop)
Front Hackle - Indian Hen Saddle (Dyed Rich Chocolate Brown)
Head - Tying thread coated with Sally Hansen's "Dries Instantly" clear nail polish

Click the photo to see larger version.

[CreationBear]

Very cool...the last one reminds me of an updated "clipped fin" design--no doubt it will be eyed with malicious intent a few months from now.

[letumgo]

Jon - Do you have a link showing a "clipped fin" design? I have never heard of that style.

[William Anderson]

WOW. These are so cool. Nice variations. This is a very interesting series.

w