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Missouri River Special
Tied by Gary Armstrong |
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Hackle: 3 wraps to match, either light or dark, Grizzly also works
Thread: 8/0, color to match hatch
Hook: Any dry fly hook, sizes 10-18
Body: Dubbing to match hatch
Wing: Turkey or goose quill, tied in tent style
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| Tying Instructions |
| Tie in thread, wrap to back of hook. Dub thread and wrap to 2/3 point
near eye. Tie in wings, one on each side of hook. Tie in the hackle, 3
wraps, tie off, clip, whip finish. Take the fly out of the vise and clip
the quill wings at an angle. Go fishing. |
| Fishing Tips |
For my profession, I conduct a bunch of public meetings. I showed up one day for a noon meeting to gather some ideas for improving the community in Montana where I live. One old boy there, an old time Montana gent, looked at me and said in a gruff voice, 'Where yu from?' I told him that I grew up in a small town in Idaho, but most recently had moved to Montana from Utah. He replied 'So yu ain't a Montanan are yu! I don't like people who ain't from Montana, and I don't like you.' I explained as best as I could that I thought that was too bad and I just wanted to help improve the community. By the end of the meeting, he tilted back his cowboy hat which only came off while grace was said over the meal. He looked at me and said, 'Yu know, you're all right.' After the meeting we started talking ishing (I always wear a fishing pattern tie). He opened up some fishing stories and mentioned that he fly fished a bit on the Missouri River. I explained that I have fished the Missouri several times but that the dang river keeps kicking my butt. So he beackoned me to his truck. He pulled
out an old tattered fishing vest and removed a plastic cigar case. Popped the lid, and dumped out some flies. He said 'Yu git yurself some of these and you'll catch fish on the Missouri.' He handed me two of them, one dark, and one light. He indicated that early in the year, fish the light ones, later fish the dark ones. Also, 'I only tie 'em on a 12 or 14 anymore. Works as good as anything plus I just can't see any of the damn hings if I tie them smaller.' I asked the name of the fly, 'Missoura River Special.'
So now you have it. Fish it well. I have found that the hackle color on
these things doesn't mean jack, so I tie it with the cream color because it is easier to see on the water with long casts, which the Missouri warrents. I also like the mottled quill wings on the sucker, mostly because it is ugly and somehow I think that makes it a better fly. I don't know if that is true or not, but you have to go by something don't you? Since getting this fly about a year ago, I have used it well on streams from Northern Montana, to the Henry's Fork, to Utah and caught a ton of fish. It is second in my arsenal of Caddis, behind only the Elk Hair Caddis. I hope it works for you. |
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