Fly of the Month 01.25 - Gray Hackle Yellow [soft hackle]
This fly evolved from the ancient spider fly patterns of the European old world. The actual origin of this dry fly version is unknown. Established as Southern Appalachian by Pre-WWII Smokies master angler and guide “Uncle” Mark Cathey from Bryson City, North Carolina. One of the few, maybe only dry fly he fished. Top choice of many Cherokee anglers. There are slight to significant variations of this old fly pattern found on both side of the Smokies.
Southern Appalachian fly patterns that were used in the early 1900s especially in the Smoky Mountains were basically wet fly patterns or in many cases what was deemed spider fly patterns much like our modern soft hackle flies. Both wet and spider fly patterns originated from England with the spider coming from the North Country. To fish as a dry fly, the angler would grease the fly substantially to maintain a long drifting float. The fly would eventually partially sink, the fully sink to provide a range of presentations to a trout.
The Gray Hackle Yellow is a traditional Smokey Mountain fly according to Roger Lowe in his book on fly patterns. Southern Trout magazine notes it first showed up on lists of southern Appalachia flies 100 years ago. It likely originated in Europe although the early history has not been established. Traditionally it was tied with the red tail and in a tail-less version.
The original design of the body of yellow floss was tied as a “keeper”, a single strand of yellow floss pulled along the entire length of the top of the body, then held in place by the ribbing. The modern design utilizes a wrapped floss body with a counter-wrapped ribbing.
Both the wet and the softhackle version of the Gray Hackle Yellow are fished in the water column as a rising aquatic insect. The soft hackle is an excellent dropper fly pattern as well.
Gray Hackle Yellow
Fly of the Month 01.25
Gray Hackle Yellow Dry Gray Hackle Yellow Wet Gray Hackle Yellow Soft Hackle
Hook: Standard Dry, Size 12, 14 Hook: Wet, Size 10, 12, 14 Hook: Wet, Size 10, 12, 14
Thread: Black or pale yellow Thread: Black or pale yellow Thread: Black or pale yellow
Tail: Grizzly hackle fibers Tail: (optional) Tail: Red hackle fibers
or dyed-red fibers Red hackle fibers Rib: Gold or silver tinsel
Rib: Gold or silver tinsel Rib: Gold or silver tinsel Body: Yellow floss or pale
Body: Yellow floss Body: Yellow floss yellow dubbing fur
Wing: (optional) Hackle: Grizzly, hen Hackle: Hungarian Partridge
Teal flank, upright, divided
Hackle: Grizzly, rooster, bushy
Tying Directions: Gray Hackle Yellow Soft hackle
Hook: TMC 100, or equivalent
Size: 10,12,14
Thread: 8/0 Black or Pale Yellow
Tail : Red Hackle
Rib: Tinsel Gold
Body: Yellow Floss
Hackle: Hungarian Partridge
- Tom Adams, Alen Baker
This fly evolved from the ancient spider fly patterns of the European old world. The actual origin of this dry fly version is unknown. Established as Southern Appalachian by Pre-WWII Smokies master angler and guide “Uncle” Mark Cathey from Bryson City, North Carolina. One of the few, maybe only dry fly he fished. Top choice of many Cherokee anglers. There are slight to significant variations of this old fly pattern found on both side of the Smokies.
Southern Appalachian fly patterns that were used in the early 1900s especially in the Smoky Mountains were basically wet fly patterns or in many cases what was deemed spider fly patterns much like our modern soft hackle flies. Both wet and spider fly patterns originated from England with the spider coming from the North Country. To fish as a dry fly, the angler would grease the fly substantially to maintain a long drifting float. The fly would eventually partially sink, the fully sink to provide a range of presentations to a trout.
The Gray Hackle Yellow is a traditional Smokey Mountain fly according to Roger Lowe in his book on fly patterns. Southern Trout magazine notes it first showed up on lists of southern Appalachia flies 100 years ago. It likely originated in Europe although the early history has not been established. Traditionally it was tied with the red tail and in a tail-less version.
The original design of the body of yellow floss was tied as a “keeper”, a single strand of yellow floss pulled along the entire length of the top of the body, then held in place by the ribbing. The modern design utilizes a wrapped floss body with a counter-wrapped ribbing.
Both the wet and the softhackle version of the Gray Hackle Yellow are fished in the water column as a rising aquatic insect. The soft hackle is an excellent dropper fly pattern as well.
Gray Hackle Yellow
Fly of the Month 01.25
Gray Hackle Yellow Dry Gray Hackle Yellow Wet Gray Hackle Yellow Soft Hackle
Hook: Standard Dry, Size 12, 14 Hook: Wet, Size 10, 12, 14 Hook: Wet, Size 10, 12, 14
Thread: Black or pale yellow Thread: Black or pale yellow Thread: Black or pale yellow
Tail: Grizzly hackle fibers Tail: (optional) Tail: Red hackle fibers
or dyed-red fibers Red hackle fibers Rib: Gold or silver tinsel
Rib: Gold or silver tinsel Rib: Gold or silver tinsel Body: Yellow floss or pale
Body: Yellow floss Body: Yellow floss yellow dubbing fur
Wing: (optional) Hackle: Grizzly, hen Hackle: Hungarian Partridge
Teal flank, upright, divided
Hackle: Grizzly, rooster, bushy
Tying Directions: Gray Hackle Yellow Soft hackle
Hook: TMC 100, or equivalent
Size: 10,12,14
Thread: 8/0 Black or Pale Yellow
Tail : Red Hackle
Rib: Tinsel Gold
Body: Yellow Floss
Hackle: Hungarian Partridge
- Debarb and mount the hook. Add thread one third back of the eye and advance to the hook bend. Let the bobbin hang.
- Select six to eight red rooster barbs and align the tips. Pull the barbs away from the stem while holding the aligned tips. Measure to slightly shorter than the hook shank and secure on top of the hook shank with several soft wraps. Examine the length and adjust if necessary. Tie in with touching turns of thread and return in open turns to the one third mark. Trim any waste red barbs and let the bobbin hang.
- Select a three inch or so of gold tinsel and tie in on the side of the hook shank closest to you. Make tight touching turns of thread binding the tinsel to the side of the shank and return the thread in open turns to within two or three eye lengths from the eye. Let the bobbin hang. Make sure there will be sufficient space for a thread head and hen hackle wraps.
- Select a three inch piece of floss and tie in on top of the hook shank, advance the thread in open turns to the tinsel at the bend. Return the thread to the front of the hook in tight touching turns and let the bobbin hang.
- Begin wrapping the floss in slightly overlapped turns to the thread and secure with several thread wraps, trim the waste floss and let the bobbin hang.
- Advance the tinsel with counter wraps to the thread and secure with several thread wraps. Trim the waste tinsel and let the bobbin hang.
- Select a Partridge hackle with the appropriate barb length which is slightly larger than the hook gap. Hold the tip and stroke the barbs back leaving them in the stroked back position. Tie in immediately in front of the floss and trim the waste tip of hackle. Make several turns of thread to even up the height of thread to the floss body and let the bobbin hang.
- Begin wrapping the hackle in tight touching turn stopping far enough back of the eye to tie a thread head. One and one half to two turns is usually sufficient. Trim the waste hackle.
- Make a three turn whip finish and trim the thread. Add head dressing.
- Tom Adams, Alen Baker