Fly of the Month 09.12
Tellico
It’s a caddis larva! No, it’s a stonefly nymph! No, it’s a crayfish! No, well, uh, or just maybe it’s a U.F.O. which means it is a (U)nique (F)ly for (O)pportunistic trout in the southeastern Appalachian mountains. The true answer - all of the above. Thi unique local fly pattern has been used successfully by local fly fishermen for many, many decades. The Tellico is an original Southern Appalachain Pattern (SAP) or old timey pattern. Tom and I hope to occasionally include other SAP’s as part of this series. We present the pattern using the original recipe, then with a few modern variations.
Tellico
The Tellico is often referred to as the Tellico Nymph as it was originally tied to be used as a no-wing wet fly. In modern terms, the Tellico could actually be considered a soft-hackle fly as well. The original pattern is believed to have originated by an unknown tyer in southeastern Tennessee who fly fished the Tellico River. Little is known about the origin as the productive fly soon became a common fly to use in the area. It has long been a favorite pattern for many anglers in the southeastern area. The Tellico used to be a pretty common pattern even out west, but due to the explosion of nymph patterns it seems to have fallen out of favor. Regardless, this is a simple, fun fly pattern to tie and the trout really find it appealing.
My research indicates that the original fly pattern used guinea body feathers for the tail, a wire underbody for added weight, natural mottled turkey wing quill for the shellback and bright yellow rayon floss for the body. Modern versions utilize Golden Pheasant tippet for the tail, strands of peacock herl for the shellback, chenille for the body and a beadhead for added weight.
For years I tied and fished what I believed was the original lead weighted fly pattern without the beadhead until one day I realized that chenille and Golden Pheasant was not readily available when the original fly was created. I also discovered that many local fly fishermen tied both a yellow version and an orange version. The yellow version is believed to more closely imitate a golden stonefly nymph or caddis larva. The orange version is believed to more closely imitate a crayfish. I have actually ran into a local fly fisherman on Hazel Creek one time that had a bright green version of the Tellico he consider to be an imitation of a “green rock worm” or Grannom which is a caddis larva.
Personally (Alen), I prefer to tie the Tellico with a lead-substitute underbody for added weight, use the Golden Pheasant tippet for the tail and use bright, embroidery floss for the body. I typically fish the Tellico as a dropper nymph pattern.
We suggest that the orange pattern in particular be more heavily weighted and be fished more like a wet fly or streamer to best imitate a crayfish. If you added linear weight to the top side of the hook, it will tend to force the fly to turn upside down on the stream bottom and be less likely to hang up.
By the way, when the topside popper action on the local farmpond is gone, largemouth bass and bluegill sunfish are highly attracted to the Tellico as well, so you may consider tying your Tellico fly pattern in size 8 and size 10 for the farmpond and up to size18 for trout streams.
Fly of the Month 09.12 Tellico
Hook: Wet 2X, Tiemco 5262 or equivalent, Size: 12, 14, 16, 18
Thread: Black 8/0 Uni or equivalent
Tail: Golden Pheasant Crest
Abdomen: Yellow or Orange Chenille
Rib: Peacock Herl
Wingcase: Turkey tail feather (see special note below)
Hackle: Brown Hen hackle
Directions :
1) Wrap thread starting three eye lengths from the eye and in tight turns to the above the hook point. Let the bobbin hang.
2) Choose five or six golden pheasant tippet feathers and trim them from the stem keeping the tips aligned. Tie in with soft wraps extending past the hook shank by about the same length as the shank, keeping the feathers on top of the hook by making slight adjustments with your fingers. Once you are happy with the length, tie in firmly, advancing the thread to the start up at the head and returning to above the barb. Let the bobbin hang.
3) Select a section of turkey tail feather about the same width as the hook gape. Trim from stem and tie in, with the dull side up, make several wraps forward to secure the turkey on top of the hook shank. Wrap to the rearmost tie in and let the bobbin hang.
NOTE : For this use of turkey tail and most other uses as well, it is advisable to spray the entire feather lightly with a fixative a day in advance of usage. This will enable the barbs to stay together when you pull the turkey down for a wingcase. Craft stores will have a selection, make sure you use Matte finish and spray outdoors.
4) Select a three inch piece of chenille and strip about one quarter inch of chenille to reveal the core thread. You can use your fingernails to do this. Tie in, tight to the tie in of the turkey, with several wraps of thread and let the bobbin hang.
5) Select a single peacock herl and tie in the base or thickest section, tight to the chenille. Advance the thread to the head cleaning up the previous tie in materials, but do not overwrap to the point of adding any bulk. The profile needs to remain slim. Let me bobbin hang.
6) Advance the chenille in tight, touching wraps to three eyelengths from the eye and tie off, trimming away the waste. Let the bobbin hang.
7) Advance the peacock in spirals, more or less along the space between the chenille wraps and tie off in front of the chenille. Trim the waste and let the bobbin hang.
8) The thread should be making a small head by now and you can make a few extra wraps to even and tidy everything up. Let the bobbin hang.
9) Select six or eight hen hackles from a feather by aligning their tips and pulling away from the stem. Using that bundle of hackle, hold against the hook shank at a forty five degree angle, trap with thread and make several secure wraps. You can then use a thumbnail to rotate the hackle so that it is underneath the head and nearly touching the point of the hook. Tie in tight once you have positioned them to your liking, trim the waste and let the bobbin hang.
10) Bring the turkey forward and make two or three wraps for placement, once you are happy with the spot and the length, use your left hand to extend the turkey slightly (to hard and it will separate) and pinching to keep it on top of the shank make several firm wraps and trim the waste. There should be sufficient room to form a nice thread wrap head. Whip finish and apply two coats of head cement.
There is also an Orange Tellico fly pattern.
- Tom Adams, Alen Baker
Tellico
It’s a caddis larva! No, it’s a stonefly nymph! No, it’s a crayfish! No, well, uh, or just maybe it’s a U.F.O. which means it is a (U)nique (F)ly for (O)pportunistic trout in the southeastern Appalachian mountains. The true answer - all of the above. Thi unique local fly pattern has been used successfully by local fly fishermen for many, many decades. The Tellico is an original Southern Appalachain Pattern (SAP) or old timey pattern. Tom and I hope to occasionally include other SAP’s as part of this series. We present the pattern using the original recipe, then with a few modern variations.
Tellico
The Tellico is often referred to as the Tellico Nymph as it was originally tied to be used as a no-wing wet fly. In modern terms, the Tellico could actually be considered a soft-hackle fly as well. The original pattern is believed to have originated by an unknown tyer in southeastern Tennessee who fly fished the Tellico River. Little is known about the origin as the productive fly soon became a common fly to use in the area. It has long been a favorite pattern for many anglers in the southeastern area. The Tellico used to be a pretty common pattern even out west, but due to the explosion of nymph patterns it seems to have fallen out of favor. Regardless, this is a simple, fun fly pattern to tie and the trout really find it appealing.
My research indicates that the original fly pattern used guinea body feathers for the tail, a wire underbody for added weight, natural mottled turkey wing quill for the shellback and bright yellow rayon floss for the body. Modern versions utilize Golden Pheasant tippet for the tail, strands of peacock herl for the shellback, chenille for the body and a beadhead for added weight.
For years I tied and fished what I believed was the original lead weighted fly pattern without the beadhead until one day I realized that chenille and Golden Pheasant was not readily available when the original fly was created. I also discovered that many local fly fishermen tied both a yellow version and an orange version. The yellow version is believed to more closely imitate a golden stonefly nymph or caddis larva. The orange version is believed to more closely imitate a crayfish. I have actually ran into a local fly fisherman on Hazel Creek one time that had a bright green version of the Tellico he consider to be an imitation of a “green rock worm” or Grannom which is a caddis larva.
Personally (Alen), I prefer to tie the Tellico with a lead-substitute underbody for added weight, use the Golden Pheasant tippet for the tail and use bright, embroidery floss for the body. I typically fish the Tellico as a dropper nymph pattern.
We suggest that the orange pattern in particular be more heavily weighted and be fished more like a wet fly or streamer to best imitate a crayfish. If you added linear weight to the top side of the hook, it will tend to force the fly to turn upside down on the stream bottom and be less likely to hang up.
By the way, when the topside popper action on the local farmpond is gone, largemouth bass and bluegill sunfish are highly attracted to the Tellico as well, so you may consider tying your Tellico fly pattern in size 8 and size 10 for the farmpond and up to size18 for trout streams.
Fly of the Month 09.12 Tellico
Hook: Wet 2X, Tiemco 5262 or equivalent, Size: 12, 14, 16, 18
Thread: Black 8/0 Uni or equivalent
Tail: Golden Pheasant Crest
Abdomen: Yellow or Orange Chenille
Rib: Peacock Herl
Wingcase: Turkey tail feather (see special note below)
Hackle: Brown Hen hackle
Directions :
1) Wrap thread starting three eye lengths from the eye and in tight turns to the above the hook point. Let the bobbin hang.
2) Choose five or six golden pheasant tippet feathers and trim them from the stem keeping the tips aligned. Tie in with soft wraps extending past the hook shank by about the same length as the shank, keeping the feathers on top of the hook by making slight adjustments with your fingers. Once you are happy with the length, tie in firmly, advancing the thread to the start up at the head and returning to above the barb. Let the bobbin hang.
3) Select a section of turkey tail feather about the same width as the hook gape. Trim from stem and tie in, with the dull side up, make several wraps forward to secure the turkey on top of the hook shank. Wrap to the rearmost tie in and let the bobbin hang.
NOTE : For this use of turkey tail and most other uses as well, it is advisable to spray the entire feather lightly with a fixative a day in advance of usage. This will enable the barbs to stay together when you pull the turkey down for a wingcase. Craft stores will have a selection, make sure you use Matte finish and spray outdoors.
4) Select a three inch piece of chenille and strip about one quarter inch of chenille to reveal the core thread. You can use your fingernails to do this. Tie in, tight to the tie in of the turkey, with several wraps of thread and let the bobbin hang.
5) Select a single peacock herl and tie in the base or thickest section, tight to the chenille. Advance the thread to the head cleaning up the previous tie in materials, but do not overwrap to the point of adding any bulk. The profile needs to remain slim. Let me bobbin hang.
6) Advance the chenille in tight, touching wraps to three eyelengths from the eye and tie off, trimming away the waste. Let the bobbin hang.
7) Advance the peacock in spirals, more or less along the space between the chenille wraps and tie off in front of the chenille. Trim the waste and let the bobbin hang.
8) The thread should be making a small head by now and you can make a few extra wraps to even and tidy everything up. Let the bobbin hang.
9) Select six or eight hen hackles from a feather by aligning their tips and pulling away from the stem. Using that bundle of hackle, hold against the hook shank at a forty five degree angle, trap with thread and make several secure wraps. You can then use a thumbnail to rotate the hackle so that it is underneath the head and nearly touching the point of the hook. Tie in tight once you have positioned them to your liking, trim the waste and let the bobbin hang.
10) Bring the turkey forward and make two or three wraps for placement, once you are happy with the spot and the length, use your left hand to extend the turkey slightly (to hard and it will separate) and pinching to keep it on top of the shank make several firm wraps and trim the waste. There should be sufficient room to form a nice thread wrap head. Whip finish and apply two coats of head cement.
There is also an Orange Tellico fly pattern.
- Tom Adams, Alen Baker