Donald Clough, a doctor living in Bangor Main, originally introduced the Green Rat in 1984. It has since become a very popular fly in North America and has spawned some other look-alikes. Among them are the Taylor Special and Rutledge.
Hook: Up eye salmon hook
Tag: Oval gold tinsel
Tail: Peacock sword fibers
Body: Back half fluorescent green floss, front half Peacock herl
Body Vail: Fluorescent green floss over back half of body
Rib: Oval gold tinsel
Wing: Grey Fox body hair
Hackle: Grizzly hackle saddle
Head: Black
Charlie: Nice looking flies you tie. I have a question. On all of my hairwings, both steelhead and salmon, I tie in the wing after the hackle (or occasionally tie in the wing pointed forward before the hackle and then bend it back over the body and secure it in place after tying in the hackle). On this fly it appears that the wing was tied in before the hackle. Why?
Thanks, glad you like them. As for the hackle on this fly the main reason I tied it in after the wing is that this is the way the inventor of the fly ties it. In fact it is a characteristic of all the flies in the Rat series and many consider it as part of what makes a Rat a Rat.
From a practical standpoint do they need to be tied that way? I doubt it. I’m sure one tied your way with the wing tied in after the hackle would be just as affective and would be aesthetically pleasing as well.
Another reason to tie in the hackle last, and a much more practical reason, is to achieve a smaller head on the fly. Often tiers will use the hackle to cover up and hide the tie in point of bulky hair and thus get a smaller head.
Do you use cock hackles or hen hackles on your wets here? I've been using cock saddles, or cock hackles....tyed back, either as collar or throat. Do you think it makes a difference?
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