Green Highlander

advancedatlantic salmonsalmon flyclassicfully dressedmarried wingtraditionalwet flyriverspringfall

Description

The Green Highlander is a fully dressed Atlantic salmon classic for clear rivers and traditional swung presentations. This dressing follows a Pryce-Tannatt 1914-style version, with a yellow-and-green body, silver rib, black hackle, married wing, topping, jungle cock sides, and blue macaw horns; Bates 1990 treats it as one of the standard reference patterns in the classic salmon fly canon.

Materials

Tying Instructions

1.
Secure the hook in the vise and start the black thread two eye-lengths behind the eye.
2.
Tie in oval silver tinsel at the rear and wrap a short tag, then secure it at the bend.
3.
Tie in a small golden pheasant crest tail with a few golden pheasant tippet fibers above it.
4.
Tie in black ostrich herl and make a short butt directly in front of the tag.
5.
Tie in the oval silver tinsel rib and a black hen hackle by the tip at the rear of the body.
6.
Wrap yellow floss over the rear half of the body with flat, even turns.
7.
Tie in green floss and wrap the front half of the body, leaving room for the wing and head.
8.
Palmer the black hen hackle forward over the body and secure it at the shoulder.
9.
Spiral the oval silver tinsel forward through the hackle in open turns and tie it off at the shoulder.
10.
Build a married wing from golden pheasant tippet, yellow, scarlet, and blue swan/goose, bustard substitute, peacock wing, and mottled turkey.
11.
Set the married wing low over the body, tips extending just beyond the tail, and secure with firm stacked thread wraps.
12.
Tie in a golden pheasant crest topping over the wing, then add jungle cock nails to each side.
13.
Tie in paired blue macaw substitute horns above the wing and trim the butts clean.
14.
Build a small black head, whip finish, and apply black head lacquer.