Patriot
The Patriot is a red, white, and blue attractor dry fly created by Pennsylvania angler and author Charles Meck, who initially called it the RB Coachman before Art Gusbar suggested its patriotic name. Meck's original dressing used a bright blue synthetic body divided by a red center band, while the demonstrated version substitutes pearl Flashabou. The fly does not imitate a specific insect; its divided white hair wings, reflective body, and heavily hackled profile are intended to remain visible and buoyant while drawing opportunistic rises. It is especially effective for trout in riffles, pocket water, and fast small streams and has earned a strong reputation as a brook-trout pattern. The principal tying challenges are stacking and dividing the calf-hair wing cleanly, maintaining distinct body sections, and wrapping an upright dry-fly hackle without trapping the wing fibers.
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Recipe
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Hook · 1X-long nymph hook, sizes 12-18; Dai-Riki 60 or equivalent
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Thread · red UTC Ultra Thread, 70 denier
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Tail · brown dry-fly hackle fibers
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Body · pearl Flashabou with a central band of red tying thread
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Hackle · brown dry-fly hackle
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Wing · white calf body hair
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Head · red tying thread
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Finish · head cement
Tying Instructions
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1
Secure the hook in the vise, start the red thread behind the eye, and wrap rearward to the wing position near the front third of the shank.
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2
Clean and stack a small bunch of white calf body hair, measure it to approximately one hook-shank length, and tie it on top of the hook.
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3
Trim the hair butts at an angle and cover them with thread to create a smooth underbody.
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4
Raise the calf-hair wing with thread wraps against its base, then divide it into two equal sections using figure-eight wraps.
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5
Carry the thread rearward to the bend while maintaining a smooth foundation.
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6
Select a small bunch of brown dry-fly hackle fibers and tie them in as a straight tail approximately one hook-shank length long.
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7
Tie in a strand of pearl Flashabou at the rear of the body.
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8
Wrap the Flashabou forward to form the rear section of the body, secure it, and create a narrow red band with the tying thread.
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9
Continue wrapping the Flashabou forward to form the front section of the body, stopping behind the divided wing.
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10
Tie in a properly sized brown dry-fly hackle immediately behind the wing.
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11
Wrap approximately three hackle turns behind the wing and several additional turns in front, keeping the fibers upright and evenly spaced.
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12
Secure and trim the hackle, build a small red thread head, whip finish, and apply head cement.