Silver Downeaster
The Silver Downeaster is a traditional East Coast hairwing fly used primarily for Atlantic salmon. Its history is sometimes confused with the similarly named Silver Down East: the black-winged Silver Down-Easter is generally attributed to Bert Miner of Doaktown, New Brunswick, while Phil Foster of Maine developed a closely related reddish-winged pattern. The fly is normally cast across and downstream and fished on a controlled swing through pools, runs, and likely salmon lies. Its reflective body makes it especially useful in bright conditions or when additional visibility is needed in the water. Silver Downeasters are commonly tied in sizes 2 through 10, with larger versions suited to higher flows and smaller, sparsely dressed flies favored in clearer water. Forming a smooth tinsel body and keeping the hair wing sparse and properly aligned are the main considerations when tying the pattern.
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Recipe
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Hook · standard salmon streamer hook sizes 2 - 10
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Thread · black
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Tag · fine oval silver tinsel
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Tail · golden pheasant crest
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Butt · black ostrich herl
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Rib · fine oval silver tinsel
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Body · flat silver tinsel
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Wings · fitch tail guard hairs
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Hackle · hot orange hen or soft rooster
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Throat · hot orange hen or soft rooster hackle
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Wing · black squirrel tail guard hairs
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Head · black tying thread
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Finish · head cement, varnish, or UV resin
Tying Instructions
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1
Secure the hook in the vise, start the black thread behind the eye, and wrap a smooth thread foundation toward the rear of the shank.
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2
Tie in the oval silver tinsel and make a short tag above the hook point. Secure the tinsel while leaving the remaining length available for the rib.
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3
Select a golden pheasant crest feather with the proper curve and tie it in as a short, centered tail.
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4
Tie in a strand of black ostrich herl at the base of the tail, make several close wraps to form a compact butt, and secure the herl.
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5
Tie in the flat silver tinsel at the rear of the body and create a smooth, slightly tapered thread underbody.
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6
Wrap the flat silver tinsel forward in touching or slightly overlapping turns to form a smooth, reflective body. Secure and trim the excess.
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7
Wind the oval silver tinsel forward in evenly spaced open turns to rib and reinforce the flat-tinsel body. Tie off and trim.
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8
Prepare a small bunch of hot orange hackle fibers and tie them beneath the hook shank as a sparse beard-style throat.
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9
Remove the underfur from a sparse bunch of black squirrel tail, align the guard-hair tips, and tie the wing on top of the hook so it extends approximately to the end of the tail.
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10
Trim the wing butts at an angle, cover them with thread, and form a neat tapered black head.
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11
Whip finish and coat the head with head cement, varnish, or UV resin.