A long proven must for Atlantic salmon on the storied rivers of eastern Canada, and a trusty favorite for steelhead on many western fisheries too, the Black Bear Green Butt is equally deadly on both the deep-sunk and near-surface swings. Surprisingly effective in smaller sizes when waked or skated using the riffle hitch technique as well, the Black Bear Green Butt is a wise and reliable choice indeed.
The Blue Charm began over a century ago as a simple British featherwing pattern; often tied as a small “low-water†fly. Since then it has become a popular and effective fly pattern everywhere Atlantic salmon are fished. Variations include adding elements of the original, such as an ostrich herl butt or Golden pheasant topping. The original mallard or turkey and teal feather wing has been replaced by grey squirrel tail, sometimes with a Krystal lash underwing. Newfoundlanders like to substitute moose hair for the wing, or, recently, a white calf-tail wing. Other variations include hackle substitution of iridescent blue peacock neck feather or a lighter blue colour such as Silver Doctor blue
The Royal Coachman is an artificial fly that has been tied as a wet fly, dry fly and streamer pattern. Today, the Royal Coachman and its variations are tied mostly as dry flies and fished floating on the water surface. It is a popular and widely used pattern for freshwater game fish, particularly trout and grayling. Large streamer versions are also used for winter steelhead and Atlantic salmon.
The White Wulff is the perfect pattern to imitate the Eastern Green Drake mayfly spinner. While this fly carries the namesake of the iconic fly tier Lee Wulff, it was actually developed in 1929 by Walt Dette and Ted Townsend as the Coffin Fly.