The Henryville Special is an old classic created back in the 1930s by Hiram Brobst. Mr. Brobst was an experienced Pocono fly tyer from Palmerton, PA. His fly was inspired by a sedge pattern he saw in a Europeon fly tying book. He didn’t name the fly and just called it a no-name fly. Years later it was named the Henryville Special after a trout fishing hotel called the Henryville House that sat on Brodhead Creek. Hiram initially designed the fly to imitate caddis flies on Brodhead Creek. It’s such a successful fly that it’s still tied commercially and still used today.
Tightline Productions just released this video on how to tie this classic pattern.
Hook: Dry fly, #14 – #20
Thread: Black or Olive
Body: Olive-green floss or olive dubbing
Body Hackle: Grizzly, undersized; length no longer than hook point
Underwing: Wood duck flank fibers
Overwing: Matched mallard quill slips; tied tent style over the back
Head Hackle: ginger or brown
Thanks for posting this Paul. I always wondered how they got the Mallard quill to lay correctly.
It’s a cool pattern for sure!
Thanks Howard!
Great-looking pattern and fairly easy to tie. Could be used effectively as a Fluttering Caddis al la Len Wright.
I completely agree John!
Thank you for the comment.
-Paul
Looks like a nice fly.