Grizzly Jay Wet Fly
Anglers that browse through classic fly fishing literature will quickly notice the ever present attractor wet fly. These flies were quite popular for centuries with elaborate stories of
successful days on the rivers, lakes and streams catching trout.
The popular flies such as the Silver Doctor, Alexandra, Professor, and Royal Coachman were a few flies of choice consistently bringing trout to the anglers net.
Two flies often spoken of as “popular taking” trout flies were the Grizzly King with its scarlet tail, green tinseled body and grizzly hackle as well as the ever present Blue Jay winged flies.
Many stories in the volumes of classic literature speak of the effectiveness of both of these flies.
I put together a fly combining the Grizzly King with its timeless attractor qualities with Blue Jay wings of blue and black stripes over dun gray.
The Grizzly King in its many versatile forms and the Jay winged flies have proven to be excellent for brown trout, brook trout as well as salmon in New England. I plan to fish this fly
this coming fall for wild trout in Pennsylvania as well as the Rangeley Region of Maine.
For brown trout choose a long feather with more gray dun qualities in the wing with a sparse red tail. Brook trout and salmon will take the full dressed version with heavy grizzly hackle and
full blue wing. A Sproat Bend or Streamer hook in size 6 would be my choice for trout.
Freestyle Dressing:
Hook: Partridge Adlington & Hutchinson Blind Eye
Tail: Scarlet
Tag Silver Tinsel
Body: Forest Green Silk
Ribbing: Gold Tinsel
Hackle: Grizzly Rooster Collar Style
Wing: Eurasian Blue Jay Wing Primaries
Eye: Vintage Twisted Silk Gut
Vise: HMH Vises Standard
Literature resources:
Blacker’s Art of Flymaking 1855 & Mary Orvis Marbury’s Favorite Flies 1892
You can follow Fred on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/grizzlykingfly/ or visit his website at grizzlykingfly.com
