Hi,

Last weekend I picked up some Tiemco TMC 202SP Hooks in size 8. The SP stands for Spey. These have a loop eye and are a black hook. I picked these up on a whim, and have decided to have a try at some hairwing salmon flies. Two of these, the Blue Charm and Cosseboom I tie on size 10 2x hooks for trout already and have taken rainbows on the Cosseboom, but haven't really fished the Blue Charm properly (yet).

Blue Charm: Unfortunately, this got picked up before the head was dry. Also, a few messy bits from the wing are showing around the eye.
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g1.../BlueCharm.jpg

Cosseboom
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g1...osseboom-1.jpg

The next one is a hairwing Highlander:

The recipe says the wing is suppose to be "fitch tail", but I don't know what "fitch" is. I used "kip tail", which is calf tail, and just possibly "fitch tail" as well!
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g1...Highlander.jpg

The next one is based upon the Lady Caroline:

I didn't have a picture, and I would be surprised if the body was not too dark (supposed to be light brown mixed with olive and I would call my brown dark brown). The tail is supposed to be a "reddish brown golden pheasant crest"), but I only have yellow golden pheasant crest. So, I used a reddish body feather from a golden pheasant. The hackle should be "medium blue dun", but again, I substituted the blue/grey rump feather from a ringneck pheasant. And finally, the wing was supposed to be "brown mallard", and I used "mallard dyed to Woodduck". Hmmm, perhaps "based upon" is going to far and I should have said "I was looking at the recipe for the Lady Caroline when I came up with this completely different tie?"

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g1...dyCaroline.jpg

Finally, feeling confident, I put together this one, which I've named after my wife (the Vanessa):
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g1...mm/Vanessa.jpg

Tag: flat gold tinsel
Tip : Lavender floss
Tail: golden pheasant crest
Rib : flat silver tinsel
body: wine floss
throat: guinea flowl
wing : mallard dyed wood duck
topping: golden pheasant crest
head : black (tying thread)

I found these recipes in Art Flick's "Master Fly Tying Guide" in the chapter by Ernest Schwiebert. This is an older book, I have a 5th printing in paper back from 1979. If you see it in any used book stores, I do recommend it.

- Jeff