Carmichael

All about flies Fly Tying
1

Carmichael

Hook - Mustad R50-94840, size 12-16
Thread - Brown
Tail - Cree hackle fibers
Body - Dubbed pink rabbit or synthetic fur
Wings - Grizzly hackle tips tied upright and divided
Hackle - Cree
Popular Fly Patterns - Terry Helleckson (page 20)

I haven’t seen pink rabbits since I quit drinking and smoking that “weed” in the 1980’s so I used pink dyed beaver

I don’t really understand the lure of cree hackles. The hackles look pretty on the bird but when its palmered around a hook shank the unique coloration just disappears, at least to my eyes. A well dyed grizzly, brown/grizzly mix or barred ginger would look just as good as cree and the fish (and fly fishermen) wouldn’t even know the difference

This is a Metz cree from the 1980’s $$ (sorry its the only one i have and i used it in the fly above)

Maybe 2021 $$$ versions of cree hackles are better in coloration if you can find and afford one

2

I’m like you, I never understood the cree hackle thing.

3

I agree. It’s always seemed to me like Cree is just one of those sneaky marketing ploys to charge extra. I’ll just stick to my grizzly/brown mix and save the Cree for the birds.