St. joe special

All about flies Fly Tying
1

I am just beginning to reseacrh a fly called the St. Joe special.Originated on that river in northern Idaho.Basics are golden pheasant tippet tail,some shade of orange body,material unknown.grizzly hackle tip wings and assuming grizzly hackle.
no original tier,or accurate pattern.
any help would be appreciated,Thanks

2

The St Joe Special that I am most familiar with is as follows:

Thread: Black.
Wings: Natural gray duck quill sections tied upright and divided.
Tail: Golden pheasant tippet barbs.
Body: Dubbed with caddis green lamb?s wool.
Hackle: Grizzly tied on as a color.

I believe this is the original dressing, however, as with any of our older patterns, there are most likely any number of variations.

T. Hellekson
http://www.hellekson.com

3

Hi flash back,

Terry is right about the pattern. A couple of my recipe books also show the fly as a St. Joe Favorite. I’ve used it many times on the St. Joe River (and other free-stone, cutthroat waters) in north central Idaho and it is a great pattern/body of water. If you don’t like tying the mallard slip wings I’ve also tied it using dun hackle points or mallard flank as substitues. Good luck & …

Tight Lines - Al Beatty [url=http://www.btsflyfishing.com:4fd0f]www.btsflyfishing.com[/url:4fd0f]

4

at [url=http://www.killroys.com/patterns/stjoefavor.htm:fb0db]www.killroys.com[/url:fb0db] they have the following pattern…

St. Joe Favorite
hook Mustad 94840
hook size(s) 10-16
thread black
tail golden pheasant tippets
body green wool
hackle grizzly
wings mallard wing, upright and split

[This message has been edited by Steven H. McGarthwaite (edited 13 April 2006).]

5

Did I get close?
I think I tied the wings in backwardz.
It looks cooler that way. And grey thread matches the wings.

There is a fine line between fly fishing and standing in a river waving a stick, and YOU SIR have crossed that line!

6

THANKS for all the help!
so far I think the green fly is the favorite and the orange is the special
Dont quote me though

7

According to the 1970 and 1974 editions of “Flies of the Northwest” put out by the Inland Empire Fly Fishing Club the fly described and pictured above is the St Joe Favorite and not the St. Joe Special.

The St Joe Special is described as having a tail of grizzly hackle wisps, body of orange floss, wings of gray mallard (although the picture in the 1974 and the drawing in the 1970 look to be grizzly hackle tips), and a grizzly hackle.

The St Joe Special is not listed in the 1986 edition of the publication, but the St Joe Favorite remains. The body material was changed from bright green wool (appears charteuse) to green wool (maybe dark olive).

I’m told that neither fly appears in their latest edition of 1998.

8

I finally made it Back thanks again for all you’re help.