Carey Special Fly Pattern Tutorial

An example of a fly you could enter for the April 2020 Natures Spirit fly tying challenge. Check out their youtube or social media for details and a tutorial as well.
A fly pattern from the early 1900's that is a must have for any still water box. Like many of these early fly patterns, the exact origin is up for debate but created by Thomas Carey this fly was intended for lakes and in general to imitate a variety of things including small baitfish and or nymphs of larger insects including damsel flys and dragonflies.
I am tying this as a fancy blacked out version. A simpler version that I have had much success with is simply brown pheasant rump feathers or brown hackle with a natural peacock body secured with gold or copper wire. I just wanted to add a little flare so I dressed the body as I would some classic salmon flies.
Tie some up in the staple colors and maybe a few others that could be used as an attractor to your tailing bait fish or leech fly. Hope it pierces some lips for you.
Svend
The Recipe:
Hook: #Stealthflyproducts N series #6
Thread: #Semperfli nano silk 6/0
Tail and Collar: #naturesspiritflytying ringneck rump patch
body: #Naturesspiritflytying black dyed peacock
Ribbing: Mylar tinsel and #semperfli med french oval tinsel
Resin: Bone Dry

[@224Nisqually]

This is one of the first flies I tied and fished. The local drug store in the 1960s had a box of 16 different bodies and sizes of Carey Specials. One effective and popular variation involved dyed yellow pheasant rump feathers, which turn out golden olive. The body was also made from a wrapped dyed yellow pheasant rump feather. It became known as "six pack". A wide silver or gold tinsel (this was before mylar) body with dyed yellow tail and pheasant rump feather hackle, was an effective perch fry imitation accounting for many huge trout for me in the impoundments of the Columbia Basin.

[@marksleeper3752]

very nice

[@heyjim52]

The Carey special was originally tied by a dentist from Mount Vernon , Washington , It was tied for British Columbia waters as a salmon fly.

[@petek1pml746]

Great version of that pattern. I will have to tie some up.

[@Svenddiesel]

Thanks

[@petek1pml746]

Svend Diesel i have a whole pheasant skin that i have not touched yet. This gives me something good to tie

[@Svenddiesel]

Perfect. If post the fly to Instagram use the natures spirit fly challenge hashtag and you could win something.

[@petek1pml746]

Svend Diesel i will look into that

[@fernandomiron7557]

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