Fly Tying a Picket Pin (Classic Wet Fly Pattern)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 ส.ค. 2024
- Created around 1910 by Jack Boehme of Missoula, Montana, the Picket Pin is named after the prairie dog he originally tied it with. (Prairie Dogs resembled the picket pins cowboys used to stake in the ground to tie their horses to so many old timers called these animals "picket pins.")
Hook: #8-12 nymph or wet
Thread: Black
Tail: Brown hackle fibers (or squirrel tail)
Rib: Small wire (usually gold or copper)
Body: Peacock herl
Hackle: Brown, palmered
Wing: Gray squirrel tail
** Some of the popular books used on this channel: **
Dave Hughes, "Essential Trout Flies," 2017, amzn.to/3lbCZYX
Dave Hughes, "Wet Flies," 2015, amzn.to/33ac3lQ
David Klausmeyer's "Favorite Flies," 2020, amzn.to/3oeSNMa
Morgan Lyle's "Simple Flies," 2015, amzn.to/3qB1zW1
Fly Pattern Encyclopedia: amzn.to/34U0rUe
Mike Valla's "Tying the Founding Flies," 2015, amzn.to/354oSir
Mike Valla's "Classic Streamer Fly Box," 2020, amzn.to/3n3Vakf
Randle Scott Stetzer's "Flies, the Best One Thousand," 1992, amzn.to/34Q15mp
Terry Hellekson's "Popular Fly Patterns," 1976, amzn.to/2L4IyvS
Dick Stewart's, "Flies for Bass and Panfish," 1992, amzn.to/3aGpFs1
Fly Pattern Encyclopedia: amzn.to/34U0rUe
Savage Flies is a project with the mission of encouraging and teaching fly tying to as many people as possible. The channel is named after one of my western Maryland homewaters, the Savage River. I've been uploading new tying videos every Tuesday and Friday, with the occasional extra video on other days.
Thanks for stopping by. Please let me know in the comments if you have any tying tips you would like to share or if you have any patterns you would like to see tied here.
Been using that fly since the 80"s oldie but a goodie .
Thanks James! Appreciate the note my friend. :-)
Montana guy here. Thanks for the tidbit of history on this fly and Montana. Missoula is approximately 90 miles from my hometown. There's still a Bob Wards in Missoula, as well as Butte and I believe there is one in Helena.
That's cool to hear Steve! Thanks for the note and kind words my friend. :-)
Thanks for the history lesson Matt.
Been fishing this fly for many years. Seems to be one of the wet flies in the box. From potter County PA.
That's a seriously good looking working fly. No wonder it's still popular. No film-flam. :-)
Yes indeed Terry. Simple, buggy, and looks like a definite fish catcher! Thanks for watching my friend. :-)
Hi from Rolla Missouri 🎣🤠 Dave
Very nice fly, good job on the history. I love the old flys. I tye one close to this. Use
Badger for the tail and coyote stacked for the Wing & a soft hackle usually a black and brown tipped . With a Red head. Sizes 12 10. Your one in a million. Thanks for your time and knowledge good health for you and your's 🎣🤠 Dave Hughes.
Been shopping at Bob Ward and Sons for my entire life. (they dropped "and sons" sometime in the late 70's or early 80's) Also met Bob Ward a few times when I was young.
Cool story David; thanks for sharing! The store sounds like a true institution in the area.
Great story and fly. Thank you Sir Matt. You're the best!
Glad you enjoyed it! I always appreciate your notes Marshall. :-)
I fish this all the time, my favorite wet fly
Oldie but a goodie ive caught lots of brookies on this guy .good one matt 👍
Thanks Hugh! Appreciate you watching my friend. :-)
Cool looking fly, squirrel can be frustrating. Thanks Matt
Absolutely Lee. I do love the look of squirrel but it can be slippery. :-)
I've never seen it down-under in NZ but will tie a few up and give it a try. The fish certainly will be caught unawares. Thanks for the history and tie.
You bet John. Good luck my friend!
If my fellow viewers have never fished this pattern, time to tie a few up and fish history. Bravo Zulu
Oh yeah, thanks Arthur! It's always fun to bring back a little history into our actual fishing. :-)
PRETTY COOL HISTORY ON THIS FLY MATT AND COOL FLY....THANKS MATT ...SEE YA JOE
Nice tie...love the history. I will have to try it on the Clark Fork when I go home through Missoula. Thanks Matt.
Oh man, I'm jealous! I've never fished Montana but definitely on my dream list. And the Missoulan Spook is on my to-tie list. That's a kind of complicated, but really cool looking streamer. Thanks for watching Todd. :-)
“It’s just a fishing fly”. Love it!. Great fly and background story. Thanks Matt.
You bet Jon! If I only posted videos of perfect flies you'd never seen anything on this channel. :-)
Matt you and your videos are the best
Great INTRO Matt !!!! I luv MT ....... BIG SKY Trout 🌞🇺🇸🎣👍🏻
Big Sky Trout! Definitely on my bucket list to get out there. Thanks for the note Brian. :-)
Keep Charging MATT 👍🏻🎣🎉🇺🇸💫
Definitely heard of Bob Ward! Cool story. I’ll need to look him up. Love the fly!!! Trout will devour it I’m sure. Thx Matt.
Appreciate it Clyde! Have a great evening my friend. :-)
Always tied and fished this one a whole lot of years ago.Kind of fell to the wayside.Don’t really know why.Thanks for bringing back to life.
That's awesome Michael! And indeed one of my missions to keep some of these old patterns around for the next generation of tiers. :-)
Classic oldie ! Been a staple in my fly box from the start 👍🏼
Outstanding! I think a few people keep this one around. This was actually my first time tying it so I'm looking forward to seeing how it performs here in Maryland. :-)
Another good lookin' fly Matt. Keep 'em coming.
Thank you Johnny! No video tomorrow so I'm getting to play around at the vise tonight. That's always cool when I can tie something just for fun. :-)
Great history Matt
Linda and I are going to compete in your contest.Have a great time with it.We are compeating in some hard contests,this one is about fun.Have a great day,and good luck everyone.
Thanks so much Ken! I'm looking forward to seeing what ya'll tie up. And you're right, trying to keep this one as a fun event. No pressure on anyone. :-)
@@SavageFlies Pressure makes it fun for us, but this is going be a fun one.Linda ties on a regal in rustic pine green.We won't to do this,would make a great gift to our granddaughter.She is only 13,can't compete in most contests yet but you are going to make it possible.Cloie said Thanks Matt for what you do.
Interesting that you add the copper wire to make the tie more durable. The pattern I've always used is from a copy of PA Angler from the 70's but I don't think wire was mentioned. The Picket Pin has been one of my most productive flies for many years. Yoyr style of tying it is very good, and I thnk you for sharing your knowledge!
Thank you Paul; I appreciate the kind words!
What a wonderful history behind the fly & the fly’s name, & what place for a fly tyer & fisher to own a bar pre-Prohibition. I bet there were some tall fishing tales told there.
I’ve been aware of the fly but never tied it or looked up the story before. In penance & to offer homage to the originator, I now must tie it.
Thanks Matt. Really neat choice for a video.
Yes Bob, we must pay homage and tribute to our forefathers in this game! I wish I could have learned more about him. Pretty much everything I said was what everyone else already said in one place or another. But you've got to think that there is some old Montana newspaper article about this fly somewhere that's just not online. The history of it all, waiting to be uncovered! Maybe I'll discover it someday and include a Montana chapter in my book.
The picket pin is a classic. Not 100% on the intended imitation but I think it looks like a cricket.
I think it does too! And I could see this thing being a terrestrial dry fly as much as a wet.
A second ook. This seems like a universal fly. I might try and make something similar for next season. It has the stamp of real genius. :-)
I think it really is Terry. I didn't know much of anything about this pattern until researching it but lots of people sing its praises. :-)
Good morning Matt. That’s one I haven’t read about yet. I’m just getting into Dave Hughes Wet Flies. Excellent tie and enjoyed watching. Take care Matt.
Thanks John! Yeah, I love some of Dave Hughes' classic wet flies. Odd that he didn't mention this one in his "Wet Flies," but it was in his "American Fly Tying Manual." Also a cool book to have. :-)
Funny you mention the American Fly Tying Manual. My copy is scheduled to arrive tomorrow.
@@Jd-yc3gw That's outstanding! You'll find the book a little outdated (like some of the old vises he shows), but there really are some great patterns in it. :-)
second fly I tied and fished, pattern from a book in the library considering I was 12 and remember checking out an old beat up book It had to be published a long time ago. it's one of those patterns that always caught fish, don't remember why I stopped tying them.
Cool story Ralph; thanks for the note!
Thanks Matt I really like this one
new one for me .Thanks Matt!
Thanks James! Until this week it was a new one for me too. :-)
Mighty fine pattern work. Its terrific.
Appreciate it Lorenzo! Thanks for watching my friend. :-)
Love this pattern
Thanks Mike! Appreciate it my friend. :-)
Good Morning Sir Matt, Very nice looking Fly and an interesting name. I notice it's almost like tying an Elk Hair Caddis except different materials. very cool looking. by the way i've been practicing a fly for the contest, I was happy with my first attempt. I won't give a spoiler though you'll have to wait on that. thank you Sir Matt.
Thanks Edward! I can't wait to see what you come up with for the contest. I'm sure it's going to look great. :-)
Nice little thang.
Thanks man! It's definitely a pretty historic fly. And I do love anything with peacock herl. Appreciate you watching. :-)
Neat history lesson on that one Matt. I was taught to tie them smaller and use red squirrel tail as the wing. That pattern has provided some good days astream.
Thanks Jim! There was surprisingly a good bit of info on this one. I did come across a couple other recipes that mentioned red squirrel. I think it's going to be a killer panfish pattern too. :-)
I tie these and fish them with great success
Awesome to hear Mike! Lots of folks have heard of this fly and seen it around, but much fewer have ever tied or fished it. I think I'll give it a try soon. :-)
Wow, beautiful fly. It falls somewhere in between a wet fly and a streamer. Thank you for bringing this up!
I totally agree Michael. I even saw some references to people who put floatant on it and fished it as a dry. I can only imagine it being some kind of terrestrial hopper or cricket if it's on top. :-)
Great fly!!
Thanks George! Always appreciate you watching my friend. :-)
I love watching your videos! I love how much researching you share! I really want to go down in the basement and do some tying but I can’t stop watching your videos!
Ha! I love to hear that. 🤣 Welcome to the channel! And make sure to watch the Dave Hughes book review I just published a few minutes ago. I try to give away a book or two every month. 🍀
Like the look of the tail and the peacock head. Thanks Matt.
Oh yeah, not a lot of flies nowadays have a peacock herl head. That does kind of make it look like an old pattern. Thanks for the note!
Great video again. Love the history part about the flies.
Thanks Antonio! I really appreciate it my friend. :-)
I forgot about that fly!!!! Glad you brought it back.. Good history I didn’t know that.. I will tie some up and think of you when I catch on it!!! Thanks
I appreciate that Scott! And thanks for watching my friend. :-)
The picket pin is a great trout catcher for me....thousands caught on this pattern over the years!
It is one of my “go to” flys! Even hooked Atlantic salmon on it!
I use it as a dropper ( size 12) about 2 feet up from the point fly...usually a Muddler style
pattern of my own invention. I fish it so it skims on the surface...and often get savage strikes,
I don’t think the original had a copper wire rib but I added one many years ago to make the peacock
body last longer! Your method of tying it is virtually identical to mine, This fly will definitely catch trout!
An oldie and a goodie! Give it a try...I doubt if you will be disappointed!
Thanks Mike! And I think you're 100% right. The original recipe for the Picket Pin did not have a wire rib, but I saw a couple with it and my thinking is that any peacock herl body would likely benefit from a rib. I imagine thin wire for ribbing wasn't that common when Boehme came up with this thing in the 1910s. Awesome story about how you fish this thing! I can't wait to give it a try on the eastern tailwaters here in Maryland. Thanks for the note my friend. :-)
Very well done, Matt!! A classic for sure.
Thank you Rollin! I've never actually fished this one, but have seen it in enough books that I needed to tie it. :-)
Good morning Matt, nicely done and love the background on things 👍
I appreciate that Jim! And thanks as always for watching. :-)
That's a very cool looking old fly Matt
Will definitely have to try this one out
Thanks for the video
I appreciate it Dave. I think I'm going to give it a shot on some warm water bluegills around here. :-)
@@SavageFlies that is a good idea
Thanks again Matt
That's an oldie but a goody!
FYI - a prairie dog is not a picket pin. They are a ground squirrel or gopher endemic to the Western U.S. They are much skinnier than a prairie dog, and when they are on alert by their holes, they stand straight up and look just like the iron pins you picket a horse with. From an old Wyoming ranch kid and sometime flyfisher. ;)
Morgan- thank you for the clarification! Being from the east I've never even seen a prairie dog, and what we call gophers around here are certainly not tall and skinny. I just looked it up again and Wikipedia has a page on something called a Belding's ground squirrel and that's the one they say is also called a "picket-pin." Very interesting. :-)
Cool looking pattern, thanks Matt for sharing
Appreciate it Layton!
I enjoy your videos and the great instruction you give on tying the flies. I would like to try this one soon.
Thanks for the kind words Michael. Definitely give this one a go! It's not too tough, and even a scruffy one will do well for you. :-)
Another great fly Matt! Keep up the great work
Thanks Sarge!
If you replace the gray squirrel tail with fox squirrel tail, it's called a Potter County Picket Pin
Now I had to look that up. I see a Potter County in Texas and Pennsylvania. I'd guess this comes from the PA one. Not a ton of trout fishing in Texas. :-)
@@SavageFlies yes, God's Country PA
I learned to tie it when I first learned to tie back in 1978
I had Abert squirrel tails from hunting is AZ.
Hi Matt, hey you did tie it, nice! When you said Jack "beam" was the creator I thought wow I know his brother Jim but the spelling is different ;o) I knew of the Picket Pin fly, never tied it, but the prairie dog part was news to me. Along the same vein as the Chuck Caddis name wise. A lot of those "old" wets have a herl head, I don't know if it was cosmetic or a function of design to displace water. Now it's similar to "egg sucking" flies I guess. Nice tutorial Matt, see ya on the prairie pardner :o)
Oh yeah I used to know his brother Jim Beam too. Reminds me a bit of the George Thorogood song "One Bourbon, One Scotch and One Beer." Remember that song? Oh man, I haven't heard that in a while. I imagine the Chuck Caddis was tied with a woodchuck. Like one I tied here but this is called a Groundhog caddis (th-cam.com/video/Q8zhd0tTtMs/w-d-xo.html). Still pretty similar. Thanks for the note Joe!
@@SavageFlies Ha! Yeah I remember, but I don't like to drink alone ;o) Holy hogs Mattman! I looked up Boehme's other patterns and I rediscovered the Balsa-Bugs he tied. It's similar to Norman Means' Bunyon Bug made famous in the "infamous" movie "A River Runs Through It" I searched that years ago after watching Jim Misiura tie the Bunyon Bug on his channel. Now I found The Portland Fly Shop has a tutorial on "constructing" the Bunyon as it's made of cork, not balsa. Thanks for the search inspiration!
Nice pattern!! Love the history component to your videos!!!! This looks sort of like a stonefly to me....is that right?
Thanks Dan! I'm sure some fish would mistake this for one of the bigger stoneflies, but to me it's just a generic attractor wet fly. And tied in the bigger sizes could actually be fished as a streamer to imitate some baitfish.
I see a Savage River outfitters, fly shop , Is that your home River.
Yep, it's one of them. The Gunpowder River is closest to my house, but my farm is out in western Maryland is closer to the Savage. I fish both rivers about equally. Until I retire out at the farm. :-)