North Country Flies Hot off the Vise

Why don't we fish soft-hackles (or North Country flies) more often for trout here in the USA?  There is a cult following swinging wets to steelhead. And, each year more and more folks are swinging big nasty streamers to stream trout.  But, it has been my experience few folks are fishing soft hackle wets to trout on a regular basis.  If you don't believe me just open your next fly shop catalogue and look for soft-hackle wet flies…. if you find any there will usually be just a few compared to dozens of types of nymphs and dries.

As I tie more soft-hackles, it is becoming apparent many of these little flies can be down-sized and simplified versions of salmon and steelhead flies.  This leaves a lot of room for imagination.  And the fact that I can make them from materials I harvested in the fall (upland birds, ducks, small game, etc.) make them fun and meaningful to tie and own.  And then there is that whole history thing…. some of these patterns date back to late 1400s Yorkshire (hence the North Country nickname these flies hold).  I guess what I am saying is soft-hackle flies are damn cool.  

Below are some soft-hackle wets I tied today.  I can see these working on North Shore freestone streams and also thought more than once about fishing them to spring whitefish in wilderness-lake river mouths (maybe it's because I look at whitefish as grayling without the sail and these types of flies are notorious grayling getters in Europe).    

Spruce Grouse Aftershaft and Yellow

Spruce Grouse Aftershaft and Yellow
Hook:  Size 14
Thread:  6/0 Yellow
Tag:  Gold Wire
Body:  Yellow Silk Floss
Ribbing:  Gold Wire
Hackle:  Spruce Grouse Aftershaft
Head:  Yellow Thread

Ruffed Grouse and Pheasant Tail

Ruffed Grouse and Pheasant Tail
Hook:  Size 14
Thread:  8/0 Black
Tag:  Gold Wire
Body:  Pheasant Tail
Rib:  Gold Wire
Thorax:  Peacock Hearl
Hackle:  Ruffed Grouse
Head:  Black Thread

Bufflehead and Olive

Bufflehead and Olive
Hook:  Size 14
Thread:  8/0 Black
Body:  Olive Z-Lon
Thorax:  Peacock Heal
Hackle:  Bufflehead Drake, Black
Head:  Black Thread

Bufflehead and Red Wire

Bufflehead and Red Wire (Brassie)
Hook:  Size 14
Thread:  8/0 Black
Body:  Red Ultra Wire
Thorax:  Peacock Herl
Hackle:  Bufflehead Drake
Head:  Black Thread

Ruffed Grouse and Copper

Ruffed Grouse and Copper
Hook:  Size 14
Thread:  8/0 Black
Body:  Copper Wire, Fine
Ribbing:  Copper Wire, Fine
Thorax:  Peacock Herl
Hackle:  Ruffed Grouse
Head:  Black Thread

Bufflehead White and Yellow

Bufflehead White and Yellow
Hook:  Size 14
Thread:  6/0 Sulphur
Tag:  Silver Wire
Body:  While Silk Floss
Ribbing:  Silver Wire
Hackle:  Bufflehead Drake White
Head:  Sulphur thread

Bufflehead Black and Dun

Bufflehead Black and Dun
Hook:  Size 14
Thread:  8/0 Black
Tag:  Silver Wire
Body:  Black Thread
Ribbing:  Silver Wire
Thorax:  Dun Dubbin
Hackle:  Bufflehead Drake, Black
Head:  Black Thread

Ruffed Grouse and Orange

Ruffed Grouse and Orange
Hook:  Size 14
Thread:  6/0 Orange
Body:  Orange Silk Floss
Hackle:  Ruffed Grouse
Head:  Orange Thread