Flies

ROYAL  COACHMAN

Origin

The basic Coachman came to us from England in the form of a wet fly.  It was John Hailey, in his little shop at 320 Henry Street in New York City, who tied the Royal Coachman with a red silk center band to suit the request of a customer in 1878. The red silk was added to strengthen the fly to fish the Brook Trout with sharp teeth in Upstate Maine. Hailey had opened his shop in 1877 for fly tying instruction and the sale of materials, which made him the first dealer of fly tying materials in the United States.
         It was L.C. Orvis, brother of Charles Orvis founder of the famous Orvis Company, who named the fly when setting with a group of anglers upon seeing the magnificent looking fly saying “ I will tell you that is an extra fine Coachman; all that scarlet makes it quite magnificent – call it – call it – the Royal Coachman”.  This seemed suitable, so the fly was christened and this name in time came to be known and used by all who are familiar with the fly.

         You will notice that this is the GSF insignia fly on our shirts and hats. It it obviously one of the prettiest flies ever made.

Pattern

    • Hook     --  dry fly hook, sizes 8 to 18
    • Thread   --  black
    • Tail        --  golden pheasant tippets
    • Body      --  peacock herl with red silk center section
    • Wing      --  two white duck quill sections
    • Hackle    --  light red bird ( some books say brown )

Tying Instructions:

  • Wrap on a thread base on the hook and cement in place

  • Attach the tail material making the tail about the length of the body
  • Tie on the peacock herl at the tail and wrap forward ¼ the body length
  • Tie on the red thread and wrap forward and build up a thick body and end at the ½ point of the fly
  • Tie on more peacock and wrap forward to the ¾ point and tie off
  • Tie on a medium bunch of hackle feathers as a collar
  • Tie on the two quill wings, longer than the hook but not as long as the tail, tie on the top of the hook and swept back

Flies  Imitated:  This fly does not directly imitate any single fly and has been used widely for Brook Trout.

How to fish: Same as other dry flies.

Gary Kutz, Golden State Flycasters, January 2006