Green Highlander.
One of those patterns you either love or hate. It has an unusual color scheme which is probably the reason why it has become so popular. It’s one the classic flies that I’ve tied the most and it’s a pattern that I like to tie every once in a while to sort of see how I’ve progressed in my tying.
As usual when I start tying a fly for this blog I do a quick search on Google to see what’s already out there. Although this version from T.E. Pryce-Tannatt’s How to dress Salmon Flies from 1914 is probably the most known there were not many that were fully tied according to the pattern. I admit that I like to mix the patterns too but thought that I’d tie one just as the book describes as a reference for people looking for the P-T version. Two alterations I made is that I tied the tippets from full feathers as I think is appropriate when tying the fly in larger sizes and I moved the Peacock wing to the bottom of the wing as I struggled to find long enough Peacock for this 4/0 hook by Jarkko Reinola.
For the version from Kelson click here.
Green Highlander (Pryce-Tannatt 1914)
Tag: Silver tinsel.
Tail: A topping and barred Summer Duck in strands.
Butt: Black herl.
Body: First quarter, golden yellow floss; remainder, bright green floss.
Ribs: Oval silver tinsel.
Hackle: A grass-green hackle.
Throat: A lemon hackle.
Wings: Mixed–tippet in strands; “married” strands of yellow, orange and green Swan, Florican, Peacock wing and Golden Phesant tail; “married” narrow strips of Teal and barred Summer Duck; narrow strips of brown Mallard over.
Sides: Jungle Cock.
Cheeks: Indian Crow; a topping over all.
Horns: Blue and Yellow Macaw.
3 Comments
Stig
The fly looks great!. It seems like you have two body hackles tied in, but seemingly only one wrapped around at the end. Why is this? Do you tie in two hackles to have one as a spare?
Timo Kontio
Thanks Stig,
Instead of doubling one hackle I sometimes tie two hackles that are stripped from the other side. It will give a very neat hackle with the same amount of hackle fibers as one doubled hackle.
Best regards,
Timo
Michael Dighera
Hello,
The Green Highlander is my first attempt at learning to tie the classic patterns. I am using your fly as encouragement. The problem I am having is twisting the hackle so it will lay down and get segmentation in the body. My Hackle turns out flared similar to that of a Wooley Bugger Fly. I have tried using Saddle Hackle and Grizzly Hackle; regardless the out come is always the same. Would you kindly help provide some suggestions on whether it is technique or material so I may continue making progress.
Thank you