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Tying Traditional Hairwings – The Colburn Special

How to tie the Colburn Special salmon fly pattern.
Classy. Photos: Stuart Foxall.

A few of you have asked us to put together some step by step tying posts for some more ‘classic’ fly patterns for salmon and steelhead. So, today we present you with a classic hair wing style pattern called the Colburn Special.

Enjoy!

The Colburn Special – Tying Instructions

Originally designed for Atlantic salmon (by your humble editor’s great, great grandfather we might add), the Colburn Special is a simple hair wing style pattern that was created in a number of popular color combinations for salmon and steelhead alike.

However, like most traditional salmon and steelhead flies, what looks like a rather simple pattern can actually be very difficult to tie. Proper proportions and management of materials is key to creating tidy looking flies and many of the techniques shown below can be utilized in a whole bunch of traditional salmon and steelhead patterns.

Materials:

  • Hook: Daiichi 2161, sz. 2-8.
  • Thread: UTC 140 denier, chartreuse and black.
  • Tag: Oval silver tinsel.
  • Tail: Black bear hair fibers over green dyed squirrel tail.
  • Body: Chartreuse floss or thread.
  • Rib: Black ostrich herl.
  • Wing: Black bear hair fibers over green dyed squirrel tail.
  • Collar: Yellow cock hackle.
How to tie the Colburn Special salmon fly pattern.
Step 1: Start with a nice “classic” style single hook. The hook used here is a Daiichi 2161. Tie in some oval silver tinsel and catch it in at the end of the loop of the eye of the hook. This helps create a smooth body to the fly.
How to tie the Colburn Special salmon fly pattern.
Step 2: Wrap your tinsel in touching turns, 4 times, to create a nice tag. Continue to cover tinsel with tying thread all the way back up to the end of loop eye of the hook to keep that smooth, consistent body.
How to tie the Colburn Special salmon fly pattern.
Step 3: Tie in a pinch of green dyed squirrel tail, followed by a smaller pinch of black bear hair on top as a tail. Note: Covering the clump of hair with tying thread all the way to loop eye of the hook before trimming will help to continue to keep the shape of the body consistent.
How to tie the Colburn Special salmon fly pattern.
Step 4: Form a nice “cigar” shaped body using chartreuse thread or floss, ending at the midpoint of the hook shank.
How to tie the Colburn Special salmon fly pattern.
Step 5: Catch in a strand of black ostrich herl butt at the mid point section. Wrap the ostrich herl in a few touching turns and tie off.
How to tie the Colburn Special salmon fly pattern.
Step 6: Once again, form a nice “cigar” shaped taper to the front half of the body with chartreuse thread or floss. Tie chartreuse thread off, trim, and secure black thread to continue. 
How to tie the Colburn Special salmon fly pattern.
Step 7: Tie in some green dyed squirrel as a wing. The wing should extend to the end of the tail, but no longer. Well waxed thread helps as squirrel can be very slippery.
How to tie the Colburn Special salmon fly pattern.
Step 8: Add an overwing of black bear hair and secure with the well waxed thread. I like to add a little clear varnish here to help keep the hair secure.
How to tie the Colburn Special salmon fly pattern.
Step 9: Tie in a yellow cock hackle by the tip. This will give you a nicer shaped hackle when wound.
How to tie the Colburn Special salmon fly pattern.
Step 10: Wrap your hackle in touching turns to hide the nasty tie-in point of the wing.
How to tie the Colburn Special salmon fly pattern.
Step 11: Form a nice clean head using as few wraps of thread as possible. Whip finish and varnish.

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