San Gabriel

     This is one I came up with back in the 7^th grade, during my fanciful period, while still operating with the stuff that came in the Ken E. Bay fly tying kit, road kills, & my mom’s knitting basket. Back then my fly designs were mostly intuitive, chuck & chance propositions. (Not sure anything has really changed, there.) Sometimes I’d get lucky. Turned out, the little wild rainbows of the San Gabriel, where I was a regular at the time, loved this one. I still tie & fish it, & it is the oldest design of my own that I still fish. I like it for prospecting small streams. Brookies like it too.

San Gabriel

Hook: #10-#12 Mustad 3366

Thread: yellow UNI 8/0

Body: silver tinsel with a short thorax of dubbed gold yarn (try it with gold or copper tinsel)

Wing: golden pheasant tippet – about 12 fibers for a #10

Hackle: red/brown hen