Lady Caroline

[Marty]

I had a request to do a Lady Caroline step by step so I gave it a shot. I am not very happy with how the fly turned out but it should give you an idea on how to put one together. The Lady Caroline is old world old school and a pure standard spey fly. I have seen this pattern incorrectly tied with a tip and tag but then I don’t think the fly cops will come and get you if you incorporate them into your fly. The recipe below is straight out of George M. Kelson book “The Salmon Fly: How to Dress It and How to Use It (1895). I tried to tie it as close to Kelson’s direction as possible but was missing a few key materials. I have fifteen colors of Berlin wool but none in olive or brown. I used a synthetic dubbing as a substitute. Good luck with this one and thanks for looking.

Lady Caroline

Tail: Golden Pheasant red-breast, a few strands only
Body: Brown and olive-green Berlin wool mixed together in proportion of one part olive-green, two parts brown.
Ribs: From separate starting points, of gold tinsel (narrow), gold twist, and silver twist, wound the usual way, an equal distance apart.
Hackle: Grey Heron, from the tail (tied in at the point as usual) wound alongside the gold tinsel.
Throat: golden Pheasant red-breast, two turns
Wings: two strips of Mallard showing the brown points and the gray roots.

Standard spey (old world) flies are tied on long shank hooks with everything compressed on the hook. Short bodies and short wings are the standard. I tied this one on an Alec Jackson #3



Start the thread so it is in front of the point. Secure in a few fiber of the red-breast feather. You will want the body to start in line with the point so don’t work the thread back to far.



Secure in the ribbings and the hackle. I secured in the gold ribbings then dubbed a little before securing in the silver and hackle.



Dub the body and bring forward the gold ribbing.



Follow the flat gold with the hackle and then bring forward the silver. I counter ribbed the hackle to make the fly more durable.



Select a nice long red-breast feather and strip the right side of the feather. Secure in by the tip and make a few turns. It called for two turns but I think I went three.



Take strips off a left and right Mallard flank feather and secure in the wing. I am not going to spend a lot of time on securing a Mallard wing because there are plenty of great instructional threads on how it is done.



My wing is way to long but then that’s my style. Again this is an old standard that is fished as much today as it was when it was first developed. I kind of struggle with Mallard wings so I am sure that is the reason for not having more flies like the Lady Caroline in my Box. Good tying and better fishing.

[Anadromous]

Love the pattern. It was one of the first I ever tried.

The LC, is a sweet fly and you did a great job of the SBS

[fredaevans]

In Southern Oregon, haven't tried this particular tie, but waaaaay back in the day in Washington, this was one of my 'go to' summer run steel.

WELL DONE SIR!

fae

[ReidFamilyFive]

The Lady Caroline has got to be one of the greatest flies ever designed. I love this pattern. The fly looks great Marty. Nice Job. Dave

[flytyer]

Nicely tied. The wing is within the length guidelines listed in the old books such as Kelson's of not longer than the hook bend for spey flies. One of my favorite summer steelhead flies that isn't bad in winter when we get a cold spell that drops and clears the river to summer levels.

[daijones]

Marty, do really like these type of spey flies, with the bronze mallard wing. and the LC is a great looker, thanks for taking the time and sharing with us.

Dai