Trout Fin Streamer Set from Bates books Streamer Fly Tying and Fishing

[eunanhendron]

I finally picked up a streamer book this weekend (Streamer Fly Tying and Fishing - Joseph D Bates, Jr.), and when flipping through it i came across the Harlequin, which struck me, as there is also a wet fly called the harlequin, though they have little similarity in terms of color.

Anyways, further reading enlightened me to the fact that the harlequin streamer is actually a member of the trout fin series, described later in the book.

So, I got to tying them

Hooks are Allen S401 size 6 (6xl) the shortest hooks i had for streamers.
Bates describes the trout fins as being either red or orange in primary makeup, with the red more prominent in Canada for "red trout" - Brookies i'm sure with more enhanced color, north of the border. The orange rather than badger tied down (as for the harlequin and Red Trout fin) has red throat.
He also mentions some variaitions on them, with JC cheek, (which are usually omitted), the option of a tag of gold tinsel, and also that gold tinsel can be subbed for the rib too.
FInally there is another variant described where by the tail is GP crest, pointing up, with yellow floss tag and gallina throat, everything else the same as the orange version.
The harleqin is white black and blue wing, everything else as the trout fin.

Had a small riker so i put them in it when they were done. From the top , Red Trout Fin, Orange Trout Fin, Orange Variant, Harlequin
Also included some the trout fin wet flies I tied recently

 

[SBecker]

Beutifull

 

[mike_richardson]

beautiful flies!

Are these made to key in that trout like to focus in on reproductive colors? rainbows like pink and red, paliminos like yellow, brookies orange or white? Never saw the "trout fin pattern but yours are beautiful for sure!

 

[eunanhendron]

If you look closely a the fin of a brookie, you'll see they are predominantly orange, with thin black then white at the leading edge. In days of old, the fins of brook trout were impaled on hooks as bait by bait fishermen. The reason for this i'm not sure, perhaps predatory nature of the fish to target smaller of the same species as food, perhaps as imitation of spawing colors....
Fly fishermen used this idea to their advantage and developed the the trout fin flies, with 6 known variations. The streamers were a natural progression from that i believe.

 

[mike_richardson]

What ever the case those are beautiful. If i can ever cast something other than a nymph i will have to try those. i will be googling how to tie those and what materials. Thanks for the insight.

 

[eunanhendron]

I can easily save you time in looking for materials, and the process of tying them is quite simple.

Materails for red trout fin streamer
Tail : red goose shoulder
Body, medium silver tinsel
Rib, gold or silver oval tinsel
Throat, wound full and tied down, long and full - silver badger hackle
Wing, Red black and white goose shoulder, proportions 2:1:1

For the orange, use orange goose for tail and wing, red schlappen for the throat

for the harlequin, wing is white blue and black, with silver badger as before, except sparse and shorter than the red trout fin

For the variant,
Tag is yellow floss,
Tail is GP topping
Butt is peacock herl,
body and rib and as before
throat is guinea

hooks are size 6 6xl, use something similar to that, or shorter, if you go longer you'll have trouble with getting the wing the right length
Wing in all cases except the variant should be slightly longer than the tail

 

[lv2nymph]

Very nice, lovin the history info. I think it's a good combo thread.