Last winter, I was going through an old fly wallet that my Dad had used, dating back to the 40's ? Among flies, there were a few streamers with probably the first mylar ever used in fly tying. I remembered that they had been winners then, especially in some of the deeper pools he fished at the Flatbrook. I replaced the old mylar with some nice new silver strips, one on either side of the shank, running about 3/4 its length and each tip curled away from the body . The mylar was fastened only at the head of the fly. I tried them out again at the South Branch and also at the Connetquot (especially on the brookies) . Lo and behold, they worked very impressively. The brookies thought it was chow time. It was best to retrieve them somewhat in jig fashion, with short strips, and then letting them flutter back for the mylar to do its thing.

I then took one to Ron Ruskai at Ray's to establish a menu. So here goes .

Hook: 79580 Size 10 or larger
Thread: Black
Tail: Several dark brown barbs
Body: Fox belly dubbed (suggest weight be added)
Underwing: Reddish squirrel
Wing: Soft hackle dun barbs
Shoulder: Medium silver mylar to 3/4 body length, parallel to shank with tips made To curl outward (you may want to bring this up to the 1990s with a piece of Krystal flash added on each side
Head: Black
Optional Throat: Red hackle barbs

I would think that some of our CJTU creative wizards could take this same fluttering principal to saltwater and bass flies. Give it a whirl.

Harvey Roberson