Description
The Dragon's Tooth – A Classic Steelhead Spey Fly by Mike Kinney
Link to the article of Mike Kenny; https://www.treycombsflyfishing.com/blog/modern-anglers-and-their-fly-patterns-mike-kinney
In this video, I'm tying the Dragon's Tooth, a beautiful traditional-style Spey fly originally created by American steelhead angler and fly tyer Mike Kinney.
Mike was well known for his knowledge of steelhead fishing on the rivers of the Pacific Northwest, particularly the Skagit and Stillaguamish. His Spey fly patterns combined traditional influences with practical fishing designs, producing flies that were not only attractive to look at but were created to be fished.
The Dragon's Tooth is a lovely example of his work, with its rich purple body and flowing hackle, silver ribbing and beautifully marked golden pheasant feathers. It's a pattern that really catches the eye, yet still has all the qualities of a traditional working Spey fly.
The pattern was featured in Trey Combs' book Steelhead Fly Fishing, published in 1991, alongside several other Mike Kinney patterns.
I particularly enjoy tying flies like this, as they give us an opportunity to appreciate the skills, ideas and creativity of the anglers and fly tyers who developed them. It's always nice to keep these patterns alive and introduce them to another generation of fly tyers.
Original Dressing – The Dragon's Tooth
Originator: Mike Kinney
Style: Steelhead Spey Fly
Hook: Traditional Spey-style hook
Tying Thread: Black
Tip: Several turns of narrow oval silver tinsel
Body: Purple dubbing or purple wool
Body Hackle: Long, deep purple saddle hackle, palmered along the body
Rib: Flat silver tinsel and narrow oval silver tinsel
Throat: Pintail feather
Wing: Matching red golden pheasant flank feathers
Side Veiling: Yellow golden pheasant body feather on each side, partially veiling the wing
Head: Black
As always, feel free to use suitable alternatives from the materials you have available.
I hope you enjoy the video and perhaps give this lovely Spey pattern a try yourself.
Thanks for watching, and all the very best.
Davie McPhail