Flies Of Yesteryear: Carey Special

Let's head back a little further in the time vault with a pattern synonymous with the Pacific Northwest- the Carey Special.  Sometime in the 1920's, I cannot exactly pinpoint the year, Colonel Tom Carey devised his now famous pattern to likely represent dragonfly nymphs found in the lakes of British Columbia.

There is a ton of history behind Col. Carey and his Carey Special in British Columbia.  I've read Col. Carey was terribly persnickety about his pheasant rump patches and a perfectionist when tying. Whether it represent the dragon nymph we will never know.  But when tied with various materials and thickness/thinness the pattern can be tied to mimic damsels, leeches or minnows, too.  Even some thought has been written about the patterns effectiveness as an emerging caddis.

The Carey Special is my favorite lake pattern.  Even as a kid I can remember trolling the fly behind hardware and catching a lot of trout with a fly wrapped with a peacock body.  Now into mid life, I have experimented with nearly every material or fur under the sun and still find the fly effective. Early in the season, when the water is still cold, this pattern with a fluorescent colored floss bodies tied thin really racks up the numbers of planter trout.  When the spring gives way to summer I start tying my Carey's with seal for thicker bodies.  I also have a few pigeon holes in the box for olive floss bodies to mimic damsels.  Black floss bodies and rump works well for leech imitations.

The Carey Special is a Northwest icon, but my friends to the east would be doing themselves a huge favor by tying and trying a few.  I have caught largemouth and smallmouth bass, crappie, bluegill and even a turtle on the Carey!  Give it a go!

Tying notes:

(1)  The original Carey Special calls for a tail of pheasant rump, a body of pheasant tail fibers ribbed with black linen thread, and a collar of pheasant rump.

(2)  There are truly endless materials to wrap for a body.  Peacock, estaz, floss, natural furs, hair, etc. Each and every one of these materials work.  You'll need to pinpoint which material and colors work best for your area, but shades of olive and peacock are really hard to beat.

(3)  Dyed pheasant rump patches are available.  Even more color combinations!

(4)  I often tie the Carey without a tail.  This alleviates the short strikes sometimes associated with this pattern.

Materials:

Hook:  2XL or 3XL, sizes 4 - 10

Weight:  Optional.  Brass, tungsten or glass beads work well

Thread:  UTC70. color to match body

Tail:  Pheasant rump fibers

Body:  Choice.  Medium olive seal is pictured

Collar:  Pheasant rump wrapped