Gray Ghost Redux
In my last post on the Gray Ghost, I showed the labor that I undertook in the days before I knew Carrie Stevens’ tying tactics. She greatly reduced the efforts that are required to tie the fly well, and also to increase its durability.
Here’s another paragraph from Long Flies that explains her tying strategies for the Gray Ghost.
“Carrie Stevens was also very much a production tyer who developed a unique strategy for dressing her unique imitations. For example, she staged the Gray Ghost in three tying steps. First came the tag and ribbed body, which she tied only on the rear 4/5 of the hook. Next came the peacock herl and white bucktail underbody, the golden pheasant crest topping on the body, and the hackle fiber and golden pheasant crest throat. Then came the wing. Now here was her secret. She head cemented the jungle cock nail to the silver pheasant feather and cemented two wing feathers to the other face of the silver pheasant, then allowed the cement to dry thoroughly. She would make up dozens of these assemblies at a time. Then, rather than tying in four individual feathers on each side for the wing, all she had to do was tie in one of the wing assemblies on either side to finish the fly. Fast, efficient, and a very strong construction. In addition, the feathers stayed in position and sustained the look of the fly cast after cast, and fish after fish.”
Carrie used white thread for the body so as not to change the color of the wet floss. As a note, use a floss bobbin when tying this and any other flies that require a floss body. It's a much faster and more efficient way to get the look you want. As you tie, stop every once in a while and spin the bobbin counterclockwise to re-flatten the floss.
Wind on a short tag of silver tinsel and then rib the body. Carrie spaced the ribs liberally to show as much of the body color as was practical.
She then tied in a clump of peacock herl in the underbody position, representing the lateral line of the smelt. Next came a small clump of white bucktail to represent the belly of the baitfish. A golden pheasant crest topping was added over the body. At this point the white thread was tied off and cut away.
Black thread was tied in and used to add a throat of white hackle fibers and golden pheasant crest..
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Carrie had cemented jungle cock nails to the front side of silver pheasant body feathers that had been sized to the hook being used.
She then cemented a pair of winging feathers to the back of each silver pheasant feather/jungle cock nail combo; the result was a four feather wing/shoulder/eye unit that is easily tied in, one on either side to complete the fly..
The finished fly is very durable and sustains its appearance cast after cast, fish after fish.