Mike Gover's "Walker River Special"

Tying Directions:

1. Start thread just behind loop eye; wrap a base down to the hook point. Tie in a piece of gold oval tinsel. Attach a small strung marabou plume for the tail, also at the bend. The tail should be fairly short; just 1 ½ times the hook gape.
2. Wind the thread back towards the eye stopping 1/8 inch short of the original tie in. Pull the marabou forward and secure with a few wraps and trim closely. Wind the rib forward, secure and trim.
3. Select a small clump of Bucktail fibers from the outside of a yellow, chartreuse or olive dyed tail. I use the ones from the outside base for the mottled subdued colors. Flick out the under fur and hand stack if needed. Measure and tie in so that the tips are just even with the tail tie in point.
4. Just in front of and on top of the Bucktail tie the Krystal Flash even with the tail length secure and trim butts.
5. Select small clump of barred fibers from the side of a red fox squirrel tail, pull to perpendicular to even the tips and cut away. Flick out any under fur and attach just in front of the Krystal Flash. The tips should extend just past the tail. Trim butts and form as small and neat of a head as possible. Whip finish and then cement.

Notes:

You may add an under wrap of small diameter lead (.010) if desired. I use this pattern on a floating line with a split shot 12 – 18 inches up the leader if needed. A down and across cast, mends as necessary and then upstream retrieve on the near side.

This pattern has been very productive for large browns and cutthroats trout on the East Walker river below Bridgeport reservoir on the East side of the Sierra Nevada. It should produce anywhere that big fish eat little fish! This pattern has been very productive for large browns and cutthroats trout on the East Walker river below Bridgeport reservoir on the East side of the Sierra Nevada. It should produce anywhere that big fish eat little fish!

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