The Stoats tail fly is, without a doubt, my favorite pattern I tie on the end of a floating line for summer salmon fishing. To the extent that I would happily fish all summer long with just that fly.
In the words of Hugh Falkus…
“Of all hair-wing salmon flies for summer fishing with a floating line, the simple Stoats Tail is one of the best to have.”
And, I won’t argue with that because it’s caught me a few salmon and sea trout over the years.
How to tie the Stoats Tail fly
This salmon fly can be tied on single, double, trebles hooks and tubes. My preference is to tie and fish this pattern on a low water salmon double hook when after salmon, single hooks when fishing for sea trout.
Fly tying material list:
- Hook – Partridge Nordic double (size 10 to 14)
- Thread – Black 8/0
- Tag & rib – medium silver wire
- Tail – Golden pheasant crest feather
- Body – Black Floss
- Wing – Stoats tail (or black squirrel tail)
- Hackle – Black cock
- Eyes – (optional) Jungle cock feathers
This fly is traditionally tied with a Stoat’s Tail wing. However, a black squirrel tail is an acceptable substitute.
Step-by-step fly tying instructions:
Step 1. Place the hook firmly in the vice and start the thread near the eye, wind it down to the bend, and tie in the medium silver wire on the underside of the hook.
Step 2. Take the silver wire up between the hooks and make 3 turns of wire to form a silver tag.
Step 3. Tie in the golden pheasant crest feather to form a short tail. Then tie in the black floss and wind the thread up the hook shank.
Step 4. Trim off the waste crest feather, form a neat body with the black floss, and rib the body with about 5 turns of silver wire. Cut off the waste wire and tidy up the area for the wing.
Step 5. Take a small bunch of stoat tail fibers and tie them in at the head of the fly. Lengthwise I prefer the wing to extend just past the crest tail.
Step 6. Select a black cock feather that has fibers about as long as the fly body. Trim the butt section of the feather and tie it in.
Step 7. Make 3 turns of the feather around the hook to form the hackle, tie off and trim away the waste. If you don’t want to add the eyes, the fly can be finished at this stage by forming the head and coating it with varnish.
Step 8. For the final stage, prepare and tie in a jungle cock feather on either side of the wing. Trim of the waste, whip finish, and varnish the head.
When and how to fish the Stoats Tail fly
If I had to select one salmon fly for fishing during the summer months, it would be the classic Stoats Tail fly.
If I had to select one salmon fly for fishing during the summer months, it would be the simple yet highly effective Stoats Tail fly.
Equipment-wise, when the river is clear, it’s best to fish this fly on a floating line tipped with a long tapered leader (ca. 12 to 15ft). I find it deadly when fished through the head and tail of pools.
In the height of the summer when the river is low…
Don’t be afraid to go small
Because, a size 14 or 16 fly can produce surprising results when all else has failed.
Finally, I hope this article stimulates you to tie and fish the Stoats tail fly, I know I will be fishing them on the Welsh Dee this summer.
Lovely fly Andrew , the addition of a jungle cock eye and the longer hair gives your fly a very “shrimpy” look about it , your dead right on the smaller sizes I’ve fished on the Cumbrian Derwent in low water and gone down to 14s successfully as a dropper fly
Hi James,
Thanks for your comments. I’ve not fished the Derwent yet but it’s on my places to visit soon and in will be bringing a few of these flies with me.
Cheers Andrew
Another very informative article . Possible same fly for sea trout , thanks Andrew
Hi Tim,
Yes it’s a good sea trout fly as well. Along with it’s sister the sliver stoats tail, which is great for sea trout at night.
Cheers, Andrew
Very helpful thanks Andrew, I love reading your articles.
Hi Ian,
Great to hear you are enjoying the articles and thanks for the feedback.
Cheers, Andrew
Across the pond, where I am, the most popular wet fly for salmon is the blue charm, tied very much the same as the stoats tail but with a moose hair wing to about mid tail and a version with a white wing from buck tail or calf tail plus the blue hackle!
Hi Mike,
The Blue Charm is also a classic in the UK for summer salmon fishing.
Andrew
Great choice of fly Andrew for this time of year. A fly i turn too regularly for all levels and clarity of water, even in dirty water the sea trout still come for it.. Great expectation and anticipation follows every cast when fishing the ST. I shall for sure be using it over the next few weeks.. cheers.
Hi Wayne,
I agree it’s an excellent sea trout fly on a clearing Welsh Dee, along with its sister fly the silver stoats fail. Cheers, Andrew