by Rich Johnson JUNE'S FLY: The Comet The gold comet is a popular choice for sockeye (red) salmon. Unlike the coho flies (a.k.a Russian River Flies) these are sparsely. Reds are often caught with the latter using a technique that involves snagging the mouth. Red salmon are notoriously finicky and are often spooked by large, over dressed flies. This pattern is also effective for king and silver salmon when tied on larger hooks with a fuller dressing.
	Thread: 6/0 orange Hook: #4-10 Salmon or XHeavy Wet Fly Tail: Bucktail, Light orange Body: Oval Tinsel, Large - Gold Eyes: Bead Chain, Gold Hackle: Saddle, Light orange
	Wrap a thread underbody back to a point between the point and barb, and then back forward to the loop end of the eye.
	Tie in the bucktail on top of the hook shank. The tail should be as long as the entire hook. (Calftail is often used for tail material on smaller size flies.)
	Using your thread, cant the tail up at an angle. Wrap thread under the rear and put two wraps aroud the hair itself to keep it from flairing.
	Attach the tinsel on the top far side of the shank. Bring the thread forward creating a taper off the front of the tail hair. (Some tyers use flat tinsel double wrapped and coated with polish or head cement.)
	Wrap the body forward placing the first wrap tight behind the tail and the second wrap directly in front of the tail. Trim excess tinsel and secure bead chain eyes with several tight figure-8 wraps.
	Tie in the hackle by the tip. Use the base of the feather.
	Place two or three wraps of hackle as a collar behind the eyes. Tie off and trim excess. Secure with several wraps of thread and two half-hitches.
	Whip finish the head in front of the the bead chain eyes. The Comet is an old popular steelhead that can be tied in several colors and sizes.
Previous Flies May: Everglow April: Battle Creek Special March: Pearl Marabou Smolt February: Crystal Egg Wooly Bugger January: Tangle Lakes Teaser December: Bead-Head Pheasant Tail Soft Hackle
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