Fly of the Month

Febuary 2002
by Rich Johnson

Gold Creek Special
Notes: I actually heard of this fly for the first time at one of our Saturday tying clinics about a year ago. The originator, Pat Welsh lives in Valdez, but a good friend of his, Jeff Jackman, was at the clinic and talking about Pat's fly. I Emailed Pat and asked for the recipe, which he forwarded with a sample fly and fishing instructions (always helpful!).
This past month I checked with Pat to see if he minded if his address was included within the FOM and for any additional details on the fly, given another season of fishing had past. I received a very interesting response, part of which is included as a testimonial, following the last step of instructions. Pat Welch is active in the local fly fishing organization in Valdez and can be reached at pcwelch@alaska.net

Previous Flies

Jan 2002 Half Back
Dec 2001 Martin River Smolt
Oct 2001 Purple Performer
Sept 2001 Muddler Minnow
Aug 2001 Globug
July 2001 McFly Egg
June 2001 Chenille Egg
May 2001 Reggie Miller
April 2001 Sportsman Special
March 2001 Tube Flies
Febuary 2001 2020
January 2001 Ninety Three
December 2000 Dean River Lantern
November 2000 Black Stone Nymph
October 2000 HL Variant
September 2000 Steelhead Caddis
August 2000 Stealth
July 2000 Sockeye Orange
June 2000 Fred the Red
May 2000 Prince Nymph
April 2000: Dahlberg Diver
March 2000: Super Prawn!
Febuary 2000: Midge Larva/Pupa
January 2000: Scud
December 1999: Sockeye Fry

November 1999: Not available
October 1999: Pin Head Muddler
September 1999: Signal Light
August 1999: Pink Pollywog
July 1999 : Leonard Shrimp
June 1999 : Delong Lake Special (parachute)
May 1999 : Beady-eye Nymph
April 1999 : General Practitioner
March 1999 : Sculpin (woolhead bunny)
February 1999 : Popsicle
January 1999 : Nuclic Bunny
December 1998: Alaska Mary Ann
November 1998: Niukluk Smolt
October 1998: Sea Flea
September 1998: Frank's Fly
August 1998: Sparkle Shrimp
July 1998: Flashfly
June 1998: Comet
May 1998: Everglow
April 1998: Battle Creek Special
March 1998: Pearl Marabou Smolt
February 1998: Crystal Egg Wooly Bugger
January 1998 : Tangle Lakes Teaser
December 1997: Bead-Head Pheasant Tail Soft Hackle


Febuary 2002 by Rich Johnson Gold Creek Special Notes: I actually heard of this fly for the first time at one of our Saturday tying clinics about a year ago. The originator, Pat Welsh lives in Valdez, but a good friend of his, Jeff Jackman, was at the clinic and talking about Pat's fly. I Emailed Pat and asked for the recipe, which he forwarded with a sample fly and fishing instructions (always helpful!). This past month I checked with Pat to see if he minded if his address was included within the FOM and for any additional details on the fly, given another season of fishing had past. I received a very interesting response, part of which is included as a testimonial, following the last step of instructions. Pat Welch is active in the local fly fishing organization in Valdez and can be reached at pcwelch@alaska.net
	Hook: Standard saltwater, size 2 to 2/0; Temico #9394 or similar Thread: Danville Plus; hot pink Weight: .030 Lead Eyes: Bead Chain; large silver Tail: Bunny strip; hot pink w/ pink Krystal Flash over Body: Bunny strip; purple (cross-cut or straight) Head: Thread; pink
	1) This is the Mustad 34007 stainless saltwater hook. As I always advocate, you can use any suitable hook for any given pattern. But because this fly was designed, and tied for, fishing in salt water, a hook designed to resist corrosion is the best base to start with.
	2) Wrap lead over the rear 2/3 of the shank.
	3) Cover the lead with your tying thread. To prep the shank for the bead chain, build up two bumps on the front third of the shank, with a trough between to hold the link between the eyes.
	4) Attach the bead chain eyes on top of the shank with cross and figure eight wraps.
	5) Bring the thread to the rear and tie in a hot pink bunny strip for the tail. The tail should be approximately the length of the hook.
	6) Add in a few strands of hot pink Krystal Flash on top of the bunny strip tail. The Krystal Flash should be the same length as the tail.
	7) Tie in the purple bunny at the rear, on the far side of the shank. The bunny strip is tied in so that the hair is down and the hide faces outward. Bring the thread forward, just off the lead. (If you are serious about durability you should cement the entire body up to the eyes at this point. You want enough to soak into the thread wraps, but not so much as to gum up the bunny hair during the next step.).
	8) Wrap the bunny strip forward, stretching the hide slightly and with a very small overlap on the preceding wrap. Tie the strip off as soon as it comes off of the lead wraps. Secure with several very tight wraps and build up a thread head in front, behind, and between the eyes. 9) Apply a whip finish and apply cement to the head/eye area Pat says he fishes this pattern on a heavy sink tip line and a 4' leader. Cast and let it sink to the fish's level (count down method) and retrieve with 6 to 12 inch strips. Make sure to read the following excerpt from one of Pat's last Emails.
"… I do have one important item to include regarding this particular fly pattern. Try tying this fly with black rabbit fur (cross cut fur laid back on the fly) and add a hot pink fuchsia tail. My reason for including this minor color modification to this fly follows. On 1 September of 2001, I was in my float tube off of Allison Point. I had found a tide rip and several silver were coming up and jumping around creating quite an aerial show. I switched from the purple and pink Gold Creek Special to black and fuchsia version of the Gold Creek Special. Using an 8wt rod and a fast sinking tip, I made a cast parallel to the tide rip and let it sink until I was sure I was just a few feet from the bottom. On my third or fourth short strip, the fly stopped dead in the water and wouldn't budge. I set the hook hard and tried to lift the fish. No luck. The fish just took off and kept going until he had me into my backing. I managed to get him under control and brought him back towards the float tube. About this time, the fish decides he wants nothing to do with my efforts and makes another run taking me into my backing. Again, I reel like crazy and this time bring him all the way back to the float tube. As the fish reached the float tube, I reached over with my trout net and stuck his head into the net. As I lifted the net, I could see I was in trouble because only half of the fish fit into the net. I leaned over and bonked him on the head with my Leatherman Tool. Only then was I able to lift him over the float tube and into the live well behind my seat on the float tube. I asked a local boater if he would witness my fish for the derby as I thought it looked rather large. The gentlemen in the boat offered to weight the fish so I hoisted it over to him. Well, he got out his hand scale and hooked the fish and said, "Oh about 26 pounds!" I told him that he might want to weigh the fish again and he did so. This time he recorded a weight of 21 pounds! Needless to say, I paddled back to shore as quick as I could and placed the big silver in a plastic bag full of water. Then I hurried over to the Valdez Silver Salmon Derby official weighing station and had the fish weighed. According the calibrated derby scale, my fish weighed 19.36 pounds. This placed me in second place in the derby. The first place fish weighed 19.40 lbs. My reward for second place in the Valdez Silver Salmon Derby came to $3,500.00. I was flabbergasted. Now you can see why it pays to go fly fishing in salt water. :-) …Pat"

Febuary 2002 by Rich Johnson

Febuary 2002
by Rich Johnson