by Rich Johnson APRIL'S FLY: General Practitioner (variation) The General Practitioner is a classic pattern that still fishes well. It was origionally tied in 1953 by Col. Edmund Drury for Atlantic salmon as a shrimp imitaion. Since that time, it has been adopted by steelhead tyers.
	Hook: UTE Salmon(Loop back eye is important.) Thread: 6/0 or 8/0 Red Lead: Not usually, but this is Alaska Tail/Feelers: Bucktail, Hot Orange Golden Pheasant breast feather (red) on top Body - Rear half: Yarn (variation), Hot Orange Front half- Rib: Oval Tinsel, Gold Hackle: Saddle, Hot Orange Veil: Tippet, prepared as per instructions and Golden Pheasant breast feathers (red) Body - Front half: Seal dubbing (or similar), Hot Orange Rib: Oval Tinsel, Gold Hackle: Saddle, Hot Orange (one size larger than rear) Veil: Golden Pheasant breast feathers (red) Collar: Teal (or similar), sparse
	Wrap lead (.020) from just above the hook point to behind the eye loop. Lead is not normally used on an Atlantic.pattern, but if I want to get the fly deep I prefer lead to sinking lines. (A Partridge CS10 is the hook shown for this fly, size 4)
	Close the eye loop with thread, bind down the lead, and attach several long buck tail hairs for the feelers.
	Tie a Golden Pheasant breast feather on top of the tails. (Flattening the stem with pliers will keep the feather from twisting on it's side.
	Tie in the yarn on the near side of the hook. Tie in the hackle (tip first) and oval tinsel on the far side. Bring your thread to the mid point of the body.
	Wrap the yarn forward and tie off. Bring the rib forward and tie off. Fold the hackle, palmer forward, tucking the stem up against the rib. Tie off and clip the excess materials.
	Prepare a GP tippet by cutting the tip out and cementing the fibers together by stroking head cement through the feather. (I do not cement the fibers at the bottom half of the stem. This makes tying the feather in easier.)
	Tie the prepared feather in on top of the body tie off wraps. The black "eyes" should reach into the tail.
	Tie in two GP breast feathers over the tippet. Remember to flatten the stems. All three feathers should lie flat over the rear body.
	Tie in the ribbing and body hackle on the far side of the shank. (The hook has been inverted to show the position of the rib and hackle. This position allows the hackle stem to tuck up to the oval tinsel on the first wrap.)
	Dub a full and thick body. Bring your rib and hackle forward. Tie off and trim excess. (This photo shows the differences between the two body materials. Yarn gives you clean silhouette and is easy to work with. Dubbing is a harder technique and more time consuming but creates a coarse rough body with some edge translucently.)
	Tie in three GP breast feathers. Trim the flattened stems. (I like to make each one slightly shorter than the one under it.)
	Clean the base and strip the leading edge of a teal or similar feather. Tie in by it's tip. Bring your thread to the front of the head space.
	Wrap the teal as a collar tying off with wraps to the rear. (I picked up this style of collar from Tohn Shewey who ties some really nice looking steelhead patterns.)
	Holding the collar back wrap a neat head. Whip finish and cement.
	I tie my general practitioners down and dirty - lose it to the river flies with yarn bodies. But my box always has a couple traditionally tied dubbed body flies for those time when I feel the need to be classy.
Previous Flies 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
Home | About | News | Alaska | Forum | Gallery | Links | Store | Membership
Send comments or questions regarding the Fly of the Month to Rich Johnson Photos and text by Rich Johnson, used by permission. Copyright © 1998, All Rights Reserved.