The Cascade

Recherche

by Kenzie Kozera

A creation of Ally Gowan, this flashier cousin of his uber-famous "Ally’s Shrimp" was described by Gowan as having a flowing effect and was suitably named the “Cascade”. This pattern has produced many Atlantic Salmon and sea-run trout across the globe and has earned a place in the fly box of many anglers (myself included).

The Cascade appears to work in all conditions, whether it be a cloudy or a bright sunny day. The size and profile can also be adjusted to suit both high and low water conditions, with hooks as small as #12-14 in summer months and as big as #1/0 - 4 in higher water of the fall months.

Being a fly tyer who loves to tweak patterns and create variants, the Cascade is an ideal pattern for this. By changing up the colour of the tail, body and collar, the Cascade has endless potential variants.

Recipe:

Hook: Typically an up-eye salmon hook (ie Ahrex HR410)

Tail: Hot orange & yellow bucktail with clear Krystal flash.

Body: Half silver (mylar) and half black floss/yarn with oval tinsel rib.

Wing: Calls for black squirrel, but I often use black bear or bucktail.

Collar hackles: Yellow & hot orange.

Head: Black thread and varnish/cement

Step 1: Work thread back to hook point.

Step 2: Tie in silver tag.

Step 3: Tie in mix of yellow and orange bucktail.

Step 4: Tie in a strand or two of Krystal Flash

Step 5: Tie in silver ribbing material.

Step 6: Tie in silver mylar for rear half of the body.

Step 7: Wrap the silver mylar to the middle of the body. Tie in black floss/yarn for front half.

Step 8: Tie in and wrap the black floss/yarn for front half.

Step 9: wrap tinsel ribbing forward.

Step 10/11: Tie in black wing (and yellow hackle, as I did both in this step).
*If using black bear, be sure to use lots of tying wax and/or super glue.