La Green Machine

Whether targeting Atlantic Salmon in Eastern Canada, Steelhead on the West Coast, or monstrous sea-run brown trout in Argentina, the Green Machine has hooked countless trophy fish. Originating on the Miramichi River of New Brunswick, the Green Machine has earned a place in fly boxes world-wide. With its tightly trimmed deer hair body which has been sparsely hackled, this fly is arguably one of the most effective wet flies for summer run Atlantic Salmon and trout across Canada.

Unlike its deer hair cousin, the Bomber, the Green Machine is fished as a wet fly typically swung or stripped. A variant of “buck bugs”, versions may differ depending on hook type (up eye, down eye, double, tube) and material used for a tail (Krystal flash, calf tail, calf body). How tightly bodies are trimmed may depend on the profile that the flytyer is aiming for and how deep into the water column they aim want to fish.

Recipe:

Green Machine (White Tail)

Thread: Green thread, matching the colour of your deer hair, suitable to fly size.

Hook: Up-eye Salmon hook, such as the Ahrex HR410.

Tail: White calf (tail or body) and flash if you so desire.

Tag: Green yarn (or floss) followed by red.

Body: Green deer body hair, spun and trimmed.

Hackle: Brown or orange saddle feather, palmered through the body

Head: Black Sharpie finished with your choice of head cement.

Green Machine (Flash Tail)

Thread: Green thread, matching the colour of your deer hair, suitable to fly size.

Hook: Traditional wet fly hook, such as the Ahrex FW581.

Tail: Pieces of Krystal Flash (amount may vary).

Tag: Green yarn or floss followed by red

Body: Green deer body hair, spun and clipped.

Hackle: Brown or orange saddle feather, palmered through the body.

Head: Black Sharpie finished with your choice of head cement.

Step 1: Work thread back to the point of the hook.

Step 2: Tie in strands of Krystal Flash.

Step 3: Trim flash at desired length of tail.

Step 4: tie in green/chartreuse yarn or floss tag.

Step 5: Tie in red floss or yarn tag.

Step 6: Spin deer hair.

Step 7: Trim body. (How tightly you trim the body will influence the profile of fly and depth it will fish.

Step 8: Tie in saddle hackle.

Step 9: Palmer hackle rearwards, running thread behind and then back to the head of the fly. Tie off your thread.

Tip: Some people prefer to tie the hackle at the back of the fly before spinning the deer hair. It does make a cleaner fly but this version makes it more durable for fishing. You take your pick!

Step 10: Use sharpie to colour the tread and apply UV resin or head cement.