A Modern Spey fly - The Cockroach Spey

What inspired me to tie this was a style of winging I found in John Shewey’s book, “Spey Flies and Dee Flies, Their History and Construction.”  Frank Amato Publications Inc, Portland OR. 2002.  It is a take off on a style I first encountered tying the Syd Glasso Spey-style flies and having the hoodie available, thanks to a friend, I decided to see what it would inspire. 

The pattern is as follows:
Hook: Partridge CS10/1
Body: 2/3 flat copper tinsel, 1/3 black seal
Rib: medium oval copper tinsel, cross rib with fine gold tinsel over the hackle
Hackle: Blue eared pheasant all the way up
Throat: 2 turns black and white spotted guinea
Wing: four hooded merganser flank feathers tented low and wide
Cheeks: jungle cock, short
Head: red
       




Why I called it the Cockroach I do not know except that it does look buggy and at the time I was tying up imitation cockroaches for a costume.  I present two views of it in order to show how the wings should look, and because I think the photograph turned out pretty neat.  I can see this one tied with real black heron.  It would look even better I think.