The Northern California Fly Fishing Board

That old royal coachman was sure a popular fly back then. Must have been those red and white colors. If memory serves, which it often doesn't, I think it was the first fly I could actually call by name.

In this area, Middle Fork of the Feather 1960's & 70's, there was a guide who lived down by Spring Garden who tied a fly called the Feather River Special which was basically a buck tail coachman. He was a hell of a nice guy who fished this fly everywhere from Lake Davis, to the Feather and all the streams and creeks in this area. Unfortunately he's no longer with us...I still have a couple of his flies. I think his name was Harrison or Harrington. I've always wanted to ask old Jay Fair about this guy because I'm sure he knew him.

Sorry to ramble on Michael...that fly just has a lot of memories for me.

Pete