Spey Magog

I was recently challenged with converting the collors associated with the famous Atlantic salmon streamer known as the magog smelt into a swingable spey like fly.  I use this termonology very loosley, since you can certainly swing a magog smelt. 

What was desired was something with a little more flow and movement to it.  The big colors being; white, purple, yellow, silver tinsel, a splash of red, and checkered black and white.  The black and white checkering coming from teal flank feathers.  Did I mention the flies needed to be fairly easy to tie?   I started out with an Alec Jackson Size 1.5 spey hook, silver holographic tinsel and fire red thread.  After covering the rear 2/3 of the shank with the tinsel I did two turns a white marabou, then wrapped back over the turns with the thread for durability.  I advanced the thread forward a bit to cerate a gap then repeated the same steps for yellow followed by purple.  Then came a couple of turns of teal flank feathers for a collar, a bit of flash, and some peacock herl strands for an under wing.  A pair of jungle cock eyes and a dyed black pheasant rump topped the fly as a wing.  I was pretty pleased with the results.

 I then took a size 3 Alec Jackson spey hook did the same tinsel and thread steps as above.  This time I took marabou tips and tyed them pointing reward similar to the John Shewey's Spawning Purple method (http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flytying/fotw2/060605fotw.php).  I did so alternating from white, yellow, and purple.  When I got toward the front of the hook, I added and extra patch of the white to the bottom side of the hook.  Again a teal flank collar, some synthetic flash underwing, and some peacock for a topping.  I then added some Flymen Fishing Company Living Eyes secured by some Clear Cure Goo.  I had a keeper in my mind!  I played around replacing peacock with synthetics and was indifferent in my opinion. 

My next option was to replace the marabou with arctic fox for the layered wings.  This version was okay in my mind, but I like the more vibrant colors from the dyed marabou.  I presented the sample flies to the interested parties, and the arctic fox wing seems to be the lead style, with a more pronounced collar of teal. 

Either way I have a keeper fly or flies for swinging.