Posted on December 01 2015
This month’s fly is the Mansfield streamer. I know very little about the origin of this attractor pattern. It was in the Streamer selection when we bought the shop. Some fisherman will walk right to them and pick up a handful with confidence. Clearly this is a pattern with good reputation among a small group of anglers. The best story I have about this fly is as follows. An older man walks into the store quietly and picks out a couple of the Mansfield Bucktails and drops them on the counter. He was a typical old Mainer wearing a Flannel shirt and work pants and I could tell he had spent many a year with a rod in his hand. When I asked him what he might be using this little known pattern for he said “ Flying Ants” with all the confidence in the world. Imagine that!
Hook – streamer size 4-12
Thread – Black
Body – Black floss
Tail - Golden Pheasant
Rib – silver tinsel
Wing – Orange Bucktail over White Bucktail
Thread – Black
Body – Black floss
Tail - Golden Pheasant
Rib – silver tinsel
Wing – Orange Bucktail over White Bucktail
Commercial tier for 60+ years. tied mansfields a good 40 years. 2 types bucktail and feather wing, both have a flat silver tinsel body one of the patters can be found in “Trolling Flies for Trout and Salmon”. The bucktail version I believe I converted it in 1975 and if you want the pattern just ask.. By the way they are both excellent flies accounted for many a salmon and trout, here in the Adirondacks and all of New England .FYI I learned how to tie flies in oquossac on mooselookmaguntic In 1950 and still tying (old school)
The pattern you are showing looks like a coverted red and white except the wing is hot orange an white, and no eye required on Mansfield but it helps.