Golden Retriever

The Golden Retriever was originated in the Shenandoah River Valley in Virginia. It is tempting to call it a type of wooly bugger, but there are some distinct differences between the two patterns. My first experience with this pattern was accidental. Last fall, a customer came in and asked if I could copy a fly that was working well for him on the Upper Magalloway. It had been pretty much destroyed by the fish. As I inspected it, I recognized it as a pattern I had seen somewhere on the internet as the Golden Retriever. I ordered the needed material: a tinsel-like material called Estaz. During the winter tying classes, it became a favorite among tiers. It can be tyed in tan (the original color), root beer, olive, white, black, and more.

Recipe:
Hook – 9672 #10
5/32 bead,
0.025 lead free wire
Thread – red 6/0
Body – red floss
Tail – tan marabou
Hackle – crustacean tan Estaz, medium