Light Spruce

Light Spruce

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Tying Instructions

1. Lay down a thread base and tie in 4 peacock sword fibres for the tail at the beginning of the bend. The tails should be one half the hook shank length. Wrap the butts up to the midpoint of the shank.

2. Tie in red wool yarn at the mid shank and secure to the top of the shank. Secure a small copper wire at the same position.

3. Secure the yarn and wire on the top of the shank to the bend of the hook. Bring the thread back to just beyond the midpoint.

4.Wrap the yarn forward to the midpoint. Wrap back to the tail and back again to the midpoint to build up the body. Secure the yarn tag with some thread wraps.

5. Wrap the wire forward with about 5 wraps and secure with some thread wraps at the midpoint of the shank.

6. Tie in 4 pieces of Peacock herl. Create a herl rope by twisting the herls around the thread .

7. Wrap the herl rope forward and secure with some thread wraps about one eye length behind the eye.

8. Prepare two matched Badger Saddle Hackles. The length of the hackles should just exceed the tail. Place the hackles with the dull sides facing each other. Remove some of the the fibers from the bottom the the hackles where it lies along the peacock herl. I like to use a couple ot wire wraps, “matuka-style”, to give the hackle some extra support and to bring the hackle closer to the body.

9. Prepare a Badger Saddle hackle by folding the hackles and attach the hackle by the base in front of the peacock.

10. Wrap the hackle 4-5 times using care to sweep the hackles back on each turn. Secure with some thread wraps and create a small head. Whip Finish.

Materials to Order Material, click the link
Hook	TMC 300, #4-12
Thread	Danville Black 6/0
Head	Danville Black 6/0
Tail	Peacock Sword Fibers
Body	Red Wool Yarn
Thorax	Peacock Herl
Ribbing	Small Copper Wire
Wing	Two Silver Badger hackles ,flared
Hackle	Silver Badger

Light Spruce

The Light Spruce is a feather wing streamer that can be tied in the more common “Light” version using Badger hackles or the “Dark” version using Furnace hackles. The fly was designed by Bert and Milo Godfrey of Oregon around 1918, while on a fishing trip on the upper Lewis and Clark River of Northeastern Oregon.

Original Spruce Fly

The original Spruce Fly used a Badger saddle hackle for the wings, Badger neck hackle, Peacock Herl for the body with a rear tag of red wool, and four strands of Peacock sword for the tail. An excellent streamer pattern for Sierran streams. The predominant center stripe of the wing gives the fly the look of a baitfish. This pattern has also been modified for sea-run Cutthroats and Steelhead by tying florescent orange yarn onto a salmon hook. The streamer is usually tied with a TMC 300, a 6XL long shank. Within our smaller Sierran streams, you may find the smaller TMC 5263 a better size.

Variations

Charles Waterman of Montana came up with a very nice variation, the Silver Spruce, using Silver Tinsel and a Clear overbody using clear D-rib or large monofilament. This has been popular for imitating minnows and sculpins. Also, try using a variation with the Golden Spruce, particularly at Lake Crowley when the Perch Fry are active in the Fall.

Variations

Dark Spruce

Hook	TMC 300, #4-12
Thread	Danville Black 6/0
Head	Danville Black 6/0
Tail	Peacock Sword Fibers
Body	Red Floss
Thorax	Peacock Herl
Ribbing	Small Silver Wire
Wing	Two Furnace Hackles ,flared
Hackle	Brown

Silver Spruce

Rear Hook
Hook	TMC 300, #4-10
Thread	Danville Black 6/0
Head	Danville Black 6/0
Tail	White Marabou Fibers with Silver Krystal Flash
Body	Silver Tinsel with Clear Tubing overbody
Thorax	Peacock Herl
Wing	Two Silver Badger hackles ,flared
Hackle	Silver Badger

Golden Spruce

Rear Hook
Hook	TMC 300, #4-12
Thread	Danville Black 6/0
Head	Danville Black 6/0
Tail	Peacock Sword Fibers
Body	Half Red Yarn
Thorax	Peacock Herl
Ribbing	Small Silver Wire
Wing	Two Golden Badger Hackles ,flared
Hackle	Golden Badger