Invicta Flies - Olive Spruce
This is a variation of the classic Light Spruce streamer. It has been particularly effective in smaller sizes fished to imitate fry washed up in the current of rivers with good flows, such as tailwaters.
Hook: Mustad 9671, #10 or similar
Thread: Danville's Prewaxed 6/0, yellow & black
Tail: peacock sword fibers
Body: read 2/3 yellow foss, front 1/3 peacock herl
Hackle: olive grizzly saddle
Wing: olive saddle hackle
Head: black tying thread
Tying Instructions:
1) Secure yellow thread to shank. Tie in four or five peacock sword fibers at the bend, about the length of the hook gap.
2) Tie in yellow floss, then bring the thread forward 2/3 up the shank. Wind the floss forward, creating a smooth, thin body. Tie off at the thread and clip excess. Whip finish the tying thread and clip. I like to cover floss bodies with Loon's Hard Head for durability. If you do this, now would be the time. Coat the floss with a thin layer of the Hard Head, allow to dry, then proceed to step 4.
4) Secure the black tying thread to the front 1/3 of the shank. Where the floss body ends, create a loop of the thread and put aside for later. Tie in four strands of peacock herl by the tips. Bring the thread forward to two hook eye lengths behind eye. Create a "rope" of the herl and the thread loop by twisting them all together (see "Tying Techniques"). Wind the rope forward to the thread, tie off, and clip the excess.
5) Tie in the hackle for the collar by the butt and take two full turns. Fibers should be about one and a half times the hook gap in length. Tie off and clip excess.
6) Select two olive saddle feathers. Clip them so they are about a hook gap longer than the fly is from eye to tip of tail. Trim about three fibers from each side of the feathers at the clipped end. Tie in together on top of the shank. Cover the butts completely with the tying thread.
7) Build a small tapered head with the tying thread, whip finish & cement well.