How to Tie the Skeena River Lodge Prom Dress
The “Prom Dress” is a staple pattern for Chinook at Skeena River Lodge. I slightly modified the original pattern, by Scott Howell, to make the pattern more durable and bigger for use for Chinook salmon. I changed the original hook and dumbbell eye to a tube with weighted brass bead and cone head configuration. The tube is more durable, allows you to exchange hooks and places the hook as far back as you like. The cone head with the 3mm hole creates protection for the marabou and makes the pattern almost indestructible. The pattern is “super-sized” for Chinook and has an almost ridiculous amount of flash incorporated in it. The guides from Skeena River Lodge swear by this pattern, which should be a very good reason to tie some up for your next trip. Here is how I tie the modified “Prom Dress”.
Materials
– 3mm plastic tube
– 6.2mm brass bead with 3.2mm hole
– 6mm cone head with 3.2mm hole
– Snow Runner tail
– Arctic Fox under-wing
– Standard Flashabou skirt
– Marabou collar
Note: the pattern here is finished without a 3mm hole cone head. Our production pattern has a cone head.
Figure 1: Melt a flange on a 1.8mm clear tube.
Figure 2: Insert the 1.8mm tube with the flange end into the 3mm tube. Insert 6mm. The bump from the flange will from a stopper for the brass bead that we are going to slide on. Total length of the 3mm tube is 5cm.
Figure 3: Slide the brass bead onto the 3mm tube. It will stop against the flange of the 1.8mm inner tube. If the flange is not big enough to stop the brass bead from sliding over, then a stopper can be created by building up some turns of monofilament.
Figure 4: A close up of the monofilament stopper.
Figure 5: Tie in black thread against the brass bead.
Figure 6: Cut off a clump of yellow-chartruese Arctic Fox tail hair. Comb out the under-fur.
Figure 7: Tie in the Arctic Fox under-wing. Make sure to wrap the thread tight against the brass bead.
Figure 8: Tie in the Flashabou. Distribute 360 degrees around the tube. Use an ample amount of flash.
Figure 9: Tie in a green-chartreuse marabou feather by the tip.
Figure 10: Tie the marabou off and whip-finish.
Figure 11: If desired a flange can be created to finish the fly. Alternatively a large centre hole cone head (3mm) can be added.
