Today’s Claret Brown or in Praise of the Mustad-Chestertown Model 3298 Hook

For those who know me or have followed this blog for some time, my latest version of the Claret Brown will come as no surprise:

   

The Latest Claret Brown

 
Yes, my love of this crazy, sleek hook continues. This is a size 6, and I’ve taken the sneck out of the bend. I also grind the tips to make them more receptive to a gut eye.

I’ve varied the pattern in a few ways: embossed silver tinsel rib, added the jungle cock sides, and made a fur head. I like wool/fur heads of some of the old classics, and I had planned to use orange on this a la the Dallas fly, but settled on black.

The hackle is schlappen, stripped on one side, and the wings are true cinnamon turkey. 

And here’s an orange head version. Somebody please stop me…

  
Previous Spey Plate flies that I worked up a Mustad-Chestertown version for my collection include The Pitcroy Fancy and the Dallas Fly:

 

Pitcroy Fancy

  

Dallas Fly

 
More fun on the Chestertown:

 

Double White-Wing Alkroyd

  

Featherwing streamers