What do you guys like best for a pattern/s?

Absolutley the deadliest shrimp pattern I have ever used, the G.P.

Saxatillus- I like the fly only wish mine came out as good. Ron

Saxatillus-did you use bird fur for the hackle or regular spey hackle? Nice tie. The GP is also a very productive pattern for Atlantic Salmon.
FishHawk

It's whiting spey hackle. Great stuff. Makes a great tail, collar and palmered body on flatwings.

I'll second the spey hackle. Great stuff. I've used the Bronze grade. Been told the Silver is worth the extra $$$$. Sax, are you using one or two hackles when you palmer? I've found that with a 2/0, I need to use two hackles to get the look right. Palmer them simultaneously.

The spey hackle can also be used to tie very interesting and effective soft hackle flies and flatwings :-)

steelhead and/or Saxatilus- When you tie in the spey hackle are you tying it in by the tip or by the butt. I've tried both ways and haven't found the look I like besides the material is really fragile for my rough fingers. Ron

I tie it in at the butt. It does take a bit to get the feel for handling it. The hackle barbules are so long and fine. Well worth the effort :-)
Are you folding the hackle barbules back as you palmer the hackle down the length of the hook?

Steelhead-Ron, I always use two hackles tied in at the butt wet and folded. The silver grade is definatley worth the extra 10.00. The quality difference is incredible.

That is good to know.

I tie it in at the butt. It does take a bit to get the feel for handling it. The hackle barbules are so long and fine. Well worth the effort :-)
Are you folding the hackle barbules back as you palmer the hackle down the length of the hook?Yes, but I was tying it in by the tip and when I stroked the fibers back alot of them where coming off the stem, and this is a silver grade neck. I'll have to try tying them in by the butt. Ron

Steelhead-Ron, I always use two hackles tied in at the butt wet and folded. The silver grade is definatley worth the extra 10.00. The quality difference is incredible.Thanks, Ron

Where is the GP pattern?

[QUOTE=SAXATILUS]Steelhead-Ron, I always use two hackles tied in at the butt wet and folded. I'd like to thank you for putting me onto using two hackles palmered simultaneously, I finally got a GP that looks good to me. I've been using the Eagle Claw L255 hook in 1/0 and 2/0 for the extra length for my shrimp patterns. Ron

Hook: Eagle Claw 255 NA (I use an Alec Jackson spey fly hook.)
Thread: Orange
Antennae: Hot orange bucktail
Head: (Short feelers and mouth parts) Fire orange hackle tip
Eyes: Golden pheasant tippet feather with center cut out to form a vee shape.
Carapace: Red golden pheasant breast feather
Body: Hot orange wool
Ribbing: 5 turns oval gold tinsel the length of the body
Hackle: Hot orange, 5 turns the length of the body
Tail & Back: Red golden pheasant breast feather

Enjoy tying this!