The Atlantic Salmon Flies of Dave Goulet

Clockwise from upper left: Catch-A-Me Lodge, Bette Jane,
Chipper Lodge, Cockburn, Golden Girl, Mezmerizer

      If we were to play a word association game with Southern New England fly fishers, what words would the name Dave Goulet conjure up? Most would probably say, “Classic & Custom,” the name of Dave’s fly shop. Others would mention the Farmington River. After moving Classic & Custom from Holyoke, Massachusetts to New Hartford, Connecticut, the shop sat near the banks of the Farmington until Dave’s retirement in 2009. Some might mention the wary Farmington brown trout, on which Dave was an expert. And you might hear mention of some of Dave’s most well known trout flies, such as Moby Dick, Unicorn, Dirt Diver, or a host of others. Regardless of the words associated with Dave’s name, most would agree that Dave left an inedible mark the local trout fishing community. 

A much smaller percentage of us tapped into Dave’s other area of expertise. Dave is a hardcore atlantic salmon fisherman. Though he has fished all over maritime Canada, Dave knows the Miramichi River inside and out. In terms of atlantic salmon fishermen, Dave Goulet is my favorite kind. He has never been afraid of public water. In a world seemingly full of pricey lodges, pristine Bogdan reels and an overt sense of exclusivity, Dave is the real deal…a salmon fisherman’s fisherman. 

Though Dave is mostly known as an innovative trout fly tyer, he has created some fine atlantic salmon flies. I am aware of six original patterns. Four of which can be found in Flies for Atlantic Salmon (Stewart & Allen; 2001) and The Complete Directory of Salmon & Steelhead Flies (Mann; 2008), among other publications. As far as I know, the two remaining flies have never been published.

      Below are the dressings for all six of Dave’s original patterns. I didn’t try to copy Dave’s tying style, but I did try to respect his choice of materials whenever possible. There are a few unavoidable material substitutions, however. For a more personal account of my experiences with Dave, please see my piece in the Spring 2014 issue of the Atlantic Salmon Journal (Fit To Be Tied, p. 62). 

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The Atlantic Salmon Flies of Dave Goulet

(tied and photographed by Ben Bilello)

Bette Jane

Bette Jane

Tag: Oval gold tinsel

Butt: Fluorescent green wool

Tail: Red hackle barbs

Rib: Oval gold tinsel

Body: Rear half: medium green floss; Front half: peacock herl

Throat: Yellow hackle over light green hackle

Wing: Badger hair

Head: Black

Catch-A-Me Lodge

Catch-A-Me Lodge

Tag: Oval silver tinsel

Butt: Fluorescent green wool

Rib: Oval silver tinsel

Body: Black seal fur (or substitute)

Hackle: Golden pheasant breast feather dyed black (or other spey-type hackle)

Throat: Speckled guinea fowl

Wing: Two strips of white goose shoulder, tied short and splayed (Dee style)

Cheeks: Jungle cock (optional)

Head: Black

*The original was tied with a black silver pheasant body hackle.

Chipper Lodge

Chipper Lodge

Tag: Flat gold tinsel

Butt: Fluorescent orange floss

Tail: Golden Pheasant tippets, tied in at the second black bar

Rib: Oval gold tinsel

Body: Black wool

Throat: Purple hackle

Wing: Woodchuck guard hairs, topped with soft orange hackle fibers 1/3 of wing length

Cheeks: Jungle cock (optional)

Head: Black

Cockburn

Cockburn (unpublished)

Tag: Flat silver tinsel

Tail: Chartreuse bucktail with a few strands of peacock green Krystal Flash

Body: Fluorescent green floss

Underwing: Chartreuse arctic fox or bucktail with black tips

Wing: Chartreuse arctic fox or bucktail with black tips

Hackle: Black-Laced-White hen saddle dyed fluorescent yellow; tied collar style

Head: Black

*The underwing and wing were originally tied with dyed mongoose fur.

Golden Girl

Golden Girl

Tag: Flat gold tinsel

Butt: Fluorescent green floss

Tail: Golden pheasant tippet strands

Rib: Oval gold tinsel

Body: Black floss

Throat: Black hackle

Wing: Black squirrel tail

Head: Black

Mezmerizer (top view)

Mezmerizer (side view)

Mezmerizer (unpublished)

Tail: Pearl Krystal Flash (or substitute flash material)

Shellback: Pearl Krystal Flash (or substitute flash material)

Hackle: Black, palmered up length of body

Body: Fluorescent green floss

Wing: Pearl Krystal Flash (or substitute flash material), doubled back and evenly distributed on both sides of the hook shank (same flash as used to make the shellback)

Head: Butt ends of the Krystal Flash wing and black thread

*The original was tied with a generic Krystal Flash substitute with which I am unfamiliar. It is less kinky than the original Krystal Flash. I substituted Crystal Mirror Flash in the fly pictured.