Gallagher Special
The Gallagher Special is a classic Irish and British wet fly pattern that has found a devoted following in American trout fishing. Featured in the Orvis guide, it uses a peacock herl body and furnace hackle on a heavy nymph hook to create a pattern that can be swung in deeper runs where a standard soft hackle wouldn't reach. The gold wire rib gives it a glint reminiscent of a stonefly nymph's segmented abdomen. Fish it on the swing through deep, fast runs, or retrieve it slowly in lakes.
- Type
- wet fly (Stonefly)
- Hook sizes
- #12–14
- Target species
- trout
- Difficulty
- intermediate
- Best seasons
- spring, summer
Materials
- hook: 3X-heavy, 2X-long nymph hook #12–14
- thread: Black 6/0
- tag: Yellow floss or silk
- tail: Golden pheasant tippet fibers
- body: Peacock herl, 4–5 strands twisted
- ribbing: Fine gold wire
Tying steps
- Mount a 3X-heavy, 2X-long nymph hook and start brown or black thread at the bend.
- Tie in a tag of yellow floss or silk at the bend — 3–4 turns — then trim.
- Tie in a tail of golden pheasant tippet fibers, 3–4 strands, hook-gap long.
- Tie in a fine gold wire rib along the body.
- Tie in 4–5 strands of peacock herl and twist them around the thread; wind a full peacock herl body to the 2/3 point.
- Counter-rib with the gold wire in 5 evenly spaced turns, tie off.
- Select a furnace hen hackle sized to the hook; wind 2 turns as a wet hackle collar and sweep rearward.
- Build a neat head, whip finish, and cement.