The Torrish
fly & photo...Peter Dunne-Ireland.
The Torrish originated in the mid 1800's and is named after a place in the Scottish countryside, Strath of Kildonan. The fly was originally tied for fishing the famous salmon river, the Helmsdale and Kelson tells us that on this river the Torrish was a real favourite and responsible for the capture of many salmon. In his 1892 book, "How to Tie Salmon Flies", Major J. H. Hale lists the dressing of the Torrish and his description of it is the same as the version that Hardy describes in "Salmon Fishing" (1907). However in his lovely book "How To Dress Salmon Flies" (1914), Pryce Tannatt, gives a different dressing of the Torrish and this is the pattern that we have included here in the above photo. It is a more colourful version and this was the one chosen for the 2002 Mustad Scandinavian Open Flytying Competition (category 1).
Kelson describes a pattern that is a little bit different from Hardy in that he uses black Ostrich herl for the head and a throat hackle the same colour as the Indian Crow feather. There is another fly that relates closely to the "Torrish" and that is the "Salscraggie", or as it is often called the "Pale Torrish". In one of her many letters to Joseph Bates, the late Megan Boyd included a description of the "Salscraggie" and it is as follows; Tag: Silver thread and golden yellow floss. Tail: A topping and Tippet in strands or Ibis. Butt: Black Ostrich herl. Body: Rear half, oval silver tinsel, front yellow seal's fur. A butt of two or three turns of yellow hackle and black Ostrich herl, tied in between the two body halves, the front half being ribbed with oval silver tinsel. Throat: a dark yellow cock hackle. Wing: An under-wing of Cinnamon Turkey, over this married sections of red, yellow, and blue dyed Swan, Amherst Pheasant, grey Mottled Turkey and Pintail, a Golden Pheasant topping over the wing. The fly should have cheeks of Jungle Cock nails.
The Dressing: (Pryce-Tannatt)
Tag: Silver thread and golden yellow floss.
Tail: A topping and Tippet in strands.
Butt: Black Ostrich herl.
Body: Oval silver tinsel butted at the junction of the first two-fifths with the subsequent three-fifths with black herl and veiled above and below with Indian Crow.
Ribs: Fine oval silver tinsel over the anterior three-fifths if the body.
Hackle: A lemon hackle with the ribs.
Throat: A deep orange hackle.
Wings: A pair of white-tipped black turkey feathers (back to back) and over these a married wing made up of teal, yellow, scarlet, and orange dyed Swan, Bustard, Florican and Golden Pheasant tail. Bronze Mallard over and a Topping.
Sides: Married Pintail and Wood Duck.
Cheeks: Jungle Cock and Indian Crow.
Horns: Blue and yellow Macaw.
Head: Black.
The Dressing: (Hardy)
Tag: Silver tinsel and yellow floss.
Tail: A topping and Ibis.
Butt: Black Ostrich herl.
Body: In two equal parts of silver tinsel, butted with Indian Crow and black Ostrich herl.
Throat: A red-orange hackle.
Wings: A pair of white-tipped black turkey feathers (back to back) and over these a married wing made up of Bustard, Peacock wing, Guinea Fowl, Golden Pheasant tail, Red and Blue Swan; Bronze Mallard and a Topping over.
Cheeks: Indian Crow.
Head: Black.
fly & photo...Peter Dunne-Ireland.
The Torrish originated in the mid 1800's and is named after a place in the Scottish countryside, Strath of Kildonan. The fly was originally tied for fishing the famous salmon river, the Helmsdale and Kelson tells us that on this river the Torrish was a real favourite and responsible for the capture of many salmon. In his 1892 book, "How to Tie Salmon Flies", Major J. H. Hale lists the dressing of the Torrish and his description of it is the same as the version that Hardy describes in "Salmon Fishing" (1907). However in his lovely book "How To Dress Salmon Flies" (1914), Pryce Tannatt, gives a different dressing of the Torrish and this is the pattern that we have included here in the above photo. It is a more colourful version and this was the one chosen for the 2002 Mustad Scandinavian Open Flytying Competition (category 1).
Kelson describes a pattern that is a little bit different from Hardy in that he uses black Ostrich herl for the head and a throat hackle the same colour as the Indian Crow feather. There is another fly that relates closely to the "Torrish" and that is the "Salscraggie", or as it is often called the "Pale Torrish". In one of her many letters to Joseph Bates, the late Megan Boyd included a description of the "Salscraggie" and it is as follows; Tag: Silver thread and golden yellow floss. Tail: A topping and Tippet in strands or Ibis. Butt: Black Ostrich herl. Body: Rear half, oval silver tinsel, front yellow seal's fur. A butt of two or three turns of yellow hackle and black Ostrich herl, tied in between the two body halves, the front half being ribbed with oval silver tinsel. Throat: a dark yellow cock hackle. Wing: An under-wing of Cinnamon Turkey, over this married sections of red, yellow, and blue dyed Swan, Amherst Pheasant, grey Mottled Turkey and Pintail, a Golden Pheasant topping over the wing. The fly should have cheeks of Jungle Cock nails.
The Dressing: (Pryce-Tannatt)
Tag: Silver thread and golden yellow floss.
Tail: A topping and Tippet in strands.
Butt: Black Ostrich herl.
Body: Oval silver tinsel butted at the junction of the first two-fifths with the subsequent three-fifths with black herl and veiled above and below with Indian Crow.
Ribs: Fine oval silver tinsel over the anterior three-fifths if the body.
Hackle: A lemon hackle with the ribs.
Throat: A deep orange hackle.
Wings: A pair of white-tipped black turkey feathers (back to back) and over these a married wing made up of teal, yellow, scarlet, and orange dyed Swan, Bustard, Florican and Golden Pheasant tail. Bronze Mallard over and a Topping.
Sides: Married Pintail and Wood Duck.
Cheeks: Jungle Cock and Indian Crow.
Horns: Blue and yellow Macaw.
Head: Black.
The Dressing: (Hardy)
Tag: Silver tinsel and yellow floss.
Tail: A topping and Ibis.
Butt: Black Ostrich herl.
Body: In two equal parts of silver tinsel, butted with Indian Crow and black Ostrich herl.
Throat: A red-orange hackle.
Wings: A pair of white-tipped black turkey feathers (back to back) and over these a married wing made up of Bustard, Peacock wing, Guinea Fowl, Golden Pheasant tail, Red and Blue Swan; Bronze Mallard and a Topping over.
Cheeks: Indian Crow.
Head: Black.