classic Michigan dry fly · c. 1934
Cabin Coachman
Solid origin People and place agree across sources. The year is approximate.
History
George Mason and his guide John Stephan worked the fly out at Mason's cabin on the South Branch around 1934, and Stephan tied the first ones. It is a Coachman reworked with mixed hackle and spent wings, named for the place it was born.
Mason left his South Branch land to the state, and it is now the Mason Tract, open to the public. A different fly by Aggie Bugby of Grayling shares the name.
Materials
| Hook | Dry, sizes 10 to 16 |
|---|---|
| Tail | Red hackle fibers |
| Body | Peacock herl |
| Wings | Spent, light-colored quill or hackle tips |
| Hackle | Brown and grizzly dry hackle, mixed |
| Thread | Brown 6/0 |
Sources
- LadyFisher. "Just Old Flies: Cabin Coachman." Fly Anglers Online (fly tied and photographed by James G. Birkholm).
- "George W. Mason." Wikipedia.
Know more about this fly's history, or spot a mistake? Send a correction.
No photo yet. Every photo on michfly is of a fly tied for the site, so they're added a few at a time.
Original recipe cards for many Michigan patterns are kept at the Michigan Dry Flies archive, built by the late Tom Deschaine.