classic Michigan dry fly · date unknown
Madsen's Hex Spinner
Unverified origin Madsen is well documented, but only Deschaine's Fly of the Week column (2013, reposted 2014) ties him to this fly; no date for the pattern is given.
History
Earl Madsen guided on the Au Sable in the 1930s, built riverboats and is usually called Michigan's first commercial tyer. Tom Deschaine described this as one of his less familiar flies: a big spent spinner tied entirely in white, from the bucktail tail and body to the hen wings and hackle.
The point of the all-white dressing is that an angler can still pick the fly out on dark water, which matters during the Hex spinner fall on summer nights when big browns feed after dark. Deschaine gave no year for the pattern itself.
Materials
| Hook | Mustad 9672 (3XL), sizes 4 to 8 |
|---|---|
| Thread | White 3/0 |
| Tail and body | White bucktail |
| Rib | White hackle |
| Wings | White hen hackle |
| Hackle | White |
Sources
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.