SALMON BEACH FLIES: Rolled Muddler & California Neal

[John Pierce]

SALMON BEACH FLIES: Rolled Muddler & California Neal

Submitted by Ron Estey

Tom Murray's Rolled Muddler is a deadly Pacific North Coast fly especially for cutthroat and coho and is my go-to fly for both species. Like most effective flies, other tyers have added their spin (pun intended for this fly) on it, and so there are many variations in use. It is commonly weighted with a bead, but for cutthroat, it is much more fun using it unweighted, skated in the surface film, or just beneath.

Here are some links to tying instructions for the Rolled Muddler:
https://cutthroatsgalore.wordpress.com/2014/01/07/rolled-muddler/ 
http://www.angelfire.com/wa/salmonid/Dickson3.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNBWOH3JwT4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QIyQuKdNq0
https://globalflyfisher.com/patterns/rolled-muddler
Peter Caverhill's variation of the Rolled Muddler: http://www.sea-run.com/flipped-blue-flash-rolled-muddler-coho-salmon-fly-recipe/

The Rolled Muddler is much slimmer than the traditional Nipigon River fly. For beach coho, slim flies are the ticket, such as the California Neal (https://www.youtube.com/watch?).v=TS8_X4G2WVU

Here are a few of my Coho Beach Flies and you will note that the Rolled Muddler and California Neal are among them: