Ard Stetts Flies

Name	The Answer
Category	Salmon/Steelhead
Hook	2X or 3X long; ball eye, ring, or loop eye in sizes #2 - #6
Thread	Brown silk
Tail	Two Partridge flank feathers dyed chocolate brown tied with the concave sides facing one another and rather full
Body	Cream floss wrapped for to aft and back to produce a full body
Rib	Two fine copper wires wrapped in opposing directions to strengthen the floss and to add weight, color and strength to the body
Throat	Polar Bear tied full and as long as the hook or substitute
Under wing	Sparse dk. gray squirrel
Wings	Two barred rock saddles dyed chocolate brown with two Jungle Cock spade feathers painted with yellow and red lacquer enamel spots tied over them
Shoulders	Two very small ring neck pheasant body feathers
Cheeks	Jungle cock
Head	Built and lacquered brown silk; the chin may be painted cream white as a finishing touch, the fly displayed is not painted

The Answer, originated and tied by Salmonfly.Net Contributing Fly Tyer Ard Stetts. He notes, "You may find that substitutes for some materials will be necessary to tie this pattern. Deer tail for the throat, and dark badger or furnace saddle can be used for the J.C. spade feathers. I believe it is the colors including the painted wings that are responsible for the success I have had with this fly." You can see more of Ard's flies at The Flies of Ard Stetts  or return to "The Evolution of the Answer".