Name Erling's Black Doctor Category Salmon/Steelhead Hook Alec Jackson Spey (Daiichi #2051) Size #1.5 Tip/Tag Fine Silver Oval Tinsel and Golden Yellow (#9) Glo-Brite Floss Tail Natural GP Crest under Orange Hackle fibers Butt Red-dyed Ostrich Herl Body 1/3 Black Krystal Flash - 2/3 Derek Fergus' Black "On the Take" Dubbing Body Hackle Hot Red Saddle Hackle Rib Small Silver Oval Tinsel Collar Natural Guinea Fowl Wing Red Fox Squirrel Tail under sparse Royal Blue Lite-Brite Head Danville no-wax 6/0 Black Flymaster Thread

"Erling's Black Doctor" was tied by contributing fly tyer Scott Howell. Although the Black Doctor is really an Atlantic Salmon fly, I have listed Scotty's variation as a Steelhead Fly of the Week, because like last week's flies, it crosses over into several other categories. This could easily be an effective Steelhead fly, fished under the right conditions, as many Atlantic Salmon Flies are. As usual, Scotty's incredible talent as a tyer, also makes this a very nice fly to just "look at". You can see more of Scott Howell's flies at The Flies of Scott Howell and see his notes about this fly below.

Scotty's Notes: This (reduced dressing) variant of the Black Doctor was inspired by Erling Olsen's interpretation of James Wright's classic. Erling has a wonderful gift of simplifying a classic pattern while maintaining the key elements of the original fly's color, shape, character, and style. The Black Doctor (and its many variations) is as popular today among Atlantic Salmon anglers as it was in the mid-1800's.