The Major Herring Pattern

The Major Herring. Patterns like the Major Herring are your ticket to some fast fly fishing action. Fly designer Thomas Kintz created the Major Herring for Umpqua Feather Merchants. It’s a terrific option for when striped bass and other fish are feeding on real herrings. The trouble with tying a tall, full-bodied fly such as the Major Herring is creating a fly that does not lose its profile when fishing. A simple solution is to tie a few strands of bucktail to the top of the fly as an underwing, and then place other materials, such as Polar Fibre, on top. When they are keying in to this bait, the fish easily mistake a well-made fly for the real bait. Fish a pattern such as Kintz’s Major Herring using a line with a sinking tip. David Klausmeyer is the editor of our sister publication, Fly Tyer magazine. For more information, check out www.flytyer.com.