Fly Tying Book

Hook: Dry Fly Size 10-18
Thread: Black
Tail: Golden Pheasant Tips
Body: 1/3 Peacock, 1/3 red floss, 1/3 Peacock
Wing: White Calf Tail or Poly Yarn
Hackle: Brown

HISTORY

The Royal Coachman is an American pattern that is the gaudy cousin of the British Coachman. When the Coachman wet fly crossed the Atlantic Theodore Gordon adapted it to a dry fly.

In 1876 John Hailey, a professional fly-dresser living in New York, added the red silk band to create the distinctive feature of all Royal patterns. He had been asked to tie some extra strong Coachmen Dry flies. He tied a band of red silk in the middle to prevent the peacock bodies from fraying out. He had also added a tail of barred wood duck feathers.