Green Drake Hatchmaster

This week’s Throw Back Thursday Fly is a Green Drake Hatchmaster.

Hatchmaster Green Drake | www.johnkreft.com

This fly pattern was developed in the 1930s. I’m fairly sure the first one didn’t imitate a Green Drake like the fly I tied above. I’ve been working on another RiverKeeper Flies instructional video for my YouTube channel and thought I’d highlight the Hatchmaster again.

Originally known as the Two-Feather Fly, the Hatchmaster was created by Harry Darbee for a fisherman named Terrell Moore to solve a problem of getting large mayflies to land on the water softly and eliminate the bulk and weight. Some people called it the “Darbee”.

The fly I tied above is a size 12 and needed 2 rusty dun Collins hackles. Therefore, I’ll call it a “three-feather fly”.

Doug Andres, the Riverkeeper from the Purdy Ranch on Silver Creek in Idaho, taught a Callibaetis version to the Central Oregon Flyfishers Winter Fly Tying class in 2016. He stated Dick Alf brought the fly to Silver Creek in the 1960s.

Hatchmaster | www.johnkreft.com

As with many fly patterns, there is something elegant in the simplicity of the fly. A single feather is used to create the tail and body from the fibers pulled backwards and tied down.

Enjoy…go fish!

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3 Comments

  1. Really like the hatchmaster especially when the water gets roughed up.
    Thanks john . I am trying to tie some right now. Your video would surely he
    Max

    Reply

    1. Thanks Max

      Be sure to check out the fly pattern sheet as I have a few images of the step-by-step process I use. Better than nothing until I can make the video.

      John

      Reply

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