Hook Size 6
The Irresistible Atlantic Salmon Fly was first a fly that was tied for trout in Canada. Joe
Messinger, a fly tier from Morantown, West Virginia came up the pattern. It was first just a
deer hair drake fly that imitated an egg laden female drake mayfly. Some say that Harry
Darbee of Livingston manor, New York came up with the fly. The fly is also called the
Adams Irresistible. Of course we have no way of knowing, but we would tend to go with
Mr. Messinger as the originator.
The story goes that a gentlemen from Canada ordered them from Mr. Messinger and first
said the trout found the fly “irresistible” and that stuck as the name. It is still used by trout
anglers to imitate the Green Drakes and other large mayflies. It is also a very good
warmwater fly for bass and large bream.
As time went by the fly became popular for Atlantic Salmon. It was one of a few that
anglers used to catch the Atlantic Salmon on the top of the water. The thick deer hair
helps it float on the surface very well.
