Red Tag (artificial fly)

The Red Tag is an artificial fly originally designed as a dry fly for grayling and trout in the north country of England. The fly pattern, when introduced into Australia, particularly Tasmania, became extremely successful and popular for brown trout and remains today as one of the most essential flies for Australian fly anglers.

Red Tag
Artificial fly
Red Tag (dry)
Type	Dry fly, wet fly
History
Creator	Martyn Flynn
Created	1850s
Other names	Worcestershire Gem
Body	Peacock herl
Hackle	Brown cock hackle
Tag	Red wool yarn
Uses
Primary use	Trout
Other uses	Grayling

Origin

The Red Tag was originally designed by Martyn Flynn from Worcestershire, England in the 1850s as a dry fly for grayling.^[1] Its original name was the Worcestershire Gem and was also known as the Worcestershire Wonder.^[2] red

Materials

The typical Red Tag is tied with a body of peacock herl, a tail of red or crimson wool, and a red cock's hackle (actual color of hack is reddish brown).^[3] The hackle can be hen's hackle for wet fly versions. Hook sizes vary from #16 through #10.^[4]

Variations

As described in Australia’s Best Trout Flies - Revisited (2016), Malcolm Crosse unless otherwise attributed^[5]

• Red Palmer ^[6]
• CDC Red Tag
• Reverse Red Tag
• Red Tag Nymph
• 1-2-1 Guide Tag
• Seal's Fur Red Tag

As described in The New Illustrated Dictionary of Trout Flies (1986), John Roberts^[4]

• Badger Red Tag
• Treacle Parkin
• Green Tag

Red Tag Variations

• 
  Red palmer
• 
  1-2-1 Guide Tag
• 
  Zulu Tag
• 
  Red Tag Nymph