Tying the Rusty Rat - Essential Atlantic Salmon Fly Tutorial

Learn how to tie the Rusty Rat – Essential Atlantic Salmon Fly Tutorials | The River Wallet Series

Part of the iconic RAT series popularized by Roy Angus Thompson, the Rusty Rat has become one of the most widely adopted salmon flies in Eastern Canada. Its story begins with a chewed-up Black Rat that revealed a rusty underbody and kept catching fish. Joseph Pulitzer and tier Clovis Arsenault saw its potential and recreated the fly with intention. Tied with red thread beneath gold floss, it carries that distinct amber glow that holds up in both clear and stained water. A trusted pattern for Atlantic salmon and steelhead alike, the Rusty Rat has earned its place in our fly box.

In this step-by-step tying guide, fly tier Félix Lamoureux will walk you through every stage of tying the Rusty Rat.

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Fly recipe | Materials for the Rusty Rat:
Thread: 6/0 Red thread (Body)
Hook: Partridge M2 or Daiichi 2151, size 12–2
Tag: Oval gold tinsel or gold soft-wire
Tail: Peacock sword
Body (back): Rusty orange floss
Body (front): Peacock herl
Rib: Oval gold tinsel or gold soft-wire
Hackle: Grizzly hackle
Underwing: Rusty orange floss
Wing: Gray fox guard hairs
Head: 8/0 Red thread with 2/3 coats of head cement

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