Patterns
O'Keefe Special
- HOOK:
- 3x long Mustad 9672, #6 - #14.
- THREAD:
- Black pre-waxed monocord.
- TAIL:
- Brown hackle fibers (sparse).
- BODY:
- Brown mohair wool.
- WING:
- Dark brown or black bear hair.
- HACKLE:
- Brown.
A good 'all around' pattern primarily used as an attractor fly. In larger sizes, as a streamer it can be taken for a small baitfish, and in smaller sizes, as a nymph it suggests a caddis or mayfly.
HISTORY:
Sometime around 1970, a Saskatoon doctor, Al Unger, designed the fly. Later Saskatoon fly tier Brian O'Keefe built a few for Wayne Phillips who christened it the O'Keefe Special
PRESENTATION:
A popular technique is to troll the fly on a sinking line or to cast from an anchored boat. When the fish are in the upper layers, a floating line and long leader can work well. The fly is cast and given time to sink before retrieving in short strips, or with a slow figure eight hand retrieve.
The O'Keefe special also fishes well as a dry fly. Simply apply a floatant to a size #14 and grease the leader to float.
TYING TIPS:
Some anglers have added a silver or gold rib, and substituted the mohair body with one of peacock herl.