Hairwing
Hairy Mary
All-round Scottish salmon hairwing
SalmonMid-depth
Blue and yellow bucktail, gold body. The most popular hairwing in the salmon fly tradition — probably the most widely used salmon fly in the world. Essential.
Fish this when
Spring through autumn on any Atlantic salmon river. Fish in medium to low water on a standard downstream swing across the current.
Why it works
Blue and yellow read as light and movement. The profile suits salmon—not oversized, not attenuated. It works, and has worked for generations.
Naturals it imitates
general attractor — salmon fly
Typical zone & fishable range
usually
Surface & waking
Shallow
Mid-depth
Deep
Setup sensitivity: medium
Quick facts
Tying difficulty
Beginner-friendly
Heritage
ModernClassicHeritage
Heritage
· Scotland, 1960s — traditional Spey salmon fly
Buy or tie?
Tying a Hairy Mary Salmon Fly with Davie McPhail
Davie McPhail · canonical
Grays Of Kilsyth
Scottish specialist; useful for traditional loch, sea-trout and salmon-pattern coverage.
Helmsdale Company
Strong Scottish salmon-fly fallback, especially for classic and modern salmon patterns.
Lomond Flies
Regional specialist (Scotland (Loch Lomond))
Included in packs
All-round swing