Some of the sleekest, raciest fly patterns are the speys. Of equal importance, fished under the correct conditions, speys are deadly.
Speys are pattern style versus a strict pattern and as such there aren't any constriction on how or what to tie. This style is characteried by long flowing soft hackle that gives movement under very slight pressure. It's a style that the thinking tyer/anglers will have the greatest success with. Though they have gained a great resurgence lately there is a great deal of misunderstanding both in the tying and fishing of speys.
Spey flies have been in existence from the 1850's. Developed on the Scotish river that carries it's name, the spey patterns had a great deal of popularity when the Atlantics Salmon runs were heavy. Though most Atlantic fly patterns are attractors, the tying, and the color of the speys many attributed to that of a prawn/shrimp imitator.
In the northwest United States, about a hundred years later a one man fly tying renessiance named Syd Glasso started tying and fishing speys. Not only was Syd a world class tyer, but a thinker and a suberb angler.
Syd saw the potential of the long soft hackle melded it with a contemporary look, viewed it with an artistic eye to be pleasing to both fish and fisherman and the spey renaissance was born.
Syd was an angler first, so it was important that speys caught steelhead. His sense of tying history allow him the leeway of know what had been done and where it could go. He was constantly experimenting. His initial hackle point wings were close to the shank, Then Syd raised the anlge higher. Still not getting the desired effect he used 2 sets of hackle point wings, each pair set at different angles.The body and the hackle didn't allow the diversity of different winging styles/materials to fit the varied conditions. Here was a style of fly that could be tied/varied for water flow.
Spey fly are what you make of it. There are no right on wrongs. The sole judge being the fish. In action the long hackles allow the illustion of life, with it's movement.
An usually sign of a knowledgable angler/tyer is upon changing a fly is an inspection of the fly's action. Dropping it off the rod tip so it's visable, pulling it thru the water at different speeds to see if it's providing the desired action for the conditions at hand.
A well tied COCKATOO SPEY by William Chinn, Jr.
If you have the hackle correct you provide any slight movement and the hackle breaths. Pull it fast through the water and the hackle is pulled tight against the body. Spey ties work under all types of fishing. Angling the typical down and across, to a dead drift. Depth can be adjusted by hook weight and styles.
Basic
fishing spey with imitation swan wings.
A
reduced pattern spey.
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