Tying Carrie Stevens Casablanca - Dressed Irons

Hook: Mustad R79, #2 - #8 (9x Long Streamer Hook)
Thread: White Danville Flat Waxed Nylon, White Danville 6/0
Tag: Danville Mylar Tinsel, Silver, size 14
Tail: Red Hackle Fibers
Body: Danville Mylar Tinsel, Gold, size 12
Belly: White Bucktail
Throat: Red Hackle Fibers
Wing: Four White Hackles flanked by two dark Violet Hackles (can substitute Claret)
Cheeks: Jungle Cock
Head: Danville 6/0, Red, White and Blue

The Casablanca is one of four patriotic flies that Carrie Stevens created during WWII. I did not know this until I decided to tie this video this week and started to do some research. Unfortunately, I have not learned much more than that. I do not believe they were tied commercially but rather her small way of supporting the troops, especially those she knew that went off to war. The other three flies in this group are the General MacArthur (one I was very close to tying), The America and The Victory.

I chose the Casablanca because I think it is a beautiful fly and thought the red, white and blue head would be something different. I did not have a "dark" violet hackle, which is called for flanking the white hackles in the wing but used a medium Violet instead. In researching the fly I discovered many people have tied it with a Claret hackle instead of a dark Violet.

Another unique feature of this fly is that the tinsel body is gold but the tinsel tag is silver. It was not often Carrie Stevens used gold tinsel in the body or the tag but even less to use two different colors. I will have to dig a little more to see if I can find out what her reasoning was. I welcome any input anyone might have concerning this fly. The Casablanca was a wonderful fly to tie! - Enjoy

If you have any questions about the tying of this fly feel free to let me know in the comments below.

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