Willie Gunn - Gold Body

A lesser-known pattern no more, the Willie Gunn has become a cornerstone of spring salmon fishing across the North Atlantic. Born on the banks of Scotland’s Brora River in the late 1960s, this fly quickly rose to prominence thanks to its lifelike movement and signature black, orange, and yellow colour palette that stirs salmon even in cold, peaty water. The name comes not from its inventor but from ghillie Willie Gunn, who fished an early version tied by Jim McKenzie, his nephew, on a homemade shank of welding wire. Whether tied on tubes, shanks, or traditional hooks like this version (with a red thread head, gold body, and optional flash), the Willie Gunn remains a trusted classic that continues to earn its place in every serious fly box.

Equip yourself with Atlantic salmon flies, finely tied in Quebec with purpose – 10% of every sale funds the Anadromous Endowment.

Hooks used:

• Single: Partridge M2