Black Bear Green Butt Fly Tying Video Material Kit

The Black Bear Green Butt is one of those Atlantic salmon patterns that's earned its place through sheer consistency on the water. It's a classic hairwing fly with roots in the Maritime provinces, and if you're swinging flies for salmon, you've probably already heard the name. This material kit, paired with a tying video from Gaspe Fly Company, gives you everything you need to load up your box without hunting down individual materials. Tied in black and green on hook sizes 4, 6, and 8, it's built for Atlantic salmon but will also turn heads on steelhead water.

What It Imitates

The Black Bear Green Butt doesn't imitate a specific insect or baitfish. It's an attractor pattern, pure and simple. The dark silhouette and flash of green at the tail trigger an aggressive or curiosity-driven response from salmon holding in current. Think of it less as "matching the hatch" and more as "picking a fight."

How To Use It

This is a swung fly. Quarter your cast downstream, mend as needed, and let it swing broadside through the current on a tight line. The classic wet-fly swing is where this pattern does its best work. Strip-setting on the take is key since salmon can be subtle or savage, and you want to be ready for both.

Focus on the tailouts of pools, seams where fast water meets slow, and anywhere salmon are known to hold or rest during their upstream migration. Sizes 4 and 6 are your go-to choices for higher flows, while an 8 shines in lower, clearer conditions when fish get a longer look at the fly.

When To Use It

The green butt really comes alive in moderate to low-light conditions. Overcast days, early mornings, and late evenings are prime time. In stained water after a rain, the dark profile pushes a strong silhouette that salmon can find. On bright, sunny days with gin-clear water, drop down to a size 8 and fish it on a longer leader. It's a pattern that covers a wide range of conditions, which is exactly why guides on rivers like the Restigouche and Miramichi keep it on a short rotation all season.

Why We Like It

The material kit format is what sets this apart. Instead of buying a full skin of black bear hair, a spool of floss, and tinsel you'll barely dent, you get proportioned materials matched to the pattern plus a video walkthrough from Gaspe Fly Company. It's a smarter buy if you're tying a specific pattern rather than stocking a full materials bench. The quality of Gaspe's kits is consistent, and the video removes the guesswork on proportions and technique, which matters on a fly where the silhouette needs to be right.

Comparisons

Black Bear Green Butt vs Green Highlander:

The Green Highlander is a showier, more complex tie with a mixed wing and married fibers. It's gorgeous in the vise but demands more materials and skill. The Black Bear Green Butt is simpler, faster to tie, and just as likely to move a fish. If you're building volume for a trip, the Black Bear wins on efficiency. If you want a confidence pattern that doubles as art, reach for the Highlander.

Black Bear Green Butt vs Blue Charm:

Both are proven Atlantic salmon hairwings, and both belong in your box. The Blue Charm runs lighter in tone with its blue and silver dressing, making it a better pick for bright conditions and clear water. The Black Bear Green Butt pushes a darker profile that stands out in overcast skies and stained flows. They complement each other more than they compete, but if you had to pick one pattern for a week on a Maritime river, the Black Bear's versatility across water conditions gives it a slight edge.

Black Bear Green Butt vs Undertaker:

The Undertaker is another dark-bodied Maritime staple, and it fishes a similar window. The key difference is in the dressing. The Undertaker uses peacock herl for its body, giving it a subtle iridescence the Black Bear doesn't have. In very clear water, that shimmer can be the difference. The Black Bear Green Butt, with its fluorescent green butt section, offers a sharper contrast point that draws attention in broken or off-color water. Stock both if you can. If you're picking one kit to start tying, the Black Bear is the more versatile foundation.