There has been a revolution in modern salmon fly design as a result of a plethora of modern materials and the more rapid dissemination of techniques through the internet and media. There are perhaps three categories of innovation, that of tube flies, cone heads and the use of synthetic materials.

Tube flies have produced the versatility, to fish floating flies on the surface through to heavy brass tubes that troll the depths. Perhaps the quintessential component of tubes is the ability to use the best and most appropriate hook on the fly. Hooks such as the Loop doubles and Ken sawarda or Owner ensure better hooking potential. Coneheads not only seem to make the fly more animated, particularly with the Frodin turbo discs but again allow weight variation from light to the heaviest large tungsten cone head to access the deepest of pools. Synthetic materials used in subtle amounts like Krystal flash, Mirage and Pearl mylar significantly enhance flies.

Perhap a having a size range even with a single fly pattern is more important that a plethora of varied colured flies, but there are definate advantages of certain fly designs over others. Fly patterns are also highly dependant on the fishing location, so where as it would be essential to use small flies and especially the Francis pattern in Iceland and that of small shrimp flies in Ireland, the larger streamlike flies predominate in Norway and the floating Bomber in Newfoundland. A few examples of flies I would like to have with me on a salmon trip would be as follows.

	The Francis accounts for over 50% of the salmon caught in Iceland and is hence the most popular Icelandic fly. The Francis fly was developed by Peter Dean and Englishman with the name originating after the woman who used to take the telephone orders. This is a variant of the Red Francis conehead using crystal boar flash instead of the traditional stripped cock hackles, and the addition or mirage on the body.
Norwegian flies. The Templedog design produced by Jonas Hammarstedt, Michael Frodin and Harlan Norling spawned a new breed of annimated flowing fly. The Scandinavian flies, have certain similarities in their designs that make them so special. These flies are tied with superior wing material most notably Artic fox which is layered with increasing lengths and ideally reamaining still translucent. Green flies are thought to be better in the Spring and therefore are ideal in Norway
	The Cascade was tied by Alistair Gowans after his grounbreaking Alley Shrimp. Cascades were originally tied on small trebles but many adaptions have ensued. This one opposite is tied for the fast and cold waters of Norway on a 17mm tear drop brass tube body and with the variant of mirage which gives it the green irridescant sheen.
The Stoats tail is a superbly successful fly. Traditionally this was first tied using wing but later with dyed hairwing. The one opposite is tied with calf tail, which although unusual, gives more movement to the fly. The body is floss, with golden pheasant for the tail and a rib of French oval silver.
	This is a hybrid fly using boar bristle similar Francis to create fly movement and a Stoats tail body using black floss with French oval rib and light transluscent wing of black arctic fox.
Jesper Fohrmann,s bomber opposite is tied on a plastic tube. These bombers have a lower weight than conventionally hook tied versions and so ride higher on the water and float longer. They therefore have a better hook-up ratio than that of the large single hook. As with all tubes the hook will simply detaches from the tube on hooking a salmon and this negates the problem of  leverage of the hook. These are tied with Metz hackles & high quality deer belly hair. Click on the bomber to see how to tye one. Jesper Fohrmann www.fishmadman.com
	These are a selection of the Eumers bodies are available. The multiple permutations allow any number of designs, weights and fly sizes possible. There is then a selection of coneheads of all colours of weights from the heaviest tungsten to to the smallest conehead. The teardrop brass bodies have been utilised with the Norwegian and Cascade flies above. The 'classroom' section on the website explains everything. http://www.eumertube.com/
The Sunray shadow and Collie dogs are representative patterns of the sand eel. They are one of the most popular flies in Scandinavia and are fished as both as a surface fly, where they are cast at 90 degrees and also fished deep as with this fly using tungsten conehead.