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Technical reviewed side profile illustration of Comet showing long flowing tail, bright chenille body, swept hackle, prominent eye headIllustrated reference

Wet Fly · guide 110

Comet

A bright West Coast salmon and shad fly built around a long tail, chenille body, palmered or collared hackle, and prominent eyes.

Common size
No universal size; match the target species, legal hook rules, tackle, and local forage
Common colors
orange, red, chartreuse, pink
Imitates
bright salmon or shad attractor, suggestive shrimp-like profile
How to recognize it

The reviewed orange form uses a long flowing tail, bright body, swept hackle, and painted-eye head. Color, tail material, bead-chain eyes, and shad-size adaptations remain labeled.

Technical reviewed side profile illustration of Comet showing long flowing tail, bright chenille body, swept hackle, prominent eye head
Illustrated reference

Comet reviewed side profile

A schematic profile emphasizing long flowing tail and bright chenille body.

View
reviewed side profile
Color shown
bright orange body, long tail, swept hackle, and painted eyes
Look for
long flowing tail; bright chenille body; swept hackle; prominent eye head
Open full-size image ↗

On the water

Know when and how to fish it.

Use these tips as a starting point. The river, depth, insects, and fish behavior still decide the final presentation.

01

When to use it

  • Where the target species, water speed, depth, and season support the exact pattern.
  • Use the linked river report as a planning lead, then verify current regulations and local conditions before choosing the fly.
02

How to fish it

  • Choose line density and weight for the target depth, then preserve the silhouette and movement the pattern was designed to show.
  • Change depth, angle, speed, or pause length before assuming color alone is the problem.
03

Mistakes to avoid

  • Treating every similarly colored fly as Comet.
  • Using a report label as permission to fish through closures, spawning fish, redds, restricted water, or a prohibited rig.

Common variations

Small changes can make a different fly.

Three reviewed technical illustrations show one identified form, its construction, and its fishing orientation. Hook style, size, color, weighting, trailer-hook system, and local legal status remain labeled variables.

Reviewed identified form

The reviewed orange form uses a long flowing tail, bright body, swept hackle, and painted-eye head. Color, tail material, bead-chain eyes, and shad-size adaptations remain labeled.
Colors shown
orange, red, chartreuse, pink
Weighting
Weight, line density, hook system, and current determine depth; construction alone does not.

Related patterns

Shad Fly and Dart Patterns ↗Steelhead Wet, Spey, and Hairwing Patterns ↗Polar Shrimp ↗

How this guide was checked

Fly information and photo sources.

Guide checked on 2026-07-12. Every image has its own source and usage record. Natural insects and hand-tied flies can vary in shape and proportion.

Pattern sources

Orvis NewsFish Facts: Steelhead↗

Image credits