Mr Drury designed the General Practitioner fly to fish salmon in a distinct pool on the River Test near Romsey. The pool had overhanging bushes and was impossible to fish in an orthodox way. Mr Drury knew that a prawn lobbed upstream and drifted down on the salmon, would produce fish on the bank so he tied up a big imitation of a prawn that he could fish in this special manner. The fly proved to be perfect for the job and Mr Drury initially named the fly: the GP as most of it was made of Golden Pheasant feathers. Later Mr Drury re-named it: the General Practitioner because it proved so deadly.
The original General Practitioner fly was tied on a very long shank # 2 double hook – Mr Drury also suggested that one should tie smaller versions of the fly, especially for summer conditions and for occasions when the salmon was plucking
Russ Henry (verified owner) –