Nip Ross of Sydney, Nova Scotia originated the Ross Special for fishing the Margaree River. Fly tier Joe Aucoin from nearby New Waterford tied Nip’s flies for him. Their project was a success, word spread, and the fly quickly became a standard.

The fly was illustrated in a June 1948 Fortune magazine article "Atlantic Salmon". It is popular on Canadian rivers, especially Nova Scotia's gorgeous Margaree River, where it originated.

It is most effective in the cold waters of autumn, when a salmon's fashion taste switches to bright fall colors. Red, yellow and orange can often trigger some very heavy action!