This is a simple fly. I use it in a lake that has hatchery planted
steelhead. A few years ago the Oregon Fish and Game would club
salmon and steelhead to death and then bury or burn them. This
included silver salmon when they were too uncommon to allow
sport fishing in that same river. It all came to a head when a
fellow secretly videotaped the destruction and gave the tape
to the press. There was mass disgust and the Fish and Game
immediately changed its tactics. They started recycling fish
lower in the river to allow fishermen to have several chances
to catch the same fish. In other rivers, they took the fish
and planted them in lakes. This particular lake is maybe two
acres with nice lily pads and smallmouth bass already. It is
now a steelhead lake which is never blown out by rain as the
rivers often are. These fish like silver patterns although I
was surprised to see small dark trout patterns also being used
effectively.
Materials:
Hook: Gamakatsu T-10-6H, size 4.
Body: Hedron Holographic Flashabou.
Tail: Red fluff from chicken feather.
Wings: Natural polar bear.
Beard: More red fluff.
Tying Instructions
1. This fly is close to the Fall favorite. We start with a
red Gamakatsu hook (T-10-6H) in a size #4. To this we add
the base fluff from a dyed red chicken feather as the tail.
2. The body is simple and effective. We wrap Hedron Holographic
Flashabou around the body and build it up tightly to our preferred
shape. To add stability, we then apply 3 or 4 coats of Sally
Hansen's Hard as Nails which is commonly used as head cement.
We let this dry completely before attaching the beard.
3. Once the body is dry, we attach more red fluff as a
beard. A wrap behind the beard will help it be forced down.
This will also help it not cover the flashy body when wet.
4. Next we simply add natural polar bear hair as a wing.
Since the body is fairly heavy, and since there is no hackle
to cause air drag, this fly casts like a bullet. Short jerks
work effectively. I fish it just under the surface. ~ Pete Hiatt (Whopper Bubba)
