Our Man In Canada
June 21st, 1999 		FAOL Logo

CHIEF NEEDABEH
By Kevin Fancy

Here is a dandy attracter pattern that I have seen work wonders on early season Brown, Rainbow and Brook trout though it is favored by the Browns most of the year. Being a big bodied streamer it lends itself well to being tied with a weighted body to get down to the lower ends of the thermocline if you happen to be fishing lakes or reservoirs. When fishing this pattern keep the fly movement slow and allow the current to push this wide bodied fly around. I have found it quite helpful to tie a few of these flies with a small stinger hook turned up, protruding slightly beyond the body for those days when the fish are striking short out of anger or curiosity.

Chief Needabeh

MATERIALS LIST

  • Hook:  Gamakatsu 08106 # 4-8

  • Tag:  Flat silver tinsel.

  • Rib:  Oval silver tinsel.

  • Body:  Scarlet floss.

  • Wing:  Two yellow and two orange hackle feathers.

  • Throat hackle:  One yellow and one red hackle feather.

  • Head: Black with optional eyes.

    TYING STEPS

    1. At the bend of the hook tie on a small tag of flat silver tinsel. It is at this point you tie on a stinger hook mounted on a thin piece of stainless steel wire if you want to.

    2. Attach a short piece of oval silver tinsel and allow it to hang loose.

    3. Tie on enough scarlet floss to fill the body area and return your thread to the head of the fly.

    4. Wrap floss over the hook stopping just behind the eye and tie off trimming excess.
    5. Rib the body with four or five turns of the oval silver tinsel ending at the head trimming excess.

    6. Tie in two bright yellow hackles extending just past the hook bend.

    7. Sandwich yellow hackles between two equal sized orange hackles making sure all four feathers remain upright above the hook. (If feathers lean to one side or the other the fly will run lop sided or spin when retrieved).

    8. Tie in a yellow cock hackle at the throat and give it a few spins to form a collar.

    9. Tie a red hackle on in front of the yellow collar giving it a few turns to form a mixed red and yellow collar.

    10. Form a small head by whip finishing securing knots with head cement, then apply black lacquer over to give the fly a black head. Painted yellow eyes with black centers are an option.

    Happy Hooking! ~ Kevin Fancy

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