Fall Favorite, "Fly of the Week #166

Fall Favorite
By Robert D. Farrand, Birch Run MI, ("wetfoot")

Fall Favorite

Designed for Salmon in Michigan rivers, especially the AuSable, this fly also works well for steelhead.

Materials

Hooks: Your favorite long-shank turned-up eye hook, Size 2.

Thread: Flourescent red 6/0.

Body: Flat silver tinsel.

Tail: Orange kip tail.

Hackle: One red and one yellow saddle hackle.

Tying Steps:

1. Start the thread at the bend of the hook, make a few wraps as a base for the tinsel.

2. Tie in tinsel and wrap thread to eye of the hook.

3. Wrap tinsel forward, evenly, slightly overlapping, tie off tinsel.

4. Select one each red and yellow saddle hackle, tie one on each side, curve to the outside.

5. Make several turns with the yellow first, tie off, then about the same number of turns with the red. The red should be toward the eye.

6. Tie in orange kip tail as wing over the hackle. Form nice head, whip finish. Lacquer or paint over head.

Fishing Suggestions:

The general method of fishing all salmon flies here is to cast upsteam, mend the line to get the fly down, and continue to mend to get a natural drag-free float. Use the 'steelheaders shuffle', that is, make your original cast, fish the fly back after it makes it's swing, take a step or two downstream and repeat. ~ Robert D. Farrand (aka "wetfoot")

For more great flies, check out: Beginning Fly Tying and Intermediate Fly Tying.