Steelhead Streamer

My favorite looking colors of this pattern are definitely blue and black but thats just because it looks sick. This pattern has a ton of movement (given that its all marabou and long feathers/fur) which will make it an awesome pattern to swing as soon as the ice clears our rivers. This is just another big gaudy steelhead pattern, but they still look cool and aren't that hard to tie, just a lot of steps and a few tricks to help get a good appearance.

Hook: Size 1: Daiichi, size 2 Daiichi octopus hook.

Thread: 210 black ultra thread

Materials: Ostrich herl, Arctic Fox, Marabou, Guinae, Ice dubbing, hackle, deer hair, crystal flash, crystal braid, high-test mono (its for the trailer hook so get strong mono).

Tools: Vise, bobbin, scissors, whip finish tool, wire cutters/pliers.

I would like to apologize to anyone wishing to tie this fly for the outrageous number of steps there are to follow. 

Step 1: Wrap a base layer of thread. It in the piece of mono so it forms a loop off the back of the fly. Make sure to have at least 1" of the mono tied down on the hook shank so it will be secure.

Step 2: at the back of the fly make a dubbing ball.

Step 3: Tie in a hackle and palmer it around the hook shank so it forms a collar in front of the dubbing ball.

Step 4: Tie in the arctic fox. Tie down one color of arctic fox first and then tie the second color down overtop the first.

Step 5: Tie in the ostrich herl. Tie the ostrich herl down so its roughly the same length as the arctic fox.

Step 6: Tie in crystal flash. Tie it in so it is roughly the same length as the arctic fox and ostrich herl.

Step 7: Tie in and palmer one marabou feather. Palmer it as if you are trying to make a collar. Do not move too far up the hook shank, keep it tight and compact to the back of the fly.

Step 8: Tie in a piece of crystal braid. 

Step 9: Wrap the crystal braid up the hook shank making sure to cover all of the visible thread. Stop the braid about 1/4" behind the eye of the hook. Tie off and clip extra braid.

Step 10: Make a second dubbing ball where the braid stopped (1/4" behind the eye of the hook).

Step 11: Tie in deer hair infront of the dubbing ball. Tie the deer hair in on the top and bottom of the fly. 

Step 12: Tie in arctic fox fur. Tie it in in the same pattern (the same color on top as in step 4). Tie it down so it is as long as possible.

Step 13: Tie in Ostrich herl (the same way as in step 5). Tie in a marabou feather and palmer it around the hook shank like in step 7 (forming a collar around the front of the fly).

Step 14: Tie in Grizzly hackle feathers so they go as far back as the rear ostrich herl. Tie in a guinae feather and palmer it around the front of the fly, forming a collar infront of the marabou. 

Step 15: Whip finish and apply head cement.

Step 16: Using pliers or wire cutters, cut the curved part of the hook off the hook shank. (now there should be no hook point).

Step 17: Start the thread at the front of the octopus hook. tie in a short piece of marabou.

Step 18: Make a dubbing ball (it should look like an egg).

Step 19: Take a pinch of white senyos ice dubbing and slide it over the front of the octopus hook.  Make 2 wraps with the thread around the middle of the pinch of dubbing.

Step 20: slide the front half of the pinch of dubbing over the fly. Make enough wraps of thread in front of the pinch of dubbing to secure. Whip finish and apply head cement.

Step 21: pinch the end of the loop of mono and slide it through the eye of the octopus hook.  Once through the eye, pull the rest of the hook through the loop that is through the eye (the loop above the fly in this picture).

After all of these steps it is done. 

Steelhead Nymph

For lack of better name I will call this pattern the Steelhead Nymph. This pattern looks very similar to a lot of other patterns, and like those other patterns it is very affective. I have used this pattern for mainly steelhead, but have also used it for smaller bass as well as panfish and perch. To put it in simple terms, IT WORKS.

Hook: Size 8 scud hook
Thread: 210 black ultra thread
Materials: estaz, swiss straw, rubber legs, bead head, goose biots, copper wire.
Tools: scissors, vise, bobbin, whip finish tool.

Step 1: Slide the bead head onto the hook. Make a base layer of thread and secure the bead head using the thread.

Step 2: At the back of the fly tie in 2 goose biots so that they form a "V" off of the back of the fly.

Step 3: Tie in a piece of copper wire.

Step 4: Wrap the copper wire up the hook shank so it forms a swirl. Tie off the end of the wire and clip extra wire.

Step 5: tie in a piece of swiss straw

Step 6: Tie in Rubber legs on each side of the fly so they form "V's" on each side of the fly.

Step 7: Tie in a piece of estaz at the base of the swiss straw.

Step 8: Wrap the estaz toward the bead head being careful not to deform the shape or position of the rubber legs. Tie off the estaz behind the bead head and clip extra estaz.

Step 9: Pull the piece of swiss straw overtop the estaz wrappings and tie down behind the bead head. Secure and clip any extra swiss straw.

Step 10: Whip finish and apply head cement 

SW Baitfish

Not to long ago I received a package in the mail from Steve Wascher. He sent this new material called frantic tails. They are pretty sick and I do strongly recommend them to anyone tying baitfish patters. So because of Steve's sending me this material this pattern gets the name of SW Baitfish (Steve Wascher Baitfish).

Hook: Size 1 daiichi hook
Thread: 6/0 White Thread
Materials: Frantic Tail, arctic fox tail, cross cut rabbit strip, senyo's ice dubbing, cross-eyed cone head, non-lead wire.
Tools: Scissors, whip finish tool, bobbin, vise

Step 1: Slide the cone head onto the fly. Wrap a layer of wire around the hook shank and slide the wrappings toward the eye of the hook until the cone head cannot move. Wrap a base layer of thread and secure wire.

(Frantic Tail)

Step 2: At the back of the fly fold the top of the tail overtop the hook shank and secure.

Step 3: Fold the bottom of the tail up and secure

Step 4: Cut the arctic fox fur and tie the ends in just behind the midpoint of the fly (the ends of the fur should only cover a small portion of the tail).

Step 5: Repeat step 4 moving farther up the hook shank (moving towards the eye of the hook) until the thread is about 1/8 to 1/4 inch behind the cone head.

Step 6: Tie in a strip of cross cut rabbit fur and rap it around the hook shank, forming a collar, until it reaches the back of the cone head. Tie off and cut the excess rabbit strip. 

Step 7: Take a big pinch of Senyos ice dubbing and slide it over the front of the fly. Make two wraps with the  thread behind the cone head, securing the dubbing (the dubbing will form a collar).

Step 8: Once secured, pull the second half of the ice dubbing over the cone head to form the collar.  Secure the collar

Step 9: Whip finish and apply head cement.

Step 10: Glue the sticker eyes to the holes on the side of the cone head. Once the eyes are in place apply head cement or other clear glue overtop of the eyes to make sure they wont come loose.

Finished Pattern

Home and In Search of Chrome

Being back home for a much needed break is nice. Add a few steelhead to that and the break it is now amazing. Watching metalhead over and over again works for awhile, but after seeing what seemed like hundreds of pictures of fresh steelhead on other blogs, I needed to hookup with a few for myself.

Dad's first steelhead