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.