These will be the first steelhead fly patterns that I have tied since 1975, when I traveled up to Vancouver Island to fly fish for these sought after seagoing Trout.I will begin by tying four of each pattern – maybe more if I decide to vary sizes . A lot has changed since then and the runs have been drastically reduced and these fish along with many of the great Salmon runs are in peril. The causes are many and will not be documented here…This particular post has taken way too long to finish… I have a series of mostly photographic posts coming up shortly…
Completed box of traditional Steelhead Fly Patterns…
Home base… while Ally goes here to get her degree in Veterinary Medicine…
Traveling down to Lewiston, Idaho and the Clearwater River…
Coming down the grade ( Lewiston Hill )…
Traveling East along the Clearwater River towards Orofino, ID…
A right turn towards Peck, ID…
…and The Red Shed Fly Shop…I have never seen so much great stuff squished into such a small space…
So I was advised to purchase this book about the wonderful rivers in the area – The Clearwater, Grande Ronde, Salmon and Snake rivers and their tributaries. Inside one finds history, the names and bios of folks who pioneered steelhead fishing in these locations, their stories and tips, fly patterns that they used and the evolution of rods and equipment. This book is just a great read !!! Many of the first patterns I am tying will come from it, with a few variants of my own…
A pull-off, along the road, next to the Clearwater River…
GREEN SKUNK BUTT VARIANT…
HOOK: Daiichi 2441, #6
THREAD: Danville 6/0, Black
TAIL: Fl. Orange Hackle
DUBBING BALL BUTT: Chartreuse Ice Dub
ABDOMEN: Medium Black Chenille
RIB: Silver Tinsel
WING: Fl. White Buck Tail
HACKLE: Schlappen feather, Black
Materials – GREEN SKUNK BUTT VARIANT…
GREEN SKUNK BUTTs…
One of the most popular steelhead patterns ever developed. Designed by Dan Callaghan, the green butt was added sometime after 1950. I would venture a guess that one still finds these in a majority of PNW steelhead fly shops…
The Clearwater River at a boat ramp…
GREEN ANT (Two Variants) Black Hackle / Grizzly Hackle – Alec Jackson Steelhead Irons #7 …
Materials – GREEN ANT…* The Chartreuse Ice Dub isn’t supposed to be there…
GREEN ANTs…
The Green Ant is a variant:
HOOK: Alec Jackson Steelhead Irons, #7
THREAD: Danville 6/0, Black
TAIL: GoldenPheasant Tippet
BUTT: UV2 Peacock herls (3) – Natural
UNDER ABDOMEN: UTC 70 Denier Fl. White Thread
ABDOMEN: Datum Glo Brite Floss, Chartreuse
WING: Natural Squirrel Tail
HACKLE: WEbby Grizzly Hackle
The Clearwater River towards Lewiston, ID from Peck, ID…
SEAL-X ICE (Nightmare Red) & CDL …
HOOK: Alec Jackson Steelhead Irons #7
THREAD: Danville 6/0, Black
TAG: Silver Tinsel
UNDER ABDOMEN: UTC 70 Denier Fl. White thread
OVER ABDOMEN: Seal-X Ice, Nightmare Red
AT THORAX: * -tie in UTC 70 Denier Fl. Orange thread to complete fly
HACKLE: Coq De Leon (Whiting) a bit heavy
Materials SEAL-X ICE (Nightmare Red) & CDL…
SEAL-X ICE (Nightmare Red) & CDLs…
Simple, with a hackling I have not used before…
Closer to Lewiston…
MELLOW YELLOW …
HOOK: Daiichi 2441, #6
THREAD: Danville 6/0, Black
TAG: Silver Tinsel
UNDER ABDOMEN: UTC 70 Denier Fl. White Floss
BUTT: Yellow Floss
TAIL: Yellow Mallard Flank *– not pictured in materials
REAR COLLAR: UV2 Peacock Herl, dyed Black – 2 herls
ABDOMEN: Yellow Floss
RIB: Silver Tinsel
THORAX: Firestar Dubbing, Caddis Green
WING: Yellow BuckTail
Hackle: Strung Chinese Saddle Hackle, Yellow
Materials MELLOW YELLOW…
MELLOW YELLOWs…
Something for stained and off color water…
Long shot of the Clearwater River…
The North 40 Store in Lewiston in which a Fly Shop is located…about 1/6th. the size of Bob Marriott’s in L.A. …
A box in progress…
ORANGE & BLACK…
HOOK: Alec Jackson Steelhead Irons, #7
THREAD: Danville 6/0, Black
TAG: Silver Tinsel
ABDOMEN: Uni Floss, Black
RIB: Silver Tinsel
WING: Batch of strung Marabou, Fl. Orange, cut short
HACKLE: Fl. Orange Saddle Hackle…the package in the photo is from 1974
Materials ORANGE & BLACK…
ORANGE & BLACKs…
This pattern was favored by Jake Gulke who frequented the Grande Ronde …in the days when there were monumental runs of fish…
UV2 SEAL-X PURPLE PERIL …
HOOK: Daiichi 2421, #6
THREAD: Danville 6/0, Black
TAG: Silver Tinsel
TAIL: Purple Saddle Hackle
ABDOMEN: UV2 Purple Seal-X
RIB: Silver Tinsel
WING: Buck Tail dyed Fl. White
Hackle: Purple Saddle Hackles
Materials UV2 SEAL-X PURPLE PERIL…
UV2 SEAL-X PURPLE PERILs…
The Purple Peril was developed by George McLeod from the Seattle area before World War II. It is considered one of the classic PNW steelhead fly patterns
“BEATS ME” …
HOOK: Alec Jackson Steelhead Iron, #5
THREAD: Danville 6/0, Red
TAG: Silver Tinsel
TAIL: Golden Pheasant Crest
UNDER ABDOMEN: UTC 70 Denier Fl. White thread
OVER ABDOMEN: UTC 70 Denier Fl. Cerise thread
RIB: Silver Tinsel
THORAX: Medium Black Chenille
UNDER WING: 6-8 strands UV Pearl Krystal Flash
OVER WING: Fox SquirrelTail
HACKLE: Webby Grizzly
Materials “BEATS ME”…
“BEATS MEs”…
Bill Alspach, who resided in Pullman, WA until his death in 1997, designed and used this fly pattern. He was asked by a fellow steelheader about the fly he was using and that’s how the name came about. I would have loved to have fished with this guy…
ALLY’S MOSCOW MULE …
HOOK: Alec Jackson Steelhead Iron, #7
THREAD: Danville 6/0, Black
TAG: Oval Copper Tinsel
TAIL: Golden Pheasant Crest
UNDER ABDOMEN: Base of UTC 70 Denier Fl. White thread
OVER ABDOMEN: Copper Brown Floss… that came on a wooden spool that I purchased somewhere in the mid 70’s… 🙂
RIB: Oval Copper Tinsel
UNDER WING: 6-8 strands of UV Pearl Krystal Flash
OVER WING: Squirrel Tail, Natural
Hackle: Yellow Strung Chinese Saddle Hackle
Materials ALLY’S MOSCOW MULE…
ALLY’S MOSCOW MULEs…
I love this color…named after my daughter Ally and the famous drink which originated at the Cock N’ Bull restaurant on Sunset Blvd. in West Hollywood before I was born…
HARBINGER …
HOOK: Daiichi 2050, #7
THREAD: Danville 6/0, Black
TAG: Silver Tinsel
TAIL: Golden Pheasant Crest
UNDER ABDOMEN: UTC 70 Denier Fl. White Floss
OVER ABDOMEN: Uni Chartreuse Floss
RIB: Silver Tinsel
THORAX: UV2 Peacock – Natural – 3 herls
WING: Chartreuse Buck Tail
HACKLE: Chartreuse Strung Chinese Saddle Hackle
Materials HARBINGER…
HARBINGERs…
I like CHARTREUSE…
UV2 PURPLE AND BLUE COPPER DOC …
HOOK: Alec Jackson Steelhead Iron, #5
THREAD: Danville 6/0, Red
TAG: Embossed Copper Tinsel – Veevus
TAIL: Dyed Purple Golden Pheasant Crest
ABDOMEN: Uni Doctor Blue Floss over a base of UTC 70Denier Fl. White thread
RIB: Copper Embossed Tinsel – Veevus
THORAX: UV2 Dyed Purple Peacock – 3 strands of herl
UNDER WING: UV pearl Krystal Flash – 6-8 strands
OVER WING: Black Buck Tail
HACKLE: Purple Wooly Bugger Saddle Hackle
Materials UV2 PURPLE AND BLUE COPPER DOC…
UV2 PURPLE AND BLUE COPPER DOCs…
My favorite colors …
BOX – DOUBLED UP…
BRIGHT UNNAMED FLY…
HOOK: Rick Miller/Variant – Daiichi 2050, #5
THREAD: Danville 6/0, Black
TAG: Silver Tinsel
TAIL: Yellow Hackle topped with Mallard Flank dyed Woodduck
ABDOMEN: Fine Lt. Orange Chenille
RIB: Silver Tinsel
WING: Yellow Bucktail
CHEEKS: Golden Pheasant Tippet
HACKLE: Yellow Strung Chinese Saddle Hackle
Materials BRIGHT UNNAMED FLY…
BRIGHT UNNAMED FLYs…
Rick Miller was one of the first steelhead fly fisherman who started fishing the Grande Ronde in 1948. It’s fair to say that he was one of the first fly fisherman to catch a steelhead on a fly in that river…If he were alive today, he would be 99 years old…
PRINCETON TIGER VARIANT …
HOOK: Daiichi 2421, #2
THREAD: Danville 6/0, Black
TAG: Silver Tinsel
TAIL: Hot Orange Saddle Hackle
ABDOMEN: UV2 Seal-X, Black
RIB: Silver Tinsel
UNDER WING: 8 strands UV Pearl Krystal Flash
OVER WING: Yellow Bucktail
HACKLE: Schlappen Feather, Black
Materials PRINCETON TIGER VARIANT…
PRINCETON TIGER VARIANTs…
” This fly was introduced and popularized by Eddie Ward as he fished the Clearwater River back in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. He was a graduate of Princeton so he used the college colors, orange and black and the athletic teams’, Tigers, to name the fly. It proved to be a very successful fly to lure big steelhead on the Clearwater.”...HERE
FALL FAVORITE – Silvius/Variant …
HOOK: Alec Jackson Steelhead Iron, #3
THREAD: Danville 6/0, Red
TAG: Silver Tinsel
TAIL: Red Hackle Fibers
ABDOMEN: Medium Silver Tinsel
RIB: Oval Silver Tinsel * – Coat with Zap-a-Gap to lock in place
UNDER WING: Mix 4 strands each – Grizzly Krystal Flash (Black/Red) – Crystal Mirror Flash – Cascade Crest Tool Co.
OVER WING: Red Bucktail
Materials FALL FAVORITE…
FALL FAVORITEs…
This pattern is a steelhead classic pattern. More on it’s history may be found HERE- FALL FAVORITE.
COPPER COLONEL / Variant …
HOOK:Alec Jackson Steelhead Iron, #5
THREAD: Danville 6/0, Black
TAG: Embossed Copper Tinsel – Veevus
ABDOMEN: Medium Copper Brown/Pearl tinsel Chenille
UNDER WING: 6-8 strands Crystal Mirror Flash – Cascade Crest Tool Co.
OVER WING: Sparse Black Bucktail
HACKLE: Black Schlappen feather
Materials COPPER COLONEL / Variant..
COPPER COLONEL / Variants…
A Duke Parkening pattern that was brought from California to catch Steelhead on the Clearwater River in the 60’s…
SILVER,GOLD N’ SQUIRREL…
HOOK: Alec Jackson Steelhead Iron, #3
THREAD: Danville 6/0, Black
TAG: Flat Gold Tinsel
TAIL: Golden Pheasant Crest
ABDOMEN: Flat Silver Tinsel
RIB: Veevus French Tinsel. Gold *– coat with Zap-a-Gap to lock the rib in place
HACKLE: * – not shown – Webby Grizzly Hackle
WING: Fox Squirrel Tail
Materials SILVER,GOLD N’ SQUIRREL…
SILVER,GOLD N’ SQUIRRELs…
Going all out on bright and flashy…
UV2 PINK BUTT AND PURPLE…
HOOK: Daiichi 2441, 1/0
THREAD: UTC 70 Denier, Fl. White – Under Abdomen / Danville 6/0, Black – Thorax forward
TAG: Flat Silver Tinsel
TAIL: Dyed Golden Pheasant Tippet, Red
BUTT: Dyed UV2 Peacock Herl, Pink, 3 strands
ABDOMEN: Purple Uni Floss
RIB: Flat Silver Tinsel
HACKLE: Strung Chinese Saddle Hackle, Bright Purple
WING: Large Northern Bucktail, Purple
Materials UV2 PINK BUTT AND PURPLE…
UV2 PINK BUTT AND PURPLEs…
Purple is a color that is considered de rigueur for steelhead patterns. The last color to disappear at depth. So this is one of those in a classic style…
CHARTREUSE D- PURPLE …
HOOK:Alec Jackson Steelhead Iron, #5
THREAD: UTC 70 Denier, Fl. White – Under Abdomen / Danville 6/0, Black – Thorax forward
TAG: Flat Silver Tinsel
ABDOMEN: Chartreuse Spooled Antron
RIB: Purple Medium D-Rib
WING: Back Deer Belly
HACKLE: Black Schlappen Feather
Materials CHARTREUSE D- PURPLE…
CHARTREUSE D- PURPLEs…
So…I wanted something different, in chartreuse which is one of my favorite attractor colors…this was it…
COPPER KING …
HOOK: Daiichi 2051, # 5
THREAD: UTC 70 Denier, Fl. White – Under Abdomen / Danville 6/0, Black – Thorax forward
TAG: Flat Copper Tinsel
TAIL: Golden Pheasant Crest
ABDOMEN: Spooled Gold Antron
RIB: Embossed Copper Veevus Tinsel
HACKLE: Black Schlappen Feather
WING: Grey Squirrel Tail (Natural)
Materials COPPER KING…
COPPER KINGs…
A bright, shimmering pattern for off colored water…
GREEN LANTERN …
HOOK: Daiichi 2051 or Alec Jackson Steelhead Iron, #5
THREAD: Danville 6/0, Black
TAG: Veevus Flat Silver Tinsel
TAIL: Natural Black Squirrel
UNDER ABDOMEN: Veevus Flat Silver Tinsel
OVER ABDOMEN: Thin strip of Edgebrite Fl. Green
HACKLE: Black Schlappen feather
UNDER WING: 2 Midge Mirage Opal, 2 Midge Flash Chartreuse strips
WING: Black Deer Belly
Materials GREEN LANTERN
GREEN LANTERNs…
This pattern was a favorite of Craig Lannigan, from Lewiston, Idaho who was one of the finest steelhead fly fishermen in the area, on the Clearwater River …
Almost completed box…
LEPRECHAUN …
HOOK: Alec Jackson Steelhead Iron, #5
THREAD: Danville 6/0, Black – Thorax forward / UTC 70 Denier Fl. White – Under Abdomen
TAG: Gold Tinsel
TAIL: Chartreuse hackle
RIB: Veevus French tinsel, Gold
ABDOMEN: Dark Green spooled Antron *- over UTC 70 Denier Fl. White thread
HACKLE: Chartreuse Strung Chinese Saddle Hackle
WING: Grey Squirrel Tail (Natural)
Materials LEPRECHAUN…
LEPRECHAUNs…
Something in dark green …
Next: A day on the Grande Ronde…
PT/TB
PLANETTROUT: Fly Fishing, Fly Tying and LIFE
