Salmon/Steelhead · Steelhead · Advanced · 1 version
Tyer Recipe
Hook Size 1 stainless steel shank as the tying base with a short-shank size 2 trailer hung on 20 lb mono; the front hook is cut away at the end, 1 front shank (clipped off), size 2 trailing hook
Lite Brite dubbing (butt) Salmon pink lite brite dubbing (Small pinch)
Lite Brite dubbing (body) Steelhead pearl (Enough for a thick body)
Saddle hackle (rib) Blue saddle hackle (One feather, tied in by the tip)
Polar flash (under wing) Rainbow (A few strands, doubled)
Extreme Hair / synthetic fur (wing) Purple arctic fox (Three small clumps)
Guinea (collar) Large-eye natural (One feather)
Head cement Clear head cement (A drop on the head)
How to tie it
Mount the size 1 stainless hook as a tying base, double a length of 20 lb mono over the shank and lash it down so a size 2 short-shank hook trails off the back. Start red 3/0 thread over the mono.
Run the thread to the rear of the shank and dub a small butt of salmon pink Lite Brite.
Tie in the blue saddle hackle by the tip at the butt (tip first, so the barbs start short at the rear and get longer forward) and leave it off the back.
Spin steelhead pearl Lite Brite onto the thread and wrap a full, deliberately thick body forward; bulk here is what makes the fly push water.
Palmer the blue hackle forward over the body with six or seven open turns for a robust rib, and tie it off at the front.
Double a few strands of rainbow polar flash over the thread and tie it in as an underwing extending just past the trailing hook.
Tie in purple Extreme Hair in three small clumps (one on top, then one on each side) each extending just past the hook. Keep it sparse enough to see through.
Tie in the large-eye guinea feather by the butt, take hackle pliers and wrap a full collar in front of the wing, then tie off.
Build a heavy red head, whip finish a couple of times and add head cement.
With heavy pliers, cut the front hook off at the bend so only the trailing hook remains.