Bodkin / Patterns

Kalama Special

Salmon/Steelhead · Steelhead · Salmon · Intermediate · 1 version

Classic Recipe

  • Hook Steelhead/salmon iron, 4-10
  • Thread Black 6/0

Materials

  • Tail Red hackle fibers (small bunch)
  • Body Yellow chenille or yarn (1 strand)
  • Hackle Light badger, palmered (1)
  • Wing White bucktail or calf tail (originally polar bear) (sparse clump)

How to tie it

  1. Tie in a tail of red hackle fibers at the bend, about half a shank length long.
  2. Tie in the badger hackle by its tip at the bend, then the yellow body material.
  3. Wrap the yellow body forward in touching turns to two eye-widths behind the eye.
  4. Palmer the badger hackle forward through the body in 5-6 evenly spaced turns and tie off. The palmered hackle gives the fly a buggy pulse other hairwings lack.
  5. Tie in a sparse white wing on top, reaching the tail tip.
  6. Build a neat head, whip finish, and cement.

Tying videos

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