This month I am
following through with the plan announced previously to feature local
tiers (I prefer to spell it "tyers" to distinguish it from levels or rows, but Webster doesn't agree with me)
demonstrating locally and seasonally relevant flies. If you
want to see a huge collection of nationally important flies, you should
go to the Federation of Fly Fishers website at http://www.fedflyfishers.org. I encouraged that last month, and repeat it
now. With steelhead season in full swing, I wanted to show you a new
design Dave Clark reported great success with last month. I
apologize for the distracting shadows in my pictures. The
close quarters many of us tie in make it difficult to get a background
far enough away. You might notice a similarity with
the Signal Light fly that LeRoy Hyatt tied for the LMT on September 29. The bicolor butt, although with colors
reversed, is the only common feature. Dave
was running low on Jungle Cock nails and tied some without. He
got no pulls on those without, so is a believer. You will have to
decide for yourself if they make a difference.
Hook:
Dave prefers the Saber #7055 - Classic
Steelhead/Salmon hook in size 6. (www.SureDrift.com)
Thread: black Uni-thread 8/0
Butt:
Uni-stretch 1/0, chartreuse and red
Tail:
Golden Pheasant crest, dyed red
Body:
Peacock herl and silver wire, twisted into a rope
Hackle:
black saddle hackle,
palmered
Thorax:
Peacock herl
Cheeks:
Jungle Cock "nails"
Tying Directions:
1. Pinch the
barb and dress the hook with 8/0 tying thread back to the bend.
2. Dress a butt of chartreuse Uni-stretch 1/0 followed by a second butt
of Chinese red Uni-stretch 1/0. Tie each off with tying thread.
If the black hook shows through the butt wraps you can cover the
hook first with silver tinsel before tying the Uni-stretch.
3. Tie in an up-swept tail of red dyed Golden Pheasant crest.
4.
Tie in a bunch of about 4 strands of Peacock herl and a length of
silver colored light wire. Twist both together to make a rope
5.
Wrap the Peacock rope forward to about the forward 1/3 of the hook
shank.
6. Tie in a black saddle hackle feather by its tip and fold it.
Then wrap a thorax of Peacock herl, this time twisting the
herl with the tying thread. This section of Peacock
should be over-wrapped enough to make it a substantial thickness so
that the hackle will stand out more and not be swept back onto the hook
so much in the water.
7.Palmer the black saddle hackle forward through the thorax of the fly.
8. Add small Jungle Cock nails to each side and make a small neat head. Apply head cement.
Jim Lowther
Asotin, WA
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