Blog - Tie a Fly

Tie an Experimental Foam Head Steelhead Trailer Flies

Bottom Bouncing Pattern Steelhead Fly

I have been experimenting with running  a trailer fly 3 feet behind my steelhead Jigs.  The main result is that if I am using the jig they want, they will hit that before hitting a trailer.  Last time out was a tough day but I did hook a steelhead and a brown trout on the Nuke Minnow Fly shown in the picture they both got off but I am sure they were on the trailer fly.  I was running it behind experimental jigs I had low expectations for and fish hardly ever get off when hooked on a jig. The...

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Easy Rag Yarn High Water Egg

Egg Flies Steelhead Fly

Easy Rag Yarn High Water Egg

This is an extremely easy, sturdy egg tie that is very versatile in that it may be trimmed to adjust to conditions on the river.  Fluorescent accent colors may trimmed out of it to make it a more subtle, natural offering.  It uses less yarn than the popular round Glo-Bug so it is more translucent and the colors blend in an attractive way.   Generally fishermen want this for high water in large sizes #4 or #6 in bright multi-color combinations.  It may be more effective if tied in various 2 color combos with a simpler nuke egg effect.  A subtile natural color is...

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P.T. Steelhead Soft Hackle

  A Pheasant Tail soft Hackle #16, or #14 is a perhaps the best multi purpose trout Soft Hackle, or Nymph for Michigan wild trout.  For trout, I use a muskrat gray dubbing ball for the thorax and to support the very soft grouse hackle.  You could tailor the dubbing color to match a particular insect.  This Steelhead version has a peacock thorax and is usually on a #8 heavy wet fly hook.  Small natural soft hackle patterns are a good finesse presentation to steelhead in low clear water that may have been harassed with all manner of more garish offerings.  ...

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Low Down Gurgle Shrimp

Saltwater Shrimp Pattern Topwater Pattern

Low Down Gurgle Shrimp

This Gurgler variation is low on foam with the buoyancy forward and the weight behind.  It will:  A) float low, hanging vertically from the tip of its foam lip,  or B) slowly sink tail first depending on the weight of 30lb fluorocarbon bite leader and 12lb tippet dragging it down.  Here are 2 flies tied on the same hook but the second one has a wider and longer piece of the same 3mm thick foam. The pale tan foam, craft fur and rubber legs would hard to see from a seagulls point of viewed from above a light colored sand bottom, and presumably also hard...

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Shmancy Shminnow Shrimp

Saltwater Fly Shrimp Pattern

Shmancy Shminnow Shrimp

This shrimpified modification of the simple and effective Shminnow pattern is a shapely translucent fly made with basic materials and procedures.

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