Monday, December 8, 2025

Orleans Barber


Orleans Barber

Hook - Single salmon

Thread - Black

Tail - Barred wood duck

Body - Red chenille

Hackle - Grizzly

Steelhead Fly Fishing & Flies - Trey Combs

Sunday, December 7, 2025

Protein (buck)


Protein (buck)

Hook - Single salmon

Thread - Red

Tail - Red hackle fibers

Body - Orange chenille

Wing - Black squirrel tail

Steelhead Flies of Edward L Hass - Art of Angling Journal - Winter 2001

Orange Carey

Orange Carey 

Hook - Single salmon

Thread - Black

Tip - Yellow floss

Tail - Narrow red duck quill section

Ribbing - Oval silver tinsel

Body - Dubbed with yellow lamb's wool

Hackle - Grizzly tied on as a collar and tied back and down

Wing - Orange bucktail tied over the body

Cheeks - Short white goose quill section tied in at each side

Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art - Terry Hellekson

Saturday, December 6, 2025

Orange Demon

Orange Demon 

Hook - Single salmon

Thread - Black

Tail - Fluorescent orange hackle barbs

Ribbing - Oval gold tinsel

Body - Dubbed with fluorescent orange rabbit fur

Hackle - Fluorescent orange tied on as a collar and tied back and down

Wing - Dyed black deer hair tied over the body

Author's Note

This fly was taken from an original pattern of Jim Pray's that was never fully developed. This fly is also tied with a fluorescent green body, yet it is referred to as an Orange Demon variation.

Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art - Terry Hellekson

Professor

Professor

Hook - Single salmon

Thread - Black

Tip - Flat gold tinsel

Tail - Amherst pheasant crest feather

Ribbing - Flat gold tinsel

Body - Dubbed with yellow lamb's wool

Hackle - Brown tied on as a collar and tied back and down

Wing - Gray squirrel tail tied over the body

Author's Note

This is a steelhead variation of an old Scottish wet-fly pattern that dates back to about 1830.

Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art - Terry Hellekson

Tuesday, December 2, 2025

McClain's Fancy

McClain's Fancy 

Hook - Single salmon

Thread - Brown

Tail - Coastal blacktail deer hair

Ribbing - Single strand of brown yarn

Body - Dubbed with yellow lamb's wool

Wing - Coastal blacktail deer hair tied over the body

Author's Note

Don McClain of Portland, Oregon, originated this pattern for summer-run fish. This fly should be sparsely dressed and fished with a floating line in the surface film.

Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art  - Terry Hellekson

Feather Merchant

Feather Merchant

Hooks - Single salmon

Thread - Black

Tail - Golden pheasant tippet barbs

Butt - Dubbed with red lamb's wool

Ribbing - Oval silver tinsel over peacock only

Body - Peacock herl

Hackle: Orange tied on as a collar and tied back and down

Wing - Red calf tail tied over the body

Cheeks - Jungle cock eyes or substitute

Author's Note

Ted Trueblood originated this fly in the early I 960s as a tribute to Wayne "Buz" Buszek and his Feather River Trading Company. The gesture proved to be more than that; many fish have since surrendered to it.

Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art - Terry Hellekson

Feather Merchant

Tail - Golden pheasant tippets

Butt - Red uni stretch

Body - Peacock herl

Throat - Orange hackle fibers

Wing - Red calf tail

Steelhead Fly Tying Manual - Tom Light & Neal Humphreys (1979)