Steelhead Alley Fly Tying

The Joker...

2011-12-17T08:45:00.000-08:00

A good fly to swing for winter steelhead on Lake Erie Tributaries.

Step #1: Slide a #0 nickel Indiana blade into the loop of a 35mm articulated shank. Attach black Uni thread and close off the loop with several thread wraps. Take a 4 inch piece of Fire Line fold it in half, and thread the loop through the hook eye. Open the fire line loop and pull it over the hook bend to form your connection. Attach the Fire Line to the shank with several thread wraps, and apply a drop of super glue. Your hook eye should be roughly 1.5 inch away from the shank loop when finished. Bring your thread toward the eye of the shank and attach bead chain to the bottom of the shank with several thread wraps. Be sure to leave roughly 1/8 of an inch between the bead chain and the eye of the shank. When finished return to the rear of the shank.

Step#2: Center tie in a small clump of UV black ice dubbing, and secure 5 purple/green rubber legs on each side of ice dub. Add a second small clump of dubbing in front of the rubber legs and pull out any loose material.

Step#3: Tie in a 3 inch piece of UV purple polar chenille, and dub a thin body on the shank with UV black ice dubbing. Palmer the polar chenille toward the front of the shank, making sure the fibers all lay toward the rear of the shank.

Step#4: To build the wing, tie in 4-6 pieces of green lady Amherst tail feather, then 10 feathers of black ostrich. Tie in 10-15 strands of purple/opal mirage flashabou over the ostrich. The length of all these materials should not extend past the rear hook.

Step#5: Tie in a 5-7 inch long piece of black schlappen, and palmer toward the lead eyes.

Step#6: The second wing is built by adding 10 more black ostrich plumes. the length should match that of the first wing. Next add 7-10 strands of green lady Amherst tail feather over the ostrich feathers. Tie in 10 strands of both green and purple mirage flashabou over the top.

Step#7: Dub a small collar behind the lead eyes with UV black ice dubbing. Move your tying thread to the front of the eyes and tie in a small clump of pink ice dub on the top and chartreuse ice dubbing on the bottom. Take a wire brush and comb out all the loose fibers. Tie off and cut the thread....

Just add water....

Senyo's Gangsta Minnow- Add alittle bling to your fall steelhead streamers!

2011-09-30T10:17:00.000-07:00

A selection of Gangsta Minnows for swinging this fall.

Step #1: Take a 20mm Articulated Shank and secure it in your vice. Slide a #0 Nickel Indiana blade into the rear loop.

Step #2: Close the opening with several wraps of white 6/0 Uni Thread, and add a drop of super glue.

Step #3: Cut off a 6 inch piece of 30 pound Berkley Fire Line and fold it evenly in half. Take the loop end and thread it through the eye of a #2 Owner Mosquito Hook. Open the loop and pull the line over the hook to form the connection. This will make for easy removal if your hook needs changed.

*Note from shank eye to stinger hook eye, they length is roughly 3.5 inches

Step #4: Tie in a 3 inch piece of olive barred/white rabbit zonker strip, and 6 strands of pearl/silver polar flash.

* Note- make sure rabbit strip hide doesn't extend past the rear hook eye, this will prevent fouling.

Step #5: Tie in a a white marabou feather, making sure the fibers cover completely around the shank.

Step #6: Palmer a full collar with a single 5-7 inch natural grizzly schlappen feather.

Step #7: Over the top of the fly add 6-10 total combined strands of blue/green/copper flashabou, and 4 silver flecked white rubber legs to each side of the pattern. Rubber legs should be trimmed to 2.5 inches in length.

Step #8: Center tie in a clump of white Shaggy Dub, and the fold over the front fibers toward the rear of the fly. Place a drop of super glue at the base of the head.

Final: tie in a set of silver plastic bead eyes, tie off, and cut the thread...

Mike's Neversink Hex

2011-06-13T13:12:00.000-07:00

So...thanks to the bubble it's not exactly a purist dream but a great fly during drake and hex time for anything that is willing to come up and eat them! This is a fly I definitely do not offer commercially since anybody not named Bill Gates couldn't afford them, but it is a fun fly to tie and fish on a heavy leader! This pattern is really an adaptation of what has been my favorite northern Michigan Hex pattern to allow for the addition of the Unibobber to aid in floataion. This particular shoot was done of one with a clear Unibobber, but they also make a glow in the dark Unibobber which is pretty solid for this application.

Thread: UTC140
Hook: Tiemco 5212, size 8
Tail: Moose Body
Body: Deer Body, natural and yellow
Wings: Hen Back, Speckled Brown (natural)
Body Hackle: Ginger Hackle
Wing Hackle: Furnace Hackle
Float: Unibobber

STEP 1: With your Tiemco 5212 size 8 secured in the vice get your thread startedsomewhere around the middle of the hook shank. Grab a small clump of Moose and measure it out to be the full length of the hook, then tie it in hanging off the back of the hook. Bind it down securely with wraps back to the rear tie in point and then forward about three quarters up the shank.

STEP 2: This step will be tan deer body on top of the shank and yellow under the shank. Cut out a clump of hair and prepare by stroking out the short and guard hairs then tip stacking. Hold the hair in place so that the tips extend out just past the bend of the hook and tie in with a few firm wraps, then trim the butts and bind down. Invert the hook and repeat with yellow deer body on the underside of the shank.

STEP 3: Stroke the hairs back and hold them in place as you spiral wrap back to the rear tie in point. At the rear tie in point give yourself three or four wraps right on top of each other. At this point I usually dot the wraps with Zap a Gap.

STEP 4: Select a ginger hackle feather to be used for the body, generally between a size 12 and 14. Prepare the feather by pulling the fibers down from the tip to reveal the stem, and tie the feather in with a pair of wraps. Once the feather is secured then sprial wrap back forward over the body of the fly.

STEP 5: To complete the body you will now palmer the feather forward. Take care as you wrap forward to stroke the fibers back so you do not trap too many against the body. Once you get about three quarters of the way up the shank then tie the feather off. At this point I usually dot the wraps again with Zap a Gap.

STEP 6: Select the largest furnace hackle feather you can get off your neck and prepare it by stripping the fibers and chaff from the bottom inch of the feather. Tie it in place and palmer half a dozen wraps right next to each other, then tie off the feather and trim the excess.

STEP 7: Prepare a few hen back feathers for this step by measuring out the feather to be the length of the hook shank, and strip the rest to the quill. Once the feathers are prepared then you will figure eight them in place directly in front of the hackle from the last step. I know some that are able to do both at once, but I find it easiest to tie in each feather separately.

STEP 8: Over the wings I tie in a second furnace hackle, again as large as you can get. Once I have a few wraps tightly in place I again hit this spot with a dot of Zap A Gap to add a little durability.

STEP 9: With the deer hair and hackle tied in, clipped, and wrapped down the end result should be a small 'ramp' down towards the hook shank. Slide the Unibobber over the eye of the hook and wedge it up over those butt ends. With a few tight figure eight wraps it is now held securely in place.

STEP 10: The final step is to palmer the last hackle on an angle around the Unibobber and eye of the hook, then tie it off and whip finish.

The way this fly is constructed the fly will ride high in the film to start with, then after a bit the tail will settle in to the surface film and the front of the fly will continue to ride high. As with all Hex and Drake patterns make sure you have a short and stiff leader to keep the fly from spinning too much. Have fun with it!

If you have any questions about the pattern that were not addressed shoot me an email or find me at the Anglers Choice Flies News Feed at http://www.anglerschoiceflies.blogspot.com/.

-mike schmidt
http://www.anglerschoiceflies.com/

Senyo's Shag Nasty

2011-05-14T08:45:00.000-07:00

Step #1: Take a Mustad 3191 Size 2/0 hook and cut off at the bend. I know wadington shanks are most commonly used, but this hook style allows you to place the hook in the vice without having to tie your fly at an awkward angle, and it is an inexpensive way to tie this pattern.

Take a 6 inch piece of 30 pound standard Berkley fire Wire, and found the section in half to form a loop on one end. Thread the loop through the eye of a VMC 7356BN Drop Shot #1 hook or equivalent. Open the loop and slide the loop over the hook to form the connection. This will allow you to change hooks when needed.

The Fire Line is then secured to the top of the hook shank with about 1 inch of the loop hanging out the rear. Secure the Fire Line with several even thread wraps, and apply a thin coating of Super glue. Allow to dry.

Step #2: Attach a 1 inch long piece of medium hot pink Estaz or Cactus Chenille, and wrap tightly around the rear of the hook shank 2-3 times and secure with several thread wraps.

Step #3: Take a small clump of Chartreuse Shaggy Dub and center tie in right behind the chenille. Fold over the front section of the Shaggy Dub over the rear and secure with several thread wraps. Trim the Shaggy Dubbing of all extra long fibers.

Step #4: Attach a 4 inch long piece of silver braid at the rear. Wrap the braid toward the front of the hook shank to form an even body. I like to put a thin coat of super glue on the top of the hook shank before wrapping the body. This will speed up the tying time versus wrapping over the braid with fine wire for durability.

Step #5: Center tie in a clump of Black Shaggy Dub in front of the silver braid body, and again fold over the Shaggy Dub on top of itself, and bring the tying thread to the front with several wraps to secure the material. Trim the Shaggy Dubbing lightly of all long fibers.

Step #6: Tie in a section of Black Finn Raccoon. Make sure the fur covers all the way around the fly pattern evenly. Trim the excess away from the eye of the hook shank, and secure with several tight thread wraps.

Step #7: Place 2-3 strands of Pearl/Silver/Blue/Green Flashabou over the top of the Finn Raccoon. Tie in 12 individual strands of 3 to 4 inch natural Lady Amherst feather evenly around the Finn Raccoon.

Final Product...

Senyo's Shag Nasty is an example of another super easy and effective quick tie fly pattern for Lake Erie Steelhead!

Mike's Mufasa

2011-04-05T15:25:00.000-07:00

Mouthful of Mufasa...what a beautiful site! Since Martin gave me the prototype skulls to work with at Somerset I have been working with the Flymen Fishing Co Fish Skulls to come up with a pattern I can effectively streamer fish, and the Mufasa has been my most sucesssful articulated pattern with the Skull to date. Fished with quick jerk strips on a sinking line this fly has a great vertical action to it that really gets the fish going.

Thread: UTC140 denier, tan
Hook1: Gamagatsu B10S, size 1
Hook2: Gamagatsu SP11, size 1
Tail/top: Barred Marabou
Body1: Schlappen, tan and yellow
Body2: Ice Dub, copper
Legs: Barred Rubber
Head1: Senyo Laser Dub, dark tan and rusty brown
Head2: Fish Skull, large Coppertone
Weight: .035 lead
Eyes: 3D Epoxy, Super Pearl 1/4"
Epoxy: Clear Cure Goo, thick
Connect: Beadalon, 19 strand .018" with three size E beads

STEP 1: With your Gamagatsu SP11 size 1 in the vise get your thread started and wrapped to the back of the hook shank. Once at the rear tie in point, located above the midpoint of the hook spear, tie a single barred marabou feather hanging approximately one hook length off the back of the hook. Tightly wrap the material forward up the hook shank then return your thread to the rear tie in point.

STEP 2: Select both a tan and and a yellow schlappen feather to be tied in as the body. Grasp the feathers by their tip and stroke the fibers back so you can tie in the feathers by just the stem. The feathers should be tied in on top of each other at the rear tie in point, and with the concave side facing down.

STEP 3: Using a good amount of Ice Dub, to provide a bulky underbody, dub forward to about one eye width back on the hook. Having a properly dubbed underbody will allow the feather stems to sink down in the next step, and so protect them from teeth.

STEP 4: Taking the two schlappen feathers together, fold them and palmer the forward. Be careful as you wrap forward not to trap fibers down to the body.

STEP 5: Just behind the eyes tie in three barred rubber legs by their mid-point, so that three legs extend back down each side of the hook shank. Clip them relatively evenly so they extend about to the bend of the hook. Then tie in another barred marabou feather extending about halfway back on the tail, so as to form a nice taper.

STEP 6: With your Gamagatsu B10S size 1 hook in the vise use a 3" piece of 19 strand .018" Beadalon to attach the back hook. Make sure that the back hook is inverted, so the hook at this stage is pointing up. You will string on three size E beads to help keep the wire gap closed, resulting in less fouling of materials.

STEP 7: With the two hooks securely attached you will add a little additional weight. This weight will give the fly a little more vertical motion on retrieve and ensure that the fly rides correctly, with the front hook up. You will attach two pieces of .035 lead side by side on top of the front hook shank. They should cover about two thirds of the shank but not too close to the front where the head will be added.

STEP 8: As in step two, select both a tan and and a yellow schlappen feather to be tied in as the body. Grasp the feathers by their tip and stroke the fibers back so you can tie in the feathers by just the stem. The feathers should be tied in on top of each other at the rear tie in point, and with the concave side facing down.

STEP 9: Same as steps three and four you will now dub the underbody of Ice Dub and palmer the two feathers forward. This should reach about two thirds forward on the hook shank.

STEP 10: Again, tie in three rubber legs by the midpoint resulting in three legs down each side. Trim them about where they reach the eye of the rear hook.

STEP 11: Invert the vise and tie in a topping of Barred Marabou extending back to about the midpoint of the rear hook.

STEP 12: Pull a clump of dark tan Senyo Laser Dub from the bag then pull and stack the material so that all the fibers are in the same direction. Tie in that clump on top of the hook shank by it's mid-point and then repeat with a clump on the bottom of the hook shank. It will take doing it a few times to get the amount correct; what you are aiming for is as much as you can add and still comfortably slide the Fish Skull over it.

STEP 13: To add the appearance of gills tie in a small pinch of Rusty Brown Senyo Laser Dub on each side.

STEP 14: To assist with this step I tile the front hook up a bit in the vise. Make sure the 'heavy' side of the Fish Skull on the opposite side of the shank from the hook point so it will ride correctly, then slide the large Fish Skull directly over the eye of the hook, reversing the materials and forcing it backwards, until the eye of the hook comes through the slot. Secure the skull in place by squirting some Clear Cure Goo thick through the slot and on either side of the eye, then hit it with the light to cure it and the Fish Skull is going nowhere.

STEP 15: The final step is to add eyes. I personally do not use the eyes that come with the Skulls, instead opting for 1/4" 3D Epoxy Super Pearl eyes. Just a little dab of Loctite Gel and hold them in place until it heats up.

I have mostly used this pattern in the tan and olive variations as the heads I got when they first came out were these two colors. With seven colors of head this pattern can be altered to suit your local forage. I can say that recently I have done well fishing a variation with the black head, black marabou, black and blue schlappen....

If you have any questions about the pattern that were not addressed, please visit http://www.anglerschoiceflies.com/ or find me at the Anglers Choice Flies News Feed at http://www.anglerschoiceflies.blogspot.com/.

-mike schmidt
www.anglerschoiceflies.com

Senyo's Craft Fur Intruder

2011-03-21T14:31:00.000-07:00

Lake Erie Steelhead that took a Craft Fur Intruder.

Step #2: Attach black 6/0 Uni-Thread to the shank and wind to the rear of the hook.

Step #3: Take a 6 inch piece of 30 pound standard Berkley fire Wire, and found the section in half to form a loop on one end. Thread the loop through the eye of a VMC 7356BN Drop Shot #1 hook or equivalent. Open the loop and slide the loop over the hook to form the connection. This will allow you to change hooks when needed.

Step #4: Center tie in a medium sized clump of Senyo's Black Laser Dubbing. Fold the dubbing over and bring your thread to the front of the laser dubbing.

Step #5: Using Hareline's Black Select Craft Fur, take a small clump between your thumb and pointer finger and cut off the fur as close as possible to the fake hide. Place the Craft fur on top of the hook shank and secure it with a few thread wraps. Use your free hand and twist the craft fur around the hook shank, so that it evenly coats all the way around. Secure the craft fur and trim off excess or cover evenly over with tying thread.

Step #6: Take 8-10 individual stands of Chartreuse Lady Amherst feather, and secure them evenly all the way around the craft fur wing. You can palmer Lady Amherst feather around craft fur in you want too. When you look at a center section of Lady Amherst you want the shorter feathers for the rear wing, and the longer feathers for the front wing on this particular pattern.

Step #7: Using Black Senyo's Laser Dubbing form a thin even body toward the eye of the hook.

Step #8: Center tie in a clump of Senyo's Black Laser Dubbing and fold the material over on to itself. Bring your fly tying thread to the front of the material.

Step #9: Apply another generous clump of Hareline's Black Select Craft Fur in front of the dubbing. Again using your free hand, spin or twist the craft fur around the shank evenly.

Step #10: Take 8-10 individual strands of Chartreuse Lady Amherst Feathers and tie then evenly around the entire craft fur wing.

Step #11: Add 2 strands of Magnum Green and Black Flashabou over the top wing.

Final: Center tie a small clump of Hareline's Chartreuse Ice dubbing, create a small thread head in the front and tie off!

This has been a very effective fly pattern for stained water and higher flows on PA's Elk Creek for steelhead. Many color combinations can be created for this simple but effective pattern.

McCrae's Mohawk Bugger

2011-03-19T18:07:00.000-07:00

I got a call from Greg this morning asking me to do this step-by-step breakdown of the woolly bugger that he mentioned on the SAO blog the other day. The first question he asked was "Do you have a name for it?" "Sure", I said - "it's the white woolly bugger with blue and chartreuse dubbing." I guess this wasn't satisfactory, so after a few minutes we settled on the "Mohawk Bugger."

I should also start by saying that in my opinion, very few flies out there are truly original. Most are inspired by other patterns, with an added step or two, and a different, catchy name. This woolly bugger is no different.

I used to spend a lot of time tying flies in the attic of a local fly shop that is no longer in business. In that attic I watched a few guys who were far better tyers than I crank out a lot of bugs to fill their boxes. One night up there, after a bunch of Budweisers (and possibly some bourbon), a white woolly bugger tied with blue flashbou, pearl body brite, and a mallard flank collar came off someone's vice. Just about every bugger I've tied for steelhead since then has been some variation of that original pattern.

The Mohawk Bugger

Hook: Daiichi 2220 or 1750 Size 6-10
Bead: 5/32 Gold
Threat: Red Uni 6/0
Tail: Marabou
Body: Ice Dubbing and Palmered Body Brite
Wing: Chartreuse and Blue Senyo's Laser Dub
Collar: Saddle Hackle

Step 1 - Getting started: Thread bead on hook, lay down thread base, and tie in marabou tail.

Step 2 - Creating the body: Tie in section of pearl Body Brite, dub the length of the hook with pearl ice dubbing. Palmer body material forward stopping just short of the bead.

Step 3 - the "mohawk": Tie in a clump of chartreuse and blue dubbing and secure. Push dubbing toward the bend of the hook so that it lies like the picture above.

Step 4 - the collar: Tie in a saddle hackle, wrap a few times, and secure. Whip finish, then fish.

This fly fishes well in a variety of water conditions, and is best when dead drifted under an indicator. At the end of your drift allow the fly to swing briefly at the end of your drift. As the fly swings upward off the bottom it can trigger a feeding response from steelhead which results in some incredible strikes. For swinging or fishing the beaches, consider upsizing the fly.

Any questions on this fly or the step-by-step tutorial can be directed to Brett McCrae who can be reached at brett.mccrae@gmail.com .

Wiley's Suspender Minner

2011-03-11T07:45:00.000-08:00

Hook: Gamakatsu SP11 #2
Thread: 6/0 Uni-Thread
Tail: Schlappen Feather
Body: Ice Dubbing, Polar Chenille
Flash: Holographic Flashabou
Collar: Mallard Flank Feather

Step 1: Start by placing a Gamakatsu SP11 #2 In the vise. Wrap a layer of 6/0 Uni-Thread back to just before the hook point.

Step 2: Secure two schlappen feathers on either side of the hook shank.

Step 3: Place a small clump of buck tail on either side of the hook shank and secure right on top of point were the schlappen was tied in. This help hold the schlappen from crossing each other.

Step 4: Next, tie in a strand of UV Polar Chenille. Then dub some Ice Dubbing on the thread.

Step 5: Dub the Ice to about ¼” from the eye of the hook. Then wrap the Chenille to the same point, secure and cut the excess.

Step 6: Tie in a mallard flank feather at the same point the chenille was tied off at.

Step 7: Wrap the feather forward two to three times, tie off and cut excess.

Step 8: Next tie in a large clump of buck tail reverse style. Measure the clump so that the tips will extend just past the bend of the hook when folded back.

Step 9: Once the buck tail is folded back secure it with a few strong wraps.

Step 10: Next, take four to six strains of flashabou double over and secure on top of the fly. Wrap a nice bullet head, whip finish, cut thread off and glue. You can also place some eyes on at this time as well.

I came up with this pattern a few years ago when I was dealing with low waters on the Huron River. The whole concept was to make this fly with as few materials as possible and still have it still hold a bait fish profile. I wanted it to be weightless so I could throw it in to the shallow waters at that time. I have since found that this fly has much more uses than just a go to low water fly. The sparse and buoyant materials make for a fly with lots of movement when fished on a weighted fly line. Also this fly will almost suspend perfectly in the water column when you need a more wounded bait fish action. This fly has earned a permanent place in my fly box for smallmouth bass, trout, pike and anything else that crushes minnow. Tie one on and get bent!

Aaron guides for Schultz outfitters in Ann Arbor Michigan. If you have any questions e-mail him, aaron@schultzoutfitters.com, or check out schultzoutfitters.com

Wiley's Velvet Touch

2011-03-02T05:44:00.000-08:00

Wiley's Velvet Touch

Hook: Gamakatsu SP11 #8

Thread: GSP 100

Head: Small cone head

Collar: Schlappin

Body: Rabbit strip, Ice dubbing and Ice fur

Tail: Rabbit strip

Flash: Flashabou

Step 1- Start out buy sliding a small cone head on to the hook. Then wrap the thread from the hook eye to the bend of the hook.

Step 2- Tye in a rabbit strip. Leaving enough of a tag in order to extend the rabbit strip to the cone head later.

Step 3- Dub a tapered body from the bend of the hook to 3/4th of the way up the hook shank.

Step 4- Were you ended the dubbing, tie in two clumps of ice fur on either side of the body. The clumps should extend to just beyond the hook point.

Step 5- Now pull the rest of the rabbit strip forward and tie it off just in front of the dubbing.

Step 6- Next tie in 6 to 8 strands of Flashabou. I always like to add red in to what ever color combo I'm doing.

Step 7- Tye in a schlappin feather at the tip of the feather.

Step 8- Fold and wrap the schlappin feather forward to the cone head. Tye off, glue and put it in the box.

This fly is an old favorite for me. It's one of those I've had in the fly box for years and just keeps evolving with new materials and situations. This pattern can be made in any color that you can think of and in any size hook. Trout, bass, steelhead and salmon have all fallen victim to this pattern. This is one pattern that has become a staple in my box no matter the species I'm going for.

Happy cliant with a Velvit Touched Smallie

Aaron guides for Schultz outfitters in Ann Arbor Michigan. If you have any questions e-mail him,aaron@schultzoutfitters.com, or check out schultzoutfitters.com

Mike's Voodoo Squatch

2011-02-21T12:33:00.000-08:00

Thread: UTC140 denier, tan
Hook1: Gamagatsu B10S size 2/0
Hook2: Daiichi 2141 size 1
Tail: Marabou, tan
Body1: Marabou, tan and yellow
Body2: Bucktail, tan and yellow
Flash: Magnum Holographic Flashabou, yellow
Head: Senyo Laser Dub, rusty bronze and dark tan
Eyes: 3D Epoxy, Super Pearl 1/2"
Connection: Beadalon, 19 strand .018"

Alternative color combinations: All black, olive over tan, green over orange, red over white

STEP 1: With your Daiichi 2141 size 1 in the vise get your thread started and wrapped to the back of the hook shank. Once at the rear tie in point, located above the midpoint of the hook spear, tie a single marabou feather hanging approximately one hook length off the back of the hook. Tightly wrap the material forward about two thirds of the hook shank then return your thread to the mid-point of the shank.

STEP 2: Tie in three strands of Holographic Flashabou in the middle of the strands then fold them back over and tie them securely down, resulting in six strands hanging off the back of the hook. Tying the Flashabou in by the middle prevents the material from slipping out. The Holographic flashabou should be trimmed to be approximately the length of the marabou tail.

STEP 3: Advance your thread forward towards the eye. About one eye width back on the shank tie in a single tan marabou feather on top of the hook shank and one yellow below. The feathers should be tied in so that the tips taper down towards the tail. Once tied in go ahead and cut off the butt ends of the marabou and create a smooth thread head.

STEP 4: Place the Gamagatsu B10S size 2/0 in the vise and attach the rear hook using Beadalon. For this fly it will be approximately three inches of 19 strand .018" Beadalon threaded through the eye of the rear hook and use three size E glass beads to keep the loop closed. Tie under maximum pressure from the rear to the front and back, then tie the fly. If done under maximum pressure with good coverage no further action is needed to secure the hooks.

STEP 5: About half way forward on the front hook shank tie in a single tan marabou feather on top of the hook shank and one yellow below. The feathers should be tied in so that the tips taper down about mid way through the marabou on the back hook. Tying the feathers in like this give the fly a nice tapered profile.

STEP 6: Again tie in three strands of Holographic Flashabou in the middle of the strands then fold them back over and tie them securely down, resulting in six strands hanging off the back of the hook. The Holographic flashabou on the front hook should be trimmed to taper out at about the same point as the marabou on the front hook.

STEP 7: This step involves reverse tying bucktail. Tie in a clump of tan bucktail on top of the hook shank and a clump of yellow below the hook shank, both with the tips out past the hook eye. Add a few extra tight binding wraps then reverse the hair backwards, easily done with an empty pen tube slid over the eye, and wrap down with eight to ten tight wraps.

STEP 8: Directly on top of the bucktail wraps tie in a clump of Rusty Bronze by the mid point and reverse it back over itself and brush out. Tying in the clumps here gives a nice gill effect but more importantly it serves to add some structure for the rest of the head. This stepp builds up the 'under head' so that there is a nice transition from the Laser Dub head back in to the body...maintaining a profile without gaps.

STEP 9: The head will consist of two clumps of senter tied Tan Senyo Laser Dub. Pull out a clump and work it with your fingers so that the fibers go generally the same direction. Push the clump directly over the eye of the hook then use a pair of tight wraps in the middle of the material to hold it in place. Then fold the material back over itself and secure with a few more wraps in front of it.

STEP 10: Tie in a second clump of the tan Senyo Laser Dub just behind the eye in the same manner as step9 then whip finish. These clumps should be fairly bulky as they are meant to push around enough water to really get the back of the fly doing a jig!

STEP 11: Use Loctite Gel, or similar gel glue, to apply a 1/2" 3D Epoxy eye to each side of the fly about an eye width back. Make sure to hold the eyes in place until you can feel them heating up, indicating that the chemical reaction that bonds the back of the eye to the material has taken place.

At about five and a half inches this is a fairly meaty fly. I generally fish this fly on a 6WT throwing 200gr SA Streamer Express Long. Hard jerk strips make this fly practically dance through a retrieve.

Maintaining a wet width of three quarters of an inch gives this fly a great profile from any angle.

-mike schmidt

http://www.anglerschoiceflies.com/

Back Winged Scandi Tube

2011-02-07T12:05:00.000-08:00

Tube flies are admittedly something I have not avidly pursued as long as other styles that I tie. I have of course tied up the odd bunch of tube leeches or Ice Mans over the last few years, but truthfully two things had held me back from really diving in hard and really becoming a student of the tradition and style wrapped up in tubes; cost and an adapter that does not allow the tube to spin. The cost of much of what is on the market for tube flies, both in materials and components, has been a significant barrier for me. More companies are starting to carry materials that are traditionally used on tube flies so that competition is driving costs towards the more reasonable end of the scale. As for the components, I happened upon a company out of Denmark called Pro FlyTyer that makes a very well thought out component system at a very solid price point as well as a well designed adapter that fits any vise. SCORE! That has allowed me to be able to spend my free time between orders learning the 'rules' so I can follow them for tradition sake and break them at will to push the boundaries. All I can say is that I am hooked. This first tube fly step by step from me covers a fly based on the traditional Scandi tubes.

Thread: UTC70 denier
Tube: Pro FlexiTube
Weight: Pro FlexiWeight
Body1: Finn Racoon
Body2: Schlappen
Body3: Ice Dub
Flash: Flashabou and/or Holographic Flashabou
Cheeks: Jungle Cock Eyes
Cone: Pro Soft SonicDisc

STEP 1: Start off the fly by firmly fitting the Pro FlexiTube on to your adapter or vise. In this case I have used the Pro FlexiNeedle which starts as a standard needle and transtions to a rectangular back. The shape and construction allow it to be used with any vise and firmly hold the tube so it will not spin.

STEP 2: Select the weight size you want for the fly and slide the Pro FlexiWeight on to the tube. Slide it all the way until it firmly butts against the tube transition.

STEP 3: Directly in front of the FlexiWeight tie in a clump of Finn Racoon to act as a back wing. Use a few tight wraps forward then wrap back right to the FlexiWeight to help cant the wing up just a bit.

STEP 4: Holding a schlappen feather by the tip, stroke back the fibers to give yourself a tie in point on the stem. Tie in the feather by that tie in point with a few tight wraps. This particular feather I chose is a 'IC Sub Funky Feather' from FeathersMC…John does some pretty wild dye jobs!

STEP 5: Dub in a base of Ice Dub for the shoulder of the fly. You will notice that the larger diameter of the tube, as compared to a hook shank, will increase the amount of dubbing necessary to appropriately cover the tube.

STEP 6: Fold the feather and tightly palmer it forward through the dubbing to form the shoulder; be careful not to trap fibers down as you wrap forward. This collar will give the fly some added body and help to keep the forward wing from collapsing.

STEP 7: Tie in a forward wing of Finn Racoon directly in front of the palmered schlappen. The length of the forward wing should extend all the way over the body and just past the rear wing so as to maintain a solid profile and taper.

STEP 8: Tie in some Flashabou and/or Holographic Flashabou of your choosing; I am partial to tying in three complimentary colors. Make sure that the first bunch is the longest, and each successive bunch a bit shorter to again maintain a proper taper. For this fly I chose a light purple, holographic pink and holographic cranberry.

STEP 9: For the cheeks you will tie in a Jungle Cock eye on each side of the tube. When tying this style it is imperative that you keep the materials tied in tight and the head small. The head I built up on this example would be far to big if I were not using a cone to finish off the fly.

STEP 10: I chose to cap off the front of this fly with a pink Pro Soft SonicDisc. It is a great injection molded piece that both forces water around the head as well as letting some through for even greater cavitation directly behind the cone. All the Pro cones also have a deep inner well so they can be used over a more bulky head and still be properly seated. Once the cone is seated use a razor to shave the tube down to just a millimeter or two in front of the cone.

STEP 11: To finish off the fly simply apply a flame to melt back the tube to the Pro SonicDisc. As the ProSonic disk is not metal you do have to be very careful as you melt down the tube not to melt the cone as well! The finished product will cast and swim like a charm.

If you have any questions about the pattern that were not addressed, please visit http://www.anglerschoiceflies.com/, or find me at the Anglers Choice Flies News Feed at http://www.anglerschoiceflies.blogspot.com

-mike schmidt

Wiley’s Mad Hatter

2011-01-31T06:53:00.000-08:00

Hook: Gamakatsu SP11 #2
Thread: 6/0 Uni-Thread
Eye: Medium Size Dumbbell Eye
Tail: Schlappin Feathers and Buck Tail
Body: Cross Cut Rabbit Strip
Collar: Base of Schlappin Feather
Flash: Holographic Flashabou
Legs: Sili Legs
Head: Ice Dubbing

Step 1- Start by putting a Gamakatsu SP11 #2 in the vise. Wrap a layer of 6/0 Uni-Thread on the shank.

Step 2- Attach a Medium size dumbbell eye 1/8” from the hook eye. Tie the eye on the underside of the hook shank.

Step 3- Take four Schlappin feathers and cut them about one and one half the length of the hook shank. Secure two feathers on either side of the hook.

Step 4- Tie in a small clump of buck tail on either side of the Schlappin feather. Make the buck tail about half the length of the Schlappin feathers.

Step 5- Tie in a strip of crosscut rabbit in the same area as the Schlappin and buck tail were. Wrap the rabbit forward to just before the eye, secure and cut off excess.

Step 6- Were the rabbit was tied off, tie in one of the fluffy base ends of the Schlappin that was cut off for the tail. Wrap that forward twice to the eye, secure and cut off excess.

Step 7- Now, tie in two rubber legs on each side of the fly. Tie the legs in right above the dumbbell eye.

Step 8- Now, take three to five strips of Flashabou, double them over and tie them in above the eyes as well.

Step 9- Take Ice Dubbing and dub over the area that the eyes, flash and legs were tie in at.

Step 10- Whip finish, cut thread, glue and serve to your local fish of choice.

I first started tying this fly to chase big brown trout on the Au Sable and Manistee river. It has evolved in to one of my go to patterns for smallmouth, largemouth and Pike as well. Tied in different colors this fly can be used almost anywhere to chase large predatory fish. So give this fly a try on your next trip, you may be presently surprised.
Aaron guides for Schultz outfitters in Ann Arbor Michigan. If you have any questions or would like to book a guided trip e-mail him at troutbum0112@yahoo.com or check out schultzoutfitters.com

Zuddy's Chewy Streamer (Chewbaca)

2011-01-21T14:10:00.000-08:00

The Chewbaca Streamer is definitely my most requested tutorial. I do well with this streamer pattern on my home river in early to late May for big brown trout, and sometimes rainbows as well. I have heard many stories from other fisherman telling me how Chewbaca made the day on their home river too, which is always music to my ears. I nearly always fish it on a 250 grain sinking line with a short (3ft.) flourocarbon leader of 6-8 lb. test. It is simple to tie and fun to fish. As with most streamer fishing for trout, strip it fast and eratic, working the rod tip for even more action. Many times, trout will chase it all the way to the boat before grabbing it.... making for some really exciting takes!

Step 1: Place a Daiichi # 2461 size 4 streamer hook in your vise. Sometimes I even use a size 2. Attach your thread and wind it to the bend of the hook, even with the barb. For thread, I really like the GSP 100 in white. Tie in an olive barred white zonker strip as shown.

Step 2: Dub a short body of olive Ice Dub or Senyo's Laser Dub.

Step 3: Tie off the remnant of the zonker on top of the dubbed body and clip off the excess. Many times I will top the fly with a dozen or so strands of copper flashabou the same length as the zonker strip before proceeding to the next step.

Step 4: Clip off a clump of Australian Possum from a hide and tie it in tightly as shown. Advance thread to in front of the clump.

Step 5: Tie in a large mallard flank collar (usually 4 or 5 wraps around) and wind thread tightly against the A.P. clump so the flank splays out well.

Step 6: Tie in another clump of Australian Possum, this one a little thicker than the first. Whip finish. Now go catch a toad!

For Australian Possum hides visit http://www.swingabigfly.com/

Matt Zudweg is a full time guide for Feenstra Guide Service on Michigan's Muskegon River, and also owns http://www.boneyardflygear.com/

Mike's Red Rocket

2010-12-30T18:35:00.000-08:00

With all the steelhead stuff I have been doing lately it was refreshing to sit back and tie up some Red Rockets over the last week. I suppose you could throw it at chrome, but this is a fly that was designed with chucking it at hog browns in mind. I love getting out and getting some shots at post spawn brown trout with their winter colors and temprement...they are mean and hungry!

Thread: UTC140 denier
Hooks: Gamagatsu B10S, size 1 and 2
Tail: Rabbit strip, black
Body1: Schlappen, blue
Body2: Cactus Chenille, black pearl
Body3: Marabou, black
Cheeks: Grizzly Marabou, sand
Head: Senyo Laser Dub, black
Eyes: 3D Epoxy, Super Pearl

Common color variations: black over blue, brown over yellow, olive over tan, burnt orange over black

STEP 1: With your Gamagatsu B10S size 2 in the vise get your thread started and wrapped to the back of the hook shank. Once at the rear tie in point, located above the midpoint of the hook spear, tie in 4-6 strands of Magnum Flashabou. Tie in the Flashabou by it's middle with a few tight wraps then fold it over itself and complete wrapping it down.

STEP 2: Tie in the rabbit strip off the back of the hook from the rear tie in point. The strip should hand off the back about an inch and a half or so. Once it is securely in place trim the Flashabou so that it sticks out just a bit past the rabbit.

STEP 3: At the rear tie in point you now attach a single schlappen feather by the tip and then the cactus chenille with a few tight wraps each, then advance the thread forward to the eye.

STEP 4: Wrap the cactus chenille forward to form the underbody of the fly and then palmer the schlappen forward and tie it off. Be careful as you wrap forward not to trap fibers down to the body.

STEP 5: Just behind the eye finish the back of the fly by tying in a marabou veil. The marabou tips should extend past the schlappen and about half way down the rabbit strip.

STEP 6: Place the Gamagatsu B10S size 1 hook in the vise and wrap the shank with lead. Attach the rear hook using 19 strand .018" Beadalon threaded through the eye with two size E beads as spacers. Tightly wrap edge to edge forward and back to lock the connection in place.

STEP 7: Using another 6-10 strands of Magnum Flashabou you will form a skirt off the baack of the front hook to add internal flash and help cover the junction. Tie them in by the middle on one side of the hook shank and then fold them back over themself and tie them off. They should extend about to the back of the schlappen on the rear hook.

STEP 8: Mirror Step 3, at the rear tie in point you now attach a single schlappen feather by the tip and then the cactus chenille with a few tight wraps each, then advance the thread forward to the eye.

STEP 9: Mirror Step 4, wrap the cactus chenille forward to form the underbody of the fly and then palmer the schlappen forward and tie it off. You should leave about a quarter to a third of an inch behind the eye for the remaining steps.

STEP 10: Mirror Step 5 and tie in a marabou veil. The marabou tips should extend past the schlappen and extend over the junction point.

STEP 11: Tie in two rubber legs so they come down each side of the hook shank and trim them so they extend about to the bend of the front hook.

STEP 12: Over the tie in point for the legs you will add the Grizzly Marabou cheeks. The cheeks will extend about the length of the hook shank, so just short of the rubber legs.

STEP 13: Tie in a thick head of Senyo Laser Dub. You will need to stroke the fibers so they are mostly going the same direction, slide the clump over the eye of the hook, a few wraps in the middle, then fold it back over itself and tie off behind the eye.

STEP 14: After a secure whip finish remove the thread and finish the fly by adding eyes to each side using Loctite gel. Make sure to hold the eyes in place until you feel them getting warm, which ensures they are securely bonded and will not fall off.

My favorite way to fish this fly is to use a 200gr SA Long full sinking line to get it out and then vary the retrieve strips to get a nice erratic motion as the fly is brought back in.

To order this pattern or my other patterns, or if you have any questions about the pattern that were not addressed, please visit http://www.anglerschoiceflies.com/, or find me at Anglers Choice Flies on Facebook.

Wiley's Lil' Minnow

2010-12-15T08:33:00.000-08:00

Hook: Daiichi 2546 #6
Thread: 6/0 Uni-Thread
Tail: Rabbit Strip
Body: Rabbit
Collar: Mallard Flank Feather and Rams Wool
Flash: Holographic Flashabou
Legs: Rainbow Shimmer Legs
Head: Rams Wool

Step 1: Start by placing a Daiichi 2546 #6 hook in the vise. Wrap a layer of thread back to just before the bend of the hook.

Step 2: Bring the thread to just about half way up the shank of the hook and tie in a rabbit strip.

Step 3: Next, take three strips of red and three strips of silver holographic Flashabou, double them over and tie them in at the same place that the rabbit was tied in.

Step 4: Now take three small clumps of rabbit fur.

Step 5: Tie one on each side of the hook and one on the bottom of the hook. All three are tied in at the same spot that the flash and rabbit strip are.

Step 6: Palmer a single gadwell or mallard feather to form a collar.
Step 7: Now, tie in two rubber legs on each side of the fly. For an all white fly I like to use the Rainbow Shimmer Legs.
Step 8: Next, move your thread forward to just in front of where the materials have been tied in to this point. Take four small clumps of ram’s wool and tie them in on both sides, top and bottom of the fly. Note, that the ram’s wool in this step has the tips pointing back to give a nice collar to the head of the fly.

Step 9: Now move your thread in front of the clumps that were just tied in. Take a large clump of ram’s wool and spin it around the hook and secure it in place. Wrap the thread to just in front of the wool, whip finish, glue and cut the thread off.

Final: Trim the head of the fly to a bullet shape and your ready for the water.

I first started to tie this for steelhead in the late winter. It was created to imitate the salmon fry and other minnows in the Pere Marquette and Manistee River. It has since become one of my favorite brown trout and smallmouth flies also. This fly can be tied in a number of colors to match any type of forage in the waters. So whip up a few and get it wet.

Aaron guides for Schultz outfitters in Ann Arbor, Michigan. If you have any questions e-mail me at troutbum0112@yahoo.com or check out schultzoutfitters.com

Matt Zudweg's "Wicked Leech of the Midwest"

2010-12-08T04:54:00.000-08:00

When I first began swinging flies for Steelhead, I had no idea what I was doing. In fact, looking back on it now I wouldn't even call it swinging. At that time, I would simply rig a heavy sink tip with a big bunny streamer such as a "mad pup" and back troll through a run, just like I had seen the plug fishermen do. Simple as it was, it worked. It wasn't until I began working for Feenstra Guide Service, that I truly began "swinging flies" for Steelhead. The added "swing" made this style of fishing way more fun and effective. Although swinging for Steelhead is one of the most challenging ways to hook them, the take is so awesome that it's very hard to go back to any other form of catching them. If you haven't tried it, I would highly recommend that you do. Even if it's on a single hand rod, the experience is one you won't forget. For more information on swinging for Steelhead I recommend Kevin Feenstra's latest dvd available at: http://www.swingabigfly.com/

The pattern below is one I used much of the fall season this year. It has become one of my go to patterns. I hope you will give it a try.

Step 1: Place a Daiichi 2461 Size 2 hook in your vise and attach dumbell eyes about 1/8" behind the hook eye. Wind thread to the back of the hook, even with the hook point.

Step 2: Attach a black micro rabbit strip securely to the top of the hook and wind thread forward, leaving about 1/4" before the dumbell eyes. Trim the rabbit strip so it is 1 1/2" behind the hook.

Step 3: Wind the rabbit strip forward until it reaches the thread, and tie it off, trimming the excess.

Step 4: Attach a large yellow mallard flank by the tip and trim off excess.

Step 5: Dub some pink, or hot pink Laser Dub, or Ice Dub onto the thread and wind losely up to the dumbell eyes.

Step 6: Palmer the mallard flank through the dubbing and tie off.

Step 7: Attach a large amount of Black Rainbow Polar Flash just behind the dumbell eyes, leaving it about an inch longer than the rabbit strip.

Step 8: Fold the Polar Flash over the eyes and tie the remnant to the underside of the hook. Trim it the same length as the top fibers of Polar Flash.

Step 9: Advance the thread ahead of the dumbell eyes and tie in a clump of Hot Yellow Ice Dub or Laser Dub, as you would a vail on an egg fly. That's it!

Good Luck Swinging for Steelhead!

Matt Zudweg guides for Feenstra Guide Service on Michigan's Muskegon River. He also owns BoneYard Fly Gear. To see his unique line of fishing products visit http://www.boneyardflygear.com/

Mike's GHB Sculpin

2010-11-09T18:36:00.000-08:00

Thread: UTC140
Front Hook: Daiichi 2220, size 6
Trailer Hook: Daiichi 2553, size 6
Bead: 6mm Chaser
Tail: Marabou
Flash: Magnum Holographic Flashabou
Body: Schlappen
Head1: Senyo Laser Dub
Head2: UV Ice Dub

STEP 1: Place the size 6 Daiichi 2220 firmly in the vise, then get your thread started and wrap back to the rear tie in point.

STEP 2: Prep the step by utilizing a loop to loop connection to attach the Daiichi 2553 stinger hook to a length 25lb braided Fireline, you will at this point also want to slide the 6mm chaser bead on to the line. To attach the trailer hook use tight wraps forward to the eye then back to the rear tie in point, securely binding the doubled over Fireline to the hook shank. If tied under maximum thread tension there is no need to use adhesives as there is no way this will pull out. It should extend off the back resulting in a total fly length of approximately four inches.

STEP 3: Choose a marabou feather that does not have a prominent center stem then tie it in off the rear of the hook, with the tips tapering out about at the placement of the bead. When tying in the feather allow it to spin a bit about the hook shank, thereby ensuring coverage around the entire shank. Tie the marabou down covering about three quarters of the hook shank, doing so will provide protection for the stem of the schlappen in the next step thereby alleviating the need to dub a body or wrap cactus chenille.

STEP 4: Carefully prepare a schlappen feather by holding it by the tip and stroking the fibers down to provide a tie in point on the stem. Securely attach the feather and wrap your thread forward, then palmer the feather forward approximately three quarters of the hook shank. When palmering the feather forward be careful not to trap fibers against the hook shank.

STEP 5: The most obvious flash component on this fly is the Magnum Holographic Flashabou. Tie in four to five strands extending back to about where the bead is. Make sure to taper them a bit at the rear of the fly so there is not a 'hard edge' where the Flashabou ends. Personally I like to tie in two pieces by the middle and fold it back over itself so that the flash will not pull out. The Magnum Flashabou is twice as thick as the standard variety and seems to be more stiff out of the water. In the water the Magum Flashabou swims and dances in the current similarly to the marabou, but it is less prone to wrapping around the other materials and fouling the fly.

STEP 6: The head of this fly is comprised primarily of Senyo Laser Dub. Pull out a chunk of Laser Dub and prepare it by separating and stacking it in your fingers, similar to the Farrar Blending method, to align the fibers in one direction. Once prepped you will slide the chunk of Laser Dub over the eye of the hook and give a few tight wraps in the middle of the material, then fold it back over itself and give a few tight wraps around the shank at the base of the material. This will make for a nice bulky head that will push around a lot of water.

STEP 7: The last material to be added is the second element of flash, UV Ice Dub. The UV Ice Dub adds a bit of flash around the head of the fly and, depending on what your convictions are about fish and the UV light spectrum, may actually make the fly more visible and attractive to fish! To tie it in I take a small clump and center tie it in, as I did the Laser Dub, then fold it back over itself so that it flows back around the whole front of the head. Hold the head back out of the way, whip finish, and you are all set to hit the water. If you would like to make the fly a true stinger fly then you can carefully clip the Daiichi 2220 just before the bend and then hit the raw edge with a few rubs of sandpaper to make sure there are no burrs that could knick the Fireline. Unless I am fishing regulated water requiring only one hook I generally leave both hooks on this pattern for my personal use.

Due both to the length as well as the bulk of the head, the GHB (Gotta Hot Butt) is most effective as a pattern when it swung in high and off color water. When the water flows around the bulky head of this fly it causes a lot of motion in the rear of the fly as it swings through the water column. The marabou and Flashabou will wiggle around and the bead will practically dance, truly becoming an additional trigger point for any steelhead looking for a meal.

Using the loop to loop connection for the stinger hook means that you can change the hook out to utilize a standard finish hook or to change the hook size as you deem necessary. Additionally it means you can also change the bead color to better match the water clarity and conditions.

Schultzy's Steech

2010-11-07T09:41:00.000-08:00

Schultzy's Steech: Purple with Chartreuse Ice Dub Head

Hook: Daiichi 1120, Size 6-12

Thread: 6/0 Chartreuse Uni-Thread

Tail: Purple Finn Raccoon or Arctic Fox

Flash: Purple Krystal Flash or Flashabou

Hackle: Purple Hen Saddle or Soft Hackle

Head: Chartreuse Ice Dub

Step 1: Place a Daiichi 1120, Size 6-12 or equivalent in your vise and attach 6/0 thread.

Step 2: Trim a small piece of Arctic Fox or Finn Raccoon and remove the guard hairs.

Step 3: Attach clump of Arctic Fox or Finn Raccoon to rear of hook 1 1/2 times the hook length and secure with thread wraps.

Step 4: Add 1-2 strands of Krystal Flash or Flashabou to either side of hook if desired.

Step 5: Attach a single Hen Saddle or Soft Hackle.

Step 6: Fold hackles in half. Getting your fingers wet first helps when wrapping feather. Make 2-3 wraps and tie off.

Step 7: Twist some Ice Dub onto thread and wrap around hook to create a small egg head.

Step 8: Whip finish and FISH!!!

Proven Color Combos:

Black w/ Orange Ice Dub Head

Black w/ Chartreuse Ice Dub Head

Purple w/ Pink Ice Dub Head

Purple w/ Chartreuse Ice Dub Head

Olive w/ Orange Ice Dub Head

**Schultzy's Steech will be available for the Orvis Company in 2011

Senyo's Shaggy Minnow-Emerald Shiner

2010-10-14T22:09:00.000-07:00

Senyo's Shaggy Dub Minnows

Step#1: Place a Diiachi 2141 #1 or equivalent in your vise and attach black 6/0 Uni thread. Tie in a white marabou plume roughly 1-1/2 times the length of the hook and secure with several thread wraps.

Step#2: Attach a 3 inch piece of Olive Holographic Cactus Chenille, and tie in a single Grizzly Variant Schlappen feather by the tip. Wrap the Chenille to cover the hook shank as seen above, leaving a 1/4 inch or slightly more to the front of the eye open.

Step#3: Palmer forward the Schlappen feather until the marabou butt section of the hackle forms a collar. Secure with several wraps of thread and trim away excess feather.

Step#4: Attach 4 strands each of Blue, Pearl, and Green Saltwater Flashabou over the top of the fly. The strands should extend just past the white marabou tail.

Step#5: Attach 3 Olive/Green Metallic Flake rubber legs to each side of the pattern. The rubber legs should be roughly 2 -1/2 inches long.

Step#6: Tie in a pair of Natural or Tan Grizzly Mini Marabou feathers on each side of the fly pattern over top the rubber legs. The Mini Marabou should extend back covering roughly 3/4 of the body.

When working with Senyo's Shaggy Dubbing, a dubbing loop and/or stacking the material are the best ways to build streamer heads with tons of movement. Just pull out a small clump of the material and trim the long fibers on each end to make applying the material easier. For this pattern I have blended both Olive and White Shaggy Dubbing, and both ends will be cut to eliminate the long strands before applying.

Step#7: Center the Shaggy dubbing over the top of the hook, wrap in the center of the dubbing with a loose loop of thread(similar to spinning deer hair) and slowly rotate the material around the hook as you secure the center with your thread.

Final: After you have secured the center of the Shaggy Dub, fold the dubbing fibers back over onto itself and bring your thread to the front making a few securing wraps. Apply a drop of super glue to the front of the Shaggy Dubbing and tie in a set of large plastic bead chain eyes. Here I am using a set of metallic green plastic bead chain found at the craft store during the holiday seasons. Tie off and cut the thread!

The fall Steelhead Runs of Lake Erie offer exceptional fishing with the use of larger fly patterns. When our Tributaries are at high to moderate flows and/or cruising the beaches for a meal, give patterns such as this a shot...

Robinson's Munchable Minnow

2010-09-21T18:25:00.000-07:00

Well, it's that time of year again. We are all getting excited for our favorite time of year...Steelhead season. The fresh chrome is coming in as we speak, so now seemed as good a time as any to finally get the Munchable Minnow up on the blog. Many have requested it and I apologize for the delay, but here it is. I hope you do as well with them as I do!

SAO Guide Patrick Robinson poses with his son after

a dropback hen slammed his Munchable Minnow

The Munchable Minnow can be tied in a number of different color combinations for different water conditions and/or species being targeted. This fly is deadly on our Steelhead, and equally as deadly on Bass and Pike. Tie a few up and get out there and give em' a shot.

- - - - - Creek Chub - - - - -

Hook: Daiichi 2441 - 1/0

Thread: White/Black Danville Flat Waxed Nylon

Tail: Hairline Black Barred Rabbit Strips - Crawfish Orange

Flash: Krystal Flash in Copper & Pearl

Collar: 5-7 Inch Schlappen - Orange

Head: Senyo Laser Dub - Brown,

Laser Yarn or Senyo Laser Dub - Tan

Ice Dub - Orange

Step 1: Tie in a rabbit zonker strip even with the hook point, leaving 2-3 inches for the tail. Pull Material out of the way and move the thread forward, half the distance to the eye of the hook. Palmer the remaining zonker strip forward to the halfway mark and capture. (use glue before palmering zonker to strenghten the tie)

Step 2: Tie in one piece (doubled) of copper and pearl Krystal Flash. Next, take one schlappen feather, prepare and tie in. Palmer forward 3-5 times and capture.

Step 3: Take two small clumps of Senyo Laser Dub and capture one on each side of the hook shank. Fold back the material and move the thread forward. Repeat until proper amount of material has been applied.

Step 4: Continue adding the desired material(s), starting with Laser Yarn or Senyo's Laser Dub and then switch to Ice Dub to finish the head. Be careful to comb out each layer after tying it in. Do so with a wire bristle brush. This will remove any loose material and ensure a stronger tie.

Step 5: After all the materials are tied in and the fly has been tied off with a whip finish, it is time to trim. Comb all material in the upper half up, and the material in the lower half of material down. Once this is done, trim the head materials at a 45 degree angle to the hook shank. Once trimmed comb back and give shape as seen below.

Step 6: Upon completion of trimming, comb everything back and place an eye on each side and do any touch up trimming that you may desire. Your fly is now read to hit the water.

For those of you interested in other color combos, here are the others I tie:

- - - - - Pumpkinseed - - - - -

Hook: Daiichi 2441 - 1/0
Thread: White/Black Danville Flat Waxed Nylon
Tail: Hairline Black Barred Rabbit Strips - Chartreuse
Flash: Krystal Flash in Pearl
Collar: 5-7 Inch Schlappen - Orange
Head: Laser Yarn - Yellow,
Ice Dub - UV Pink
Ice Dub - Orange
Eyes: 3/16" Silver Holographic Eyes

- - - - - Little Steelie - - - - -
Hook: Daiichi 2441 - 1/0
Thread: White/Black Danville Flat Waxed Nylon
Tail: Hairline Black Barred Rabbit Strips - Baby Blue
Flash: Krystal Flash in Pearl & Rainbow
Collar: 5-7 Inch Schlappen - Shrimp Pink
Head: Senyo's Laser Dub - Purple
Ice Dub - UV Pink
Ice Dub - Blue Steelie
Eyes: 3/16" Silver Holographic Eyes

- - - - - Sculpin - - - - -
Hook: Daiichi 2441 - 1/0
Thread: White/Black Danville Flat Waxed Nylon
Tail: Hairline Black Barred Rabbit Strips - Olive Variant
Flash: Krystal Flash in Pearl
Collar: - Large Woodduck or Dyed Mallard (Gold)
Head: Senyo's Laser Dub - Tan
Ice Dub - UV Pink
Ice Dub - Peacock Black
Eyes: 3/16" Silver Holographic Eyes

- - - - - White Lightning - - - - -
Hook: Daiichi 2441 - 1/0
Thread: White/Black Danville Flat Waxed Nylon
Tail: Hairline White Rabbit
Flash: Krystal Flash in Pearl
Collar: 5-7 Inch Schlappen - Kingfisher Blue
Head: Senyo's Laser Dub - Hot Pink
Ice Dub - UV Pearl
Eyes: 3/16" Silver Holographic Eyes

- - - - - Goby - - - - -
Hook: Daiichi 2441 - 1/0
Thread: White/Black Danville Flat Waxed Nylon
Tail: Hairline Black Barred Rabbit Strips - Medium Brown
Flash: Krystal Flash in Gold
Collar: Large Woodduck or Dyed Mallard (Gold)
Head: Senyo's Laser Dub - Tan
Ice Dub - Chartreuse
Ice Dub - Peacock
Eyes: 3/16" Silver Holographic Eyes

I hope that you find this fly to be a favorite in your fly boxes as they are for me. Now get out there and get some fresh Chrome and send us your photos to share with others.

Tight Lines and Good Ties!

Patrick "Flybum" Robinson
Head Guide
Steelhead Alley Outfitters

Mike's Reaper

2010-09-09T11:06:00.001-07:00

All right big fly fans...here you go! The Reaper is 7" of fish wrecking fury at the end of your line. I had intended to get this up for you all in time for the initial salmon run in Michigan, but low and hot water put it off so I just lost track of time. The recent rains and colder weather have fish finally moving in to the rivers so for the next couple weeks you have a chance to hook up with some seriously strong fish both in the rivers and at the mouths. With this fly you no longer have to be jealous of the gear guys throwing Thundersticks...this fly has all the size and mass they do but you can give it some seriously sexy slink in the water with the right retrieve.

Thread: UTC140 denier
Hook: Gamagatsu SL12S 8/0
Body1: Yak hair
Body2: Icelandic Sheep hair
Body3: Whiting Flatwing Saddle hackle
Flash: Flashabou
Head: Large Northern Bucktail
Eyes: 1/2" 3D Holographic Epoxy, Super Pearl

STEP 1: Start off by placing the 8/0 Gamagatsu SL12S firmly in your vise jaws, then get your thread started. No need to cover the hook shank with your thread on a pattern of this size, so simply getting your thread started towards the back of the hook is perfectly acceptable.

STEP 2: First off on this fly is the yak underbody. Tie in a chunk of yellow yak on top of the hook shank and orange on the bottom. To help add bulk it is best to tie each hunk in with a fair amount hanging off the front of the hook, then fold it back, tie it off, then trim it down to the desired shape.

STEP 3: The first round of Flashabou is then added with Pearl Yellow on top of the hook shank and Pearl Orange on bottom. Hold the flash in place for the length you wish to achieve, give a few secure thread wraps, then fold the flash back and tie it down. This allows you to waste less Flashabou as well as ensure it will not pull out.

STEP 4: The next step to add bulk to the body of the fly is to tie in the Icelandic Sheep hair. Again to assist with a larger profile you will tie in the hair hanging off the front ot the hook shank, with yellow on top and orange underneath. Seeing as delicacy is not an issue, make sure to give a good 6-10 tight wraps with both tufts of hair in place to really lock them in place. These wraps should end up at about the halfway point of the hook shank.

STEP 5: With the Icelandic Sheep Hair off the front of the hook you will now reverse the two bunches of hair backwards and secure them. As stated in the previous step you can give it a fair number of tight wraps to lock the hair in place.

STEP 6: Now for the second addition of Flashabou. As before you will take a liberal amount of yellow flash for the top and orange for the bottom. Lay it out to length on the tail, a few tight wraps in the middle, then reverse and secure with a few tight wraps. During this step you will use the thread torque, and your fingers if necessary, to ensure you have flash around the whole body of the fly.

STEP 7: Pick out a few Flatwing Saddle feathers in the appropriate colors and tie them in at a length that alllows for the correct body taper to continue as you build the fly.

STEP 8 (optional): This is an optional step to be used for those color combinations that you wish to have a dark top. For the Firetiger combination shown here I tie in a few grizzly green hackles.

STEP 9: The final material to be added to the fly is the bucktail head. Advance your thread to just behind the eye. At that point you will tie in a chunk of green bucktail on top of the hook shank and orange on the bottom of the hook shank. You will tie the hair in with the tips extending out over the eye of the hook. Make sure to give half a dozen or so good tight wraps, after each bunch it tied in, to really lock the hair in place before moving to the next step.

STEP 10: After making sure the hair is tightly secured behind the eye of the hook you will now reverse the hair backwards and tie down with 10-12 wraps. To assist you in reversing the hair it may be helpful to use a pen tube ;literally a pen with the tip and insides removed. slide the pen tube over the eye of the hook, and that will flair then reverse the hair. I usually hit this joint with Hard as Hull and then whip finish right behind the eye.

STEP 11: To finish the fly I then use Zap a Gap gel to affix a 1/2" 3D Epoxy Super Pearl to each side. If I could find bigger 3D eyes I would use them!

Whether targetting fish in the rivers or out on the main lakes this fly has the size to move some serious water and the slink to match. Tied in various color combinations you can match the fly to the current water and light conditions. I have them stocked in my box in Firetiger, Green/White, Black/Orange, Orange/White, Pink/White, Blue/White, and Blue/Orange. While this was tied up with casting for salmon in mind, it is a serious mouthful for any predator fish that may be around and looking for food. I like to throw this on my 8WT with 250 or 300gr sinking line, though on the big water you may want to go heavier both with the rod weight and the line weight.

To order this pattern or my other patterns, or if you have any questions about the pattern that were not addressed, please visit http://www.anglerschoiceflies.com/ or find me at Anglers Choice Flies on Facebook.

Matt Zudweg's "Zudbubbler"

2010-08-23T16:23:00.000-07:00

In my world, one of the best things about a warm summer is the explosive strike from a Smallmouth or Largemouth Bass to my popper. I love fishing poppers for bass, it's nearly as exciting to me as big brown trout on dry flies. The instructions below will guide you through tying my favorite popper "The Zudbubbler". When tied properly, this is one effective and durable bug. Nearly any color combination is possible, but my favorites include combinations of yellow, green, black and orange.

Step 1: Purchase some soft foam floor panels. I usually find them at Home Depot, etc. They're made for kid's rooms, they're inexpensive, and one 2'x2' panel will tie hundreds of poppers!

Step 2: Cut the foam into strips (using a razor blade) that are about 3/4" wide (this will actually be the length of the popper body). From the strip, cut bodies that are about 1/2" wide at the front, tapering to about 3/8" wide at the rear. You can see from the photo, the foam I buy has a cool texture on one side... I make this the bottom, because the texture traps air bubble's under the popper.

Step 3: Using a razor blade, trim the top of the body to a downward taper as shown.

Step 4: Using a good size bodkin, poke a hole near the bottom of the body, from front center to rear center.

Step 5: Slide the body onto a size 3/0 #2720 Daiichi Stinger hook. (do not use glue yet). Secure 3/0 Uni-Thread to the hook just behind the popper body and wind back up the hook to just behind the body.

Step 6: Secure a marabou feather on top of the hook. Color of your choice.

Step 7: Secure one barred rubber leg (folded over) to each side of the hook. Color of your choice.

Step 8: Secure a hackle feather (black schlappen shown) by the tip, then dub some Ice Dub or Senyo's Laser Dub onto the thread and wind forward leaving the right amount of room for the popper body. The color of the dubbing is not critical, although I prefer olive or black.

Step 9: Wind the hackle forward over the dubbing and secure, then wind the thread forward to the hook eye, (cover the hook completely, as this thread will be a good base for the glue used to attach the body securely to the hook). Whip finish.

Step 10: Apply a generous amount of Zap a Gap CA glue to the thread and slide the body in place. Attach doll eyes and rubber legs as shown. As you can see, I also add spots using a green or black sharpie and a red lip (with a red sharpie). Not necessary, but it looks cool:)

Many times, I will also lightly stroke a sharpie on the textured underside of the popper body, hitting just the high spots... this helps break up the solid color from the fish's point of view.

Captain Matt Zudweg guides for Feenstra Guide Service on Michigan's Muskegon River and also owns BoneYard Fly Gear. Check out his product line at http://www.boneyardflygear.com/

Vitso's Articulated Crystal Sculpin

2010-07-14T12:49:00.000-07:00

The Articulated Crystal Sculpin is a pattern I use mainly for Bass, but could easily find its way into your Steelhead fly box too. It's a very versatile fly. You can swing it, strip it fast or slow (or even somewhere in between), twitch or jig it. I've caught fish using all these methods. It has the flash to get their attention and still moves some water.

Thread: 140 Denier Olive

Front Hook: Daiichi 2220, Size 4

Rear Hook: Daiichi 2546, Size 4

Eyes: Red Painted Lead Eyes, Medium

Tail: Barred Olive Marabou, Fire Tiger Flashabou

Legs: Missouri Craw Striped Silicon Legs

Body: Lt. Olive Crystal Flash Chenille

Head: Lt. Olive Rams Wool

Hackle 1: Fl. Chartreuse Mallard Barred Flank

Hackle 2: Saddle Cree Schlappen

Jointed Connection 1: Split Ring

Jointed Connection 2: 30lb Blood Red Bleeding Leader Wire

STEP 1: Attach thread to Daiichi 2546 (size 4) and secure a clump of Barred Olive Marabou.

STEP 2: Secure 8-10 strands of Fire Tiger Flashabou on either side of the hook.

Note: If you secure 4-5 strands and then fold them over and trim, you will have a much better connection and the strands won't get pulled out.

STEP 3: Attach Crystal Flash Chenille and two rubber legs.

Note: When attaching the rubber legs, take one long strand and attach it to one side of the hook. Take the other end of the rubber leg and attach to the other side of the hook, creating a loop. This will keep your legs even and allows for better "material management" when wrapping the Crystal Flash Chenille.

STEP 4: Wrap Crystal Flash Chenille forward. Leave about a bobbin's width from your last wrap and the eye of the hook and secure. Trim rubber legs.

Note: On each wrap of the Crystal Flash Chenille, you need to pull back the strands of Chenille and continue your next wrap. This will give you more bulk and keep the strands of the Chenille from getting trapped under the wraps.

STEP 5: Secure the Fl. Chartreuse Barred Mallard Flank and bring thread to the eye of the hook.

STEP 6: Wrap the Mallard Flank forward and tie it off with a whip finish and add some head cement.

STEP 7: Attach a split ring in the eye of the hook. This is going to be the rear portion of the fly.

STEP 8: Put the Daiichi 2220 (size 4) in the vise, attach thread and wrap back to the barb of the hook. Fold a 5-6 inch piece of the Bleeding Wire in half and feed one end through the split ring (with the rear portion of the fly). With the rear of the fly hanging in the wire loop, secure the wire to the Daiichi 2220 and wrap half way up the shank.

Note: Make sure you keep the wire tag ends parallel and on top of the hook. When attaching the wire loop, leave just enough room for the split ring to wiggle without touching the hook bend.

STEP 9: Fold the wire back and secure with thread wraps back to the hook point. Trim the excess wire.

STEP 10: Use superglue to secure the wraps and wire. Let it dry before you continue.

STEP 11: Attach the lead eyes on the bottom of the hook shank (leaving space for the head) and wrap the thread back.

STEP 12: Secure the Schlappen and wrap it forward to the hook point.

STEP 13: With the Schlappen wrapped and secured, attach a piece of Fl. Chartreuse Barred Mallard Flank.

STEP 14: Wrap the Mallard Flank forward and secure.

STEP 15: As we did in STEP 3, attach the Crystal Flash Chenille and two Rubber Legs.

STEP 16: Wrap the Crystal Flash Chenille forward as we did in STEP 4 and stop at the lead eyes. Trim the Rubber Legs.

STEP 17: Attach a clump of Lt. Olive Rams Wool to the top of the fly. Let the tips of the Rams Wool go back to the split ring.

Note: Use a clump of Rams Wool that is about as thick as the width of the body of the fly.

STEP 18: Trim off the excess Rams Wool (the portion that was closest to the skin) from the top of the fly and attach in directly below the upper clump. Bring the thread wraps in front of the eyes.

STEP 19: Attach two more clumps of Rams Wool in front of the Lead Eyes (one on top and one on the bottom). Bring the thread to the eye of the hook and whip finish and seal with a little head cement.

Note: Make sure you spread some of the Rams Wool to the sides of the fly so you can't see the thread wraps. When finishing, pull the Rams Wool back from the eye of the hook and try not to get any cement on it.

STEP 20: Trim the Rams Wool to create a uniform head.

Note: Make sure you don't trim it thinner than the width of the Lead Eyes or the body.

This fly can be tied in any color combination, such as brown, black, tan or white, but the Olive has been the hot color for me this year. This fly has great movement in the water is sure to get the attention of any hungry fish!

Eirik Vitso guides for Colton Bay Outfitters in Ann Arbor, Michigan and owns and operates Vitso Images, a photography and design business.

Mike's Creek Thing

2010-07-14T10:24:00.000-07:00

Some fly patterns are designed to be a representation of a specific thing and with a specific target in mind. This fly is not one of those! This pattern was designed in the mold of the wooly bugger...kinda looks like a lot and moves water. Changing the colors used on this pattern can help to have this pattern imitate anything from rockhoppers to sculpins, minnows, or even tadpoles. The Creek Thing is one of the patterns I tie and keep in my 'ugly fly' box and use primarily in the summer months to fish warmwater drainages in search of anything that swims. More often that not this fly is being thrown at smallies, rock bass and carp though it would not be out of place in certain conditions being thrown at trout or swung for chrome.

Thread: Tan UTC140 denier
Hook: Daiichi 1530 (alt Mustad 3906) size 6
Eyes: Lead barbell, medium
Tail: SLF Flash Blend, tan
Body1: Hungarian Partridge
Body1a: (optional) Senyo Shaggy Dub, red
Body2: Senyo Laser Dub, blend of tan and brown

Alt color1: olive SLF with sculpin olive Laser Dub
Alt color2: pearl SLF with minnow belly Laser Dub

STEP 1: With your Daiichi 1530 size 6 in the vise, get your dark brown 140 denier thread started at the head and then wrap halfway back down the hook shank.

STEP 2: Using tight figure eight wraps secure a medium lead barbell eye to the top of the hook shank.

STEP 3: Off the back of the hook shank tie in a sparse clump of tan SLF Flash Blend. I try to trim it down to a taper about one and a half times the shank length.

STEP 4: At the back of the fly tie in a Hungarian Partidge feather by the tip and palmer it forward a few wraps.

(OPTIONAL) Instead of the HP you can tie in a few clumps of red Senyo Shaggy Dub to imitate bleeding gills.

STEP 5: For this color variation I prepare a bunch of mottled Senyo Laser dub by using the Farrar blending method to combine tan and brown. Then starting behind the lead eyes tie in a clump with several tight wraps in the middle and then fold the Laser Dub over itself and add a few tight wraps at the base of the material.

STEP 6: Alternate to the other side of the hook shank and repeat Step 5.

STEP 7: Continue to repeat as you move up the hook shank until you get to the eye of the hook, then whip finish and remove the thread. What you have now pretty much looks like a hairball with a tail.

STEP 8: To finish the fly tease out the Laser Dub and trim down the head to a basic wedge shape, similar to a standard sculpin head.

Note: Generally I trim each down to a basic sculpin wedge knowing that once on the water I can use my nippers to further alter the head shape if the intended imitation needs a different silhouette.

The resulting fly is easy to cast but will get down quickly. Short 2-3" strips will bring the fly back in an erratic swimming motion that will drive any hungry fish wild!

Matt Zudweg's "Zuddy's Iso Bugger"

2010-06-23T11:41:00.000-07:00

Isonychia Mayflies are abundant on my home river and the trout have been especially keyed in on them this season, as our normal Gray Drake spinner falls have been practically non-existent. This has easily become my most productive wet fly for late spring/early summer trout. I fish it using a traditional wet fly swing and give it short twitches during the entire swing. I have also found that using a poly leader (super fast sinking) makes it even more effective.

Step 1: Place a Daiichi #1110 size 12 hook in your vise, wind uni-thread 6/0 light yellow thread so it is even with the hook point. Tie in a small clump of peacock or peacock black IceDub.

Step 2: Fold the forward clump back and tie it off.

Step 3: Fold one strand of Fashabou glow in the dark yellow #6952 over the thread and tie down so it is even with the hook point and on top of the hook.

Step 4: Tie in one small brown hackle feather (with barbs no longer than 1/2") by the tip.

Step 5: Dub some peacock or peacock black IceDub onto the thread and wind forward, stopping about 1/16" behind the hook eye.

Step 6: Palmer the hackle feather forward through the body and tie off.

Step 7: Bring the Flashabou strand forward on top of the hook and tie it off behind the hook eye.

Step 8: Dub a very small amount of yellow IceDub onto the thread and form a small head (especially effective while suckers are spawning).... Or, as in the very top photo, add small bead chain eyes to the underside of the hook. Whip finish.

Matt Zudweg guides for Feenstra Guide Service on Michigan's Muskegon River and also owns BoneYard Fly Gear. You can see Matt's line of fly fishing products at www.boneyardflygear.com

Mike's Mouseketeer

2010-06-16T19:05:00.000-07:00

Back from a long trip and figured I would throw out a great big fish fly for all you night fishing junkies. It is hard to beat a heavy Drake or Hex spinner fall after dark but if the weather is windy, wet, or the hatches are simply past then what is a night fisherman to do? Well...fish a mouse pattern of course! This pattern was designed to sit low in the water with just the foam above the surface, just like a swimming mouse, and it throws a nasty fish attracting wake. Being a jointed fly allows a little extra wiggle and gives you double the business end to hook up when a big predator blows up on it in the dark!

Thread: UTC140, black
Hook: Gamagatsu B10S size 2 and 4
Tail: Round rubber legs, black
Body1: Evasote sheet foam (1/8"), black
Body2: Schlappen, black
Body3: Medium foam tube, black (optional)

STEP 1: With your Gamagatsu B10S size 4 in the vise, get your black 140 denier thread started at the head and then wrap back down the hook a few wraps to secure it in place.

STEP 2: Take three connected pieces of black round rubber legs to form the mouse tail. Tie them in hanging off the back of the hook three to four inches and finish with your thread at the rear tie in point located half way between the hook point and the barb.

STEP 3: Cut a 3/4" wide strip of 1/8" thick evasote foam. Tie in the strip of foam securely with your thread ending up back at the rear tie in point.

STEP 4: At the rear tie in point secure a black schlappen feather by the tip then palmer it forward eight to ten wraps up to the head of the rear hook.

STEP 5: Split the fibers as evenly as you can down the hook shank and then pull the foam strip forward to the eye. Once you have a tight couple of wraps cut the strip off soyou can see the eye and then finish securing it with a few more wraps and a whip finish right behind the hook eye.

STEP 6: Place your Gamagatsu B10S size 2 in the vise and secure the rear of the fly using a two inch piece of 30lb Fireline. Wrap tightly up and down the shank twice with a dot of Zap a Gap to ensure the rear hook is not going anywhere.

STEP 7: Cut a arc in to another piece of foam and securely attach it at the rear tie in point. The arc should extend back and cover the eye of the rear hook. Doing so allows the hooks to swivel but keeps a solid profile from below.

STEP 8: Just in front of the foam tie in another schlappen feather and palmer it forward. Be sure to leave a bit over 1/8" of space to the hook eye then tie it off and clip.

STEP 8B: (OPTIONAL) If you are fishing faster water or simply want the pattern to sit just a little higher in the water then you can do so by adding a bit more foam to the front hook. After you tie in the schlappen then secure a piece of 1/8" evasote foam tubing. Prepare the tubing by cutting it to length and cut a slit down the length of the piece to allow it to form around the hook. Once the tubing is tied in the palmer the feather forward over the tubing.

STEP 9: As you did on the back hook, split the fibers as evenly as you can down the hook shank and then pull the foam strip forward towards the eye and secure the foam with half a dozen wraps.

STEP 10: Force a fold in the foam and tie it down just behind the eye. This piece of foam will push a significant amount of water and give you a nice big wake to attract fish.

From above you can see it really looks more like a nuclear enhanced ant…but in the water at night it holds a solid silhouette against the sky and pushes a lot of water around. Tied correctly this fly tracks like a charm and is extremely durable. When I fish this pattern I am using heavy tippet to help control both the fly and whatever eats it, and attach it using a Jam Knot as I do on most all my streamers. Tie some up and get them wet!

Senyo's That 70's Sculpin

2010-05-09T11:32:00.001-07:00

Senyo's That 70's Sculpin!

This will be just 1 of 12 great sculpin/goby streamers shown here this summer!

Material List:

Front hook: Mustad 3366 #2

Thread: Black Uni 6/0

Tail 1: Hare Line Yellow/Orange/Black Rabbit Strip

Tail 2: Hare Line Chartreuse/Pink/Black Rabbit Strip

Flash: Magenta and Copper Flash-A-Bou

Body: Hare Line UV Pink Polar Chenille

Head 1: Senyo's Laser Dub Tan

Head 2: Senyo's Laser Dub Brown

Head 3: Senyo's Black Shaggy Dub

Rubber Legs: Metallic Purple/Blue, Crayfish Orange/Brown, Clear/Orange, and Pearl/Blue/Yellow Metallic

Note* Rear hook is a Gamakatsu #2 Octopus, and connection line is Berkley's Ghost Fire Line 20 pound.

Step #1: Attach Black 6/0 Uni thread to a 3366 Mustad hook. Cut a 6 inch section of Berkley Ghost Fire line and fold the line in half. Thread the Fire Line through the Gamakatsu Octopus hook eye, and then completely over the hook. This will form a loop connection that will make the Octopus hook removable if it becomes broke or dulled.

Attach the Fire Line to the Mustad hook by placing it on top and securing with several wraps of thread. The distance between hooks should be roughly 2.5 inches. Even though I don't believe it is needed, you can take the extra fire line that is sticking out over the eye, and thread it through the Mustad hook eye and fasten it to the bottom of the hook.(as seen in the picture above) Cover the entire hook shank and fire line with your tying thread and apply a thin coat of super glue. Give the glue a moment to dry; If you plan on tying several you and make several more hooks to this stage while waiting for them to dry.

Step #2: Attach a 2.5 inch piece of Hare Line Rabbit Strip to the hook on each side of the Fire Line. The Leather of the rabbit strip should end at the front of the Octopus Hooks eye for both pieces.

Step #3: Attach 4-6 stands of both Magenta and Copper Flash-A-Bou over the top of the pattern, and centered between both rabbit strips.

Step #4: Tie in a 2 inch piece of Hare Line UV Pink Polar Chenille, and palmer the chenille roughly a 1/2 toward the hook eye and secure.

Step #5: Center tie in a Small Clump of Senyo's Tan Laser Dubbing and secure with several wraps of tying thread. Fold the front half of the dubbing toward the rear and clean the head up by brushing out any loose material.

Step #6: Attach the four specified rubber leg colors or colors of your own choice to each side of the head. Trim these legs to approximately 2.5 inches in length before the next step.

Step #7: Center tie in a small clump of Senyo's Brown Laser Dubbing. Once again fold the dubbing back and comb out any loose fibers.

Step #8: Center tie a clump of Senyo's Black Shaggy Dub to build the front of your head. Fold over the material and add a drop of super glue for strength. Don't try to be pretty here! It is meant to be bushy and full of movement! Trim Sparingly....

Final: Lightly trim the front of the head and cut the tying thread.. The Mustad hook point is now cut off just above the hook bend. Here is a top view of the completed Senyo's That 70's Sculpin... We hope you enjoyed the new tutorial!

Miller's Iso Emerger

2010-05-05T18:28:00.001-07:00

SAO Guide John Miller flirts with a beautiful Delaware River Brown Trout!

Iso Material List:

Hook: Orvis JA1641 Heavy wet/nymph

Size: #8-16
Thread: Uni 8/0 Brown

Body: Hare Line Hares Ear Plus Dubbing Chocolate Brown #8

Thorax: Hare Line Peacock Ice Dubbing

Hackle: Hungarian Partridge

Tail: Brown Grizzly Marabou

Step #1: Strip the fluff off a single hungarian partridge feather. Tie the feather in at the eye of the hook as seen in the photo.

Step #2: Wind thread toward rear of the hook, and tie in brown grizzly marabou feather tips to form the tail.

Step #3: After the tail is secured, apply hares ear plus dubbing and form a body covering roughly 2/3 of the hook shank.

Step #4: Dub the remaing 1/3 of the hook shank with peacock ice dubbing.

Final: Wrap the soft hackle back toward the peacock ice dub, then pull the thread through the hackle to the hook eye and form a small thread head. Whip fishing and cut the thread.

John Miller is back on the "D" for the summer and we wanted to give you a fast easy fly pattern that has been a "go-to fly" from late May into early June for wily brown trout in the Catskill Mountain Region. If you are interested in fishing dries for big brown trout with SAO/WBA Guides John Miller and Scott McClintock they can be found and reached at the West Branch Angler.

Mike's Thin Mint

2010-04-09T17:58:00.000-07:00

Thread: UTC 140 denier, olive
Hook: Daiichi 2457 size 10
Weight: .015 lead (optional)
Body1: Larvae Lace, small olive
Body2: Hungarian Partridge
Body3: Senyo Laser Dub, brown

STEP 1: First place your Daiichi 2457 in the vise, then comes the optional step of adding weight to the fly by wrapping on about 8 or 9 wraps of .015 lead under the thorax area of the fly.

STEP 2: Start your thread behind the eye of the hook and wrap backwards to cover over the lead wraps and hold them to the hook shank securely. Wrapping on diagonals will assist in faster coverage and will fill in the gaps between the lead wraps. Once the lead is covered then advance your thread to the rear tie in point on the hook.

STEP 3: Tie in a length of olive Larvae Lace down in to the bend of the hook then tightly wrap forward. As you come forward you are both binding the Larvae Lace down and forming as smooth a body as you can, which will assist in the following step.

STEP 4: Wrap the Larvae Lace forward with edge to edge wraps. This will form the segmented back of the fly body. The Larvae Lace should be wrapped all the way forward in to the thorax section before being tied off.

STEP 5: Tie in a single Hungarian Partridge feather by the tips. Stroke the fibers back as you tie it in, being careful not to trap any fibers down. Once the feather is in place then advance your thread to the front of the thorax.

STEP 6: Fold the feather and wrap it forward a few wraps, then tie it off. As you wrap forward you should again take care not to trap fibers to the hook shank.

STEP 7: Tie in a sparse clump of brown Senyo Laser Dub that extends towards the back of the body, fold the Laser Dub back over itself and form a head on the fly. If the Laser Dub is too long then you can firmly grasp it to the hook shank with one hand and use the other to tear off excess material.

STEP 8: Whip finish the head and you have the finished product.

Is it a caddis? Is it a Henny? Is it a stone? Do you really care as the fish eat it? This fly is pretty much my take on a steelhead soft-hackle. Just as the cookie version of the Thin Mint is irresistible to me, the fly version seems irresistible to steelhead. When wet the Senyo Laser Dub lays back across the body, as a bit of a wingcase, and has just enough sparkle in it to add a little dimension and appearance of tranlucency. The best way to fish this fly is a standard soft-hackle technique; let the fly dead drift and then swing out at the end of the drift. Many times you will get a bump just as the fly starts in to the swing...so be ready! In water that is on the low and clear side you are typically looking for a smaller more buggy nymph, so it is in those conditions that I most often tie on the Thin Mint. I also tie this fly for my box in both brown and black versions to more closely match whatever bug is most prevalent on a particular day.

To order this pattern or my other patterns, or if you have any questions about the pattern that were not addressed, please visit http://www.anglerschoiceflies.com/.

Mike's K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stone)

2010-03-28T17:47:00.000-07:00

Hook: TMC2457 size 10
Thread: UTC140, black
Material 1: Pheasant tail, black
Material 2: Cactus Chenille, black

Step1: Start the UTC140 one eye width back on the hook shank and wrap back to the rear tie in point. On this fly the rear tie in point is just back of the hook barb.

Step 2: Tie in about ten black pheasant tail fibers off the back of the hook. They fibers should extend approximately one hook shank length off the back of the hook and wrap forewards about one third of the hook shank to secure the material and help build a bit of underbody.

Step 3: Pull the fibers back and wrap back to the rear tie in point, binding them down with the thread as you go.

Step 4: After having advanced the thread forward take the fibers together and spin them to form a bit of a rope, then wrap them forwards to the one third point on the shank. By twisting the fibers in to a rope you add both a bit of segmentation as well as adding some durability to the fly. Once the material has been tied off the excess can be trimmed off.

Step 5: Tie in a bunch of the pheasant tail fibers by the base where the last material was tied off.

Step 6: Tie in black cactus chenille and wrap it forward to form the thorax of the fly. The easiest way to tie it in is to firmly hold the material in one hand and strip the flash material out leaving only the thread, then tie it in by the thread. The cactus chenille should be tied off behingthe eye of the hook and the rest trimmed off.

Step 7: Pull the pheasant tail forward over the top of the chenille to form the case. Securely tie down the pheasant tail behind the eye of the hook.

Step 8: Split the bunch of fibers in half and pull each half back on either side of the hook shank, then tightly tie them off in the position, form a head which covers the tie in point and butts, then whip finish and cut the thread.

Step 9: Cut the pheasant tail fibers about two thirds of the way back on the hook shank and then use your fingers to put a bit of a crease in them so they hug the body a bit. At this point you have completed the fly.

The K.I.S.S is another easy and quick fly that has proven to be very effective when chasing salmon and steelhead. This version if the black stone version but simply change out the colors to natural pheasant tail and amber or yellow cactus chenille for a great golden stone imitation. By changing the chenille size this pattern can be tied from size 6 for salmon in colored up water all the way down to size 12 for low water steelhead. To order this pattern or my other patterns, or if you have any questions about the pattern that were not addressed, please visit http://www.anglerschoiceflies.com/.

Mike's Meal Ticket

2010-03-03T19:10:00.001-08:00

STEP 1: With your Gamagatsu SL11-3H size 1 in the vise, get your tan 140 denier thread started at the head and then wrap back down the hook to the rear tie in point. The traditional tie in point is located when your thread hangs at the halfway point between the hook point and the barb.

STEP 2: Tie in the barred rabbit strip off the back of the hook at the rear tie in point. To have the best connection to the hook shank separate the hair to the hide, and tie in the strip by the hide only with three or four tight wraps over the same point.

STEP 3: Fold the rabbit hide backwards and tie in one of the EP Sparkle brushes in by the end.

STEP 4: Fold the fibers to the back and wrap the EP Sparkle Brush forward to the head of the fly. As you wrap forward continue to fold and stroke the fibers back so you do not trap fibers as you work your way up the hook shank. Once you have wrapped forward stroke the fibers forward and pick out any fibers that were trapped so you have a nice full and even body.

STEP 5: Split the fibers as evenly as you can down the hook shank and then pull the barred rabbit forward to the eye. As you did for the rear tie in point, stroke the hair forward so that you can tie in the strip by the hide only. Once you have a tight couple of wraps cut the strip off so it looks like a V from above; doing so will allow you to secure the hide to the hook with the least bulk at the head.

STEP 6: Take a pair of the Sili Legs and find the middle point. Hold the legs up to one side of the hook and tie in by the middle point at the head, then fold them across the top of the head and secure down the other side of the head. This allows you to tie them in with the fewest number of wraps and by tying them in at the middle point they will not pull out.

STEP 7: The hook connection is made with 19 strand .018" Beadalon. Run it through the eye of the back hook, double it over, and thread on two brownish glass beads. With your thread at the back tie in point of the second hook you now invert your back hook, place it so that the hook swings freely and tie the Beadalon down. You will wrap it all the way up the hook shank, down through the eye, and back down the bottom of the hook shank. Add a dose of glue as you wrap and the back hook is going nowhere.

STEP 8: Approximately one third of the way back on the hook tie in a large white barbell eye on top of the shank. The best way is to figure eight a few times then wrap around the base of the eyes (below the eyes but above the shank)…then repeat two or three times to fully secure in place.

STEP 9: As you did on the back hook, tie in the EP Sparkle Brush at the tie in point. Fold the fibers to the back and wrap the EP Sparkle Brush forward to the eyes of the fly. Once at the eyes take one wrap forward over the barbell and tie the brush down in front of the eyes. Again, as you wrap forward continue to fold and stroke the fibers back so you do not trap fibers as you work your way up the hook shank.

STEP 10: This is the tricky step… Remove the hook from the vise and impale another rabbit strip so that it hangs off the back of the hook to the rear part of the head on the back hook. Once the rabbit is in place put the hook back in the vise.

STEP 11: Separate the fibers and pull the rabbit strip forward past the barbell eyes. Tie down the strip as you did on the rear hook, so that the hide is secured without trapping additional fur, and bind down the hide to start the head. If the strip extends past the head of the back hook then go ahead and trim the hide at the back edge of the head on the rear hook.

STEP 12: Again, as you did on the rear hook, take a pair of the Sili Legs and find the middle point. Hold the legs up to one side of the hook and tie in by the middle point at the head, then fold them across the top of the head and secure down the other side of the head.

STEP 13: For the head of the fly we will use Rams Wool to add color definition and bulk. Clip out a bunch of dark brown wool and tie it in as a topping. The wool should extend approximately half of the way back on the fly.

STEP 14: Flip the hook and tie in tan wool for the belly of the fly. Again, the wool should extend approximately half way back on the fly. The belly should be about as long as the topping…but certainly not longer.

STEP 15: Finish off the fly by binding down all the materials and creating a nice smooth head then hit it with a bit of head cement to add a bit of added durability and you are set to hit the water.

Here are a few variations of this bread and butter streamer. Whether you are swinging this fly, giving it a little twitch, or furiously stripping it in...it has the action to pull the big fish from their lie for a tasty meal.

This fly has proven itself to be irresisible to trout, smallmouth, and pike. Next up...musky! To order this pattern or my other patterns, or if you have any questions about the pattern that were not addressed, please visit http://www.anglerschoiceflies.com/.

Matt Zudweg's "EZPZ Wiggler"

2010-02-27T12:12:00.000-08:00

If you have been Steelhead fishing for anytime at all, you know how effective a Hex nymph can be, especially a Jointed or "Wiggle" Hex. The problem is, they can be time consuming to tie and thus, a heart breaker when you lose them to a snag. "Zudweg's EZPZ Wiggler" is a super simple jointed hex that is quick to tie, quite realistic and steelhead find it irresistible.

Step 1: Place a Daiichi 1750 size 10 hook in your vise and wind tan 6/0 Uni thread to the rear of the hook. Next tie in a Grizzly Marabou Feather (Sand color) by the tip and return the thread to the front of the hook.

Step 2: Wind the Marabou Feather to the front and tie off just behind the eye. Whip finish.

Step 3: Pull off all the long fibers so the rear body looks like this. This part of the fly is complete.

Step 4: Place a Daiichi 2571 size 6 hook in your vise and tie in a pair of large black mono eyes about 1/16" behind the hook eye.

Step 5: Tie in a 1" section of 15lb. monofilament on top of the hook, wind to the rear of the hook and add a drop of Zap a Gap to help secure the monofilament in place.

Step 6: Thread the rear body onto the 15lb monofilament, create a loop and wind the thread over the mono all the way up to the eyes, then return the thread to the rear of the hook. Trim any excess monofilament.

Step 7: Marry two Grizzly Marabou Feathers (Sand color) and tie them in together by the tips, (this will cover the joint between the hooks). Wind the thread forward leaving it just behind the eyes.

Step 8: Wind one of the marabou feathers forward and tie off just behind the eyes (this will act as the legs). Advance the thread to in front of the eyes.

Step 9: Pull the second marabou feather over the top of the eyes and tie off. Whip finish. The above photo is what your finished fly should resemble. To make them go even faster I usually tie a handfull of the rear bodies at a time.

Matt Zudweg guide's for Feenstra Guide Service and also owns BoneYard Fly Gear. See more of Matt's creative products at http://www.boneyardflygear.com

Matt Zudweg's "The Baby" alevin

2010-02-19T07:08:00.000-08:00

"The Baby" is a super simple, but highly effective imitation of an Alevin. A great pattern for early to mid spring when steelhead are feeding heavily on young Salmon and Steelhead Sac Fry. Most of the time I will fish this as the bottom fly on my nymphing rig with an egg being the top fly. Very often steelhead will take when the rig starts to swing at the end of the drift.

Step 1: Place a size 10 Daiichi X510 hook in your vise, attach thread and tie in a pair of Large Mono eyes (black) just behind the hook eye. Be sure to place some tight wraps around the base. This will bring the eyes to the top side of the hook and will keep them from interfering with the hook set.

Step 2: Lash down a sparse clump of Olive Ice Dub just behind the Mono Eyes.

Step 3: Fold the front half of the Ice Dub back and place a couple thread wraps just behind the Mono Eyes to secure the Ice Dub in that position.

Step 4: Rotate the fly upside down and tie in your favorite color McFly Foam just behind the Mono Eyes. Whip finish in front of the Mono Eyes.

Step 5: Trim the McFly Foam as you would on a small egg pattern.

Step 6: Turn the fly right side up and add a drop of Dave's Flexament in between the eyes. Bam, Balam, you're done! Tie up a few and give them a try on your favorite Steelhead water this spring.

Matt Zudweg is a guide on Michigan's Muskegon River and is the owner BoneYard Fly Gear. To see more of Matt's work visit http://www.boneyardflygear.com/

Vitso's Psycho Spawn

2010-02-15T12:28:00.000-08:00

Make room in your box for this cluster egg pattern! This is my No. 1 go-to egg pattern for spring steelhead (although it has done very well in the fall and winter too). Psycho Spawn can be tied in any size or color combination, but this is one of my favorite combos...Peachy Salmon.

Step 1: With your size 10 Daiichi 1120 or TMC 2457 secured in the vise, wrap and secure Pink 6/0 UNI-Thread to the hook shank and wrap back until the thread wraps are just past the barb point.

Step 2: Cut a 4-5 inch piece of Wapsi Angora Rabbit Yarn (Salmon Egg). Fold it in half to create a loop and secure the tag ends to the hook.

Step 3: Cut a 3 inch piece of Wapsi Sparkle Braid (Peach/Pearl). Secure one tag end to the hook.
Note: You can also use Hareline Diamond Braid. Make sure the Braid is centered between the Angora Rabbit Yarn Loop.

Step 4: Pull the Braid through the loop so the loop sits on top. Now take a small pinch of Ice Dub (Fl. Shell Pink) and by using your thumb and index finger, twist or "dub" the Ice Dub around the Angora Rabbit Yarn.
Note: Dub one side of the loop at a time.

Step 5: Using your index finger and thumb, pinch a small loop of the Angora Yarn and Sparkle Braid. Secure that loop with 2-3 wraps of the thread. Make sure the Sparkle Braid is running down the center of the hook shank with the Angora Rabbit Yarn on either side of it.

Step 6: Just like in Step 5, pinch a second loop and secure it with 2-3 wraps of thread. Now push both loops back on the hook shank so they sit nice and snug together.

Step 7: Continue pinching and securing the loops until you get close to the eye of the hook. Make sure you don't crowd the eye. If you do find that you are too close, you can push all the loops back a little.

Step 8: Cut off the excess materials that are hanging over the eye of the hook. Secure the tag ends with a couple of half hitches or whip-finishes.

Note: The top of the fly should have the Sparkle Braid running along the center of the hook shank with the Angora Rabbit Yarn on either side like this.

The final product!! You can use your fingers to pull out more Ice Dub fibers if you need to.

Note: You can do any color combination or size you'd like. I usually start fishing with a size 10 and I like to carry these colors. This is my go-to fly in the spring. I normally start with two of these on an indicator rig. I'll run two different colors at the same time. If they are taking one color more consistently, then I switch to two of those.

These are my two favorite colors. Left: Salmon Egg Angora Yarn/Peach Pearl Braid/Fl. Shell Pink Ice Dub. Right: Cheese Angora Yarn/Fl. Yellow Braid/Chartreuse Ice Dub.

Eirik Vitso guides for Colton Bay Outfitters and owns/operates Vitso Images, a photography and design business. All materials for this pattern can be found at Colton Bay Outfitters in Ann Arbor, MI.

Zudweg's "Darth Hopper"

2010-02-15T11:15:00.000-08:00

If you love fishing hoppers for large trout, this pattern is a must for your box. I've caught some of my largest trout on this pattern! I originally tied this fly for my local streams such as the Pere Marquette and Rogue Rivers, but have had amazing success with it on western rivers like the Big Horn, Lamar, Yellowstone and Big Hole. It is also very effective with tan or kelly green foam. Regardless of the foam color, the body and leg colors should remain the same. It has also proven to be very effective on bass when tied using the larger foam body and bluegill when tied using the smaller body.

You will need 3mm sheet foam (found at most hobby stores) and Hareline's Beavertail Body Cutter (size medium)

Step 1: Stamp out a body from the foam about 3/4" from the foam edge, then using a razor blade (or x-acto knife) cut a sleeve to the foam edge. This sleeve will be used to form the head.

You can see from this photo how the foam body should look.

Step 2: Place a Daiichi 2461 (size 4) hook in your vise, wind black thread (I prefer "Big Fly" Uni Thread) to the back and dub a body of Hareline's Ice Dub (Olive) about a third of the way toward the front.

Step 3: Place the foam body on top of the hook with two snug wraps between the middle and rear body segments.

Step 4: Place two of Hareline's Grizzly Barred Rubber Legs (orange/black) on top of the thread wraps with two more wraps.
The legs should hang off the rear by about 1" and off the front by about 2 1/2".

Step 5: Continue dubbing a body up the hook, finishing about 1/16" behind the eye.

Step 6: Tie down the foam body at the next body segment just behind the hook eye with two snug wraps.

Step 7: Tie in a clump of Hareline's Stiff Pearl Krystal Flash using two more wraps. (If you're going to be bass fishing at night use glow in the dark flashabou as a substitute).

Step 8: Fold the sleeve back to form a head and tie off with two snug thread wraps.

Step 9: Tie in the remnant of the rubber legs on the top using two snug wraps, then pull the head back and whip finish just behind the eye of the hook.

Step 10: Cut the legs in the center and shimmy each of them to the sides of the body. Cut the legs 3/4" to 1" in length. At this point you should also cut the pearl wing even with the foam body. The sleeve should also be cut shorter as seen in this image.

Step 11: Using a white paint marker, place a spot on the head and sleeve of the foam for better visibility.

At this point the fly looks finished, but there is one more very important step.

To make it durable, you must add a drop of Dave's Flexament to the tie in point of each leg. Do NOT use anything for this step except a Flexible Cement or it will distort the rubber legs. Also, be sure the legs are positioned exactly where you want them before cementing. If done properly this fly will be durable enough to catch many trout.
Matt Zudweg guides on Michigan's Muskegon River and also has a great line of Decals, Fly Boxes and other creative products at http://www.boneyardflygear.com/

Mike's Guppy

2010-02-11T19:40:00.000-08:00

If your definition of a 'guide fly' is an effective fly that is a quick tie using only a few materials, then this fly fits that description wonderfully. Using only bead chain eyes, grizzly marabou, and Australian possum the Guppy is a fly that you can knock out in short order but is a go to type fly in low and clear water conditions.

STEP 1: With your Daiichi 2461 size 4 in the vise, get your tan 140 denier thread started at the head and then wrap one third of the way back down the hook shank.

STEP 2: Using figure eight wraps tightly secure the bead chain eyes to the top of the hook shank, then wrap your thread to the back of the hook.

STEP 3: Even up a pair of Grizzly Marabou feathers by the tips and then tie them in as a tail. The feathers should hang off the back of the hook approximately the length of the hook shank. Once they are tied in continue to wrap forward to the eyes, spinning the feather around the hook shank with your thread to form a quick and dirty underbody, then return your thread to the tie in point at the back of the hook.

STEP 4: Stroke back the fibers of a third Grizzly Marabou feather and tie the feather in by the tip.

STEP 5: Fold the feather and stroke back the fibers so you do not trap any at the tie in point, then carefully palmer the Grizzly Marabou feather forward to the eyes to form the body of the fly.

STEP 6: Advance your thread up to just behind the eye and tie in a chunk of Australian Possum. The best hair for this is taken from the rear half of the skin as that hair has far more underfur, and so creates a much more dense head.

STEP 7: Whip finish your thread just behind the eye of the hook, then trim the Australian Possum to a conical 'sculpin' shape. The bead chain eyes allow for a soft entry to the water but are enough weight to invert the hook. Having the head shaped in this manner forces the fly to low in the water column. Once wet the marabou really slicks back and forms a slender profile behind the thicker possum head.

If you are dealing with low and clear water then big and flashy flies may simply be too much for the fish to handle. When dealing with conditions like that I like to go with downsized flies, whether they be nymphs or streamers. These low water patterns are generally tied with little to no flash and natural coloration so that it mimics food without giving the fish cause for alarm. The Guppy is a undersized streamer that can be dead drifted, twitched, or swung to entice a bite. The marabou on this pattern allows the fly to breathe in even the slowest of current. In addition to steelhead this fly has proven to be equally effective when chasing carp or river smallmouth. To order this pattern or my other patterns, or if you have any questions about the pattern that were not addressed, please visit http://www.anglerschoiceflies.com/.

Miller's MT Rainbow Trout Streamer

2010-01-27T17:17:00.000-08:00

Step #1: Place a Mustad 34011 #2 hook in your vise. Attach 6/0 White Uni Thread and wind toward rear of hook. Fold in half a 6 inch piece of 30 pound fire line and tie in on top of the hook with several thread wraps. The loop should be roughly two inches long.

Mount a set of Orvis large recessed barbell eyes under the hook shank, leaving enough room between the barbell and the hook eye to build your thread head. Coat the thread on the shank with super glue and allow to dry.

Step #2: Tie in a 5 inch long piece of Olive/black barred rabbit zonker strip, so that approximately 2.5 inched sticks out the rear as the tail. The rest of the rabbit zonker strip will become the wing in another step, just fold it over the hook out of the way.

Wind your thread back to the barbell eyes and attach a 4 inch piece of pearl diamond braid.

Step #3: Wind the pearl diamond braid back to the rabbit strip tail, and then back to the front stopping just behind the barbell eye. Secure the braid with several wraps of thread.

Step #4: Tie in a clump of Hare Line's pearl ice dubbing to form the under belly of the fly pattern. Next take a sparse clump of sand shrimp(pink) colored Lite-Brite and tie in over the pearl so that an even amount of pink Lite-Brite is visible on each side of the head.

Step #5: Tie in another clump Hare Line's Pearl Ice Dubbing over top of the Sand Shrimp Lite-Brite.

Final: separate the Ice Dub head so that and even amount of material is to each side of the pattern. Pull and snug your rabbit zonker strip wing over the top of the Ice Dub head and into the channel created by pushing the material to each side and secure with several wraps of thread.

Tie in 6-8 strands of Olive Crystal Flash over the wing, and press in a pair of 5/32 Orvis Mirage eyes into the recessed part of the barbell. Build a quick thread head and whip finish...

Delaware River Brown Trout fooled on Miller's MT Rainbow Streamer!

This pattern can be tied in various color and weight combinations. The barbell eye version will give the fly more of a side to side action, where the cone head tied addition will give this pattern more of a jigging type up and down action.

The stinger loop allows you to add an additional hook to the tail when two hooks may be needed or makes it possible to cut the front hook to just use the rear hook. This pattern fishes extremely well as a "Pulled Streamer" from a drift boat for large trout or as a swung fly using spey techniques and sink tips for Great Lakes Steelhead.

Below you can see 3 more color versions and material list for this pattern!

Miller's MT Delaware Alewife

Hook: 34011 Mustad # 2-6
Thread: Uni 6/0 White

Eyes: Orvis Large Recessed Barbell & Mirage 5/32

Under Body: Pearl Diamond Braid
Over Body: Hare Line UV Pearl Ice Dubbing

Wing/Tail: White Black Barred Rabbit Zonker Strip
Flash: Pearl Blue Crystal Flash

Miller's MT Brown Trout

Hook: 34011 Mustad #2-6

Thread: Uni 6/0 Tan

Eyes: Orvis Large Recessed Barbell & Mirage 5/32

Under body: Pearl Diamond Braid

Over Body: Pearl & Orange Ice Dub

Wing/Tail: Tan Black Barred Rabbit Zonker Strip

Flash: 6-8 Strands Copper Flash-A-Bou

Miller's MT Dead Parakeet

Hook: 34011 Mustad #2-6

Thread: Uni 6/0 Chartreuse

Eyes: Orvis Large Recessed barbell & Mirage 5/32

Under Body: Chartreuse Diamond Braid

Over Body: Pearl & Chartreuse Ice Dub

Wing/Tail: Chartreuse Black Barred rabbit Zonker Strip

Flash: 6-8 Strands Chartreuse Crystal Flash

Mike's Impossihex

2010-01-27T16:54:00.000-08:00

STEP 1: With your Daiichi 1530 size 8 in the vise, get your dark brown 140 denier thread started at the head and then wrap one third of the way back down the hook shank.

STEP 2: Invert the hook and tie in a set of the small mono nymph eyes using a figure eight wrap to ensure they are securely held in place perpendicular to the hook shank.

STEP 3: Tie in a clump of Australian Possum fur hanging off the back of the hook, and should be approximately one hook shank in length. If you have a full skin the best hair for this is on the front half as the underfur is not as thick, so it has far more movement in the water.

STEP 4: At the back of the fly tie in a sand colored Grizzly Marabou feather by the tips.

STEP 5: Take a Hungarian Partridge feather and stroke back the fibers, so you do not trap any at the tie in point, and tie it in by the tips.

STEP 6: Using tan Hares Ear Plus dubbing, loosely dub a body forward to just behind the mono nymph eyes.

STEP 7: Palmer the Hungarian Partidge feather through the dubbed body, approximately two and a half wraps, then tie the feather off behind the mono nymph eyes. Be careful not to trap too many fibers to the body as you make those wraps…the more legs the buggier the fly.

STEP 8: After a quick figure eight of dubbing around the eyes carefully pull the Grizzly Marabou feather forward, splitting the fibers on top of the hook shank, and tie of off. Finish the head with a quick whip finish and it is off to the river you go!

Here is a view from above. Though originally conceived as a Great Lakes steelhead pattern, something this fly is VERY good at, it has also proven to be extremely effective for chasing other species such as carp, walleye, perch, and bass. When fishing the Impossihex in a river setting, whether fishing an Indi rig or tight line nymphing, I always allow the fly to complete a swing at the end of the drift. As the Hexegenia Limbata is a powerful swimmer I believe that many times the movement as the fly swings across the current at the end of a drift is a key trigger to draw a strike. To order this pattern or my other patterns, or if you have any questions about the pattern that were not addressed, please visit http://www.anglerschoiceflies.com/ or find me at Anglers Choice Flies on Facebook.

Senyo's Wiggle Stone

2010-01-22T10:56:00.000-08:00

A loaded Box of Senyo's Wiggle Stones!

Step #1: Place any #12 to #14 down eye dry fly hook on your vise. Attach 6/0 black thread to the hook and wind to the rear of the hook, and create a small ball with your tying thread.( The down eye hook improves the motion of the tail.)

Step #2: Attach a black goose biot on each side of the thread ball and secure. Tail length should be roughly a 1/4 inch.

Step 3#: Tie in a 3 inch long piece of 5X mono and allow to hang off the back of the tail. Dub a small even or slightly tapered body with black rabbit fur.

Step #4: Take the mono and rib the body with even wraps toward the hook eye, and then secure with thread. To finish the Tail create a small thread head, whip finish, and cut the tying thread.

Step #5: Cut the rear of the hook off as close to the tail as possible.

Step #6: Place a Diiachi X120 #10 or #12 hook in your vise and attach 6/0 black thread to the hook as you see above. Tie in a 3 inch piece of 8 pound mono or fire line (tyers choice) and allow to hang to the rear.

Step #7: Thread the mono through the bottom of the tail hooks eye, and create a horizontal loop on top of the hook. Secure the tag end of the mono with several wraps of thread and add a dab of super glue.

Note* Loop should be as small as possible without interfering with the tail freely moving up and down or side to side.

Step #8: Tie in a 1 inch piece of flashy pearl tinsel, flashback material, or scud back. Next dub on a ball of Hare Line's Peacock Ice Dub as seen above.

Step #9: Pull the flash back wing case over the peacock ice dubbing and secure with several wraps of thread. Place a black goose biot on each side of the thorax and build a small thread head. Whip finish and cut the thread.

Final: The Completed Senyo's Wiggle Stone. To mix and match different bugs and water conditions the thorax color is changed. Popular thorax colors are Steely Blue, chartreuse, Orange, pink, Cream, Yellow, Rust, UV Pearl, and Shrimp Pink. All dubbing colors are Ice Dubbing from Hare Line Inc.

Senyo's Tube Sculpin

2010-01-20T13:58:00.001-08:00

The Senyo's Tube Sculpin tied as previewed for Hatches Magazine. Fly Photos for this tutorial by John Miller. We hope you enjoy this pattern as much as we do...

Senyo's Olive Tube Sculpin

Step #1: Marry a 1 inch long piece of Eumer large tubing to a 1.5 inch of Eumer Small tubing. Using black 6/0 thread cover the connection joint with several wraps of thread and add a drop of super glue. Wrap toward rear of large tubing leaving roughly a half inch exposed.

Step #2: Tie in an olive marabou plume and 4 to 6 strands of pearl Flash-A-Bou and secure with several wraps of thread.

Step #3: Tie in a 3 inch piece of olive polar chenille and palmer an even body.

Step #4: Add another olive marabou plume and then palmer a collar with a mallard or gadwell feather.

Step #5: Center tie in a small clump of Senyo's Laser dubbing in brown, tan, and olive.(In that order) Make sure the material covers around the tubing evenly, and then brush out the entire head to blend the head colors.

Step #6: Build a small thread head and add a drop of super glue. Slide on a Large Eumer Monster cone tight to the head. Trim the excess tubing leaving enough to mushroom the tubing flush to the cone with a lighter.

Note: This style of cone head is not intended to make the fly wiggle or wobble in any way! This style cone is simply used to push water over and around the cone's surface area to create turbulence causing better motion to the wing and body materials of the pattern.

The reason I bring this up is that some area tyers who have just recently began tying tube flies believe that it is supposed to give the fly a wiggle type action, and have gone to great lengths to grind and alter these heads without even understanding the Monster cones intended purpose.

If you want a great wiggle action to your patterns use a Marc Petitjean Magic cone which slides right on your line and has been used for many years on all types of fly patterns.

The Completed Olive Senyo's Tube Sculpin...

Senyo's Triple Bunny Emerald Shiner Streamer

2010-01-01T11:32:00.000-08:00

My email exploded after the last tutorial with a ton of interest in big streamers, Awesome!!! Nearly 3/4 of the emails wanted more of a Lake Erie Emerald Shiner Pattern that could be used for Lake Erie Steelhead, Small Mouth Bass, and in the Lake Erie Surf... I hope you guys like it!!!

Step #1: Cut a Mustad 3366 #2 hook at the hook bend and place it in your vise. Attach 6/0 White Uni Thread and wind to the rear of the hook.

Step #2: Rotate your vice up side down, and attach a 2.5 inch long piece of white rabbit zonker strip. Re invert the vice back to the up right position and secure rabbit strip with a few extra wraps of thread.

Step #3: Cut a six inch piece of Berkley 30 pound Fire Line. Fold the fire line in half and thread the folded line through the eye of a Gamakatsu #2 Octopus hook, and then split the line so the hook goes through the loop. (click on photo to see enlarged look at the hook loop connection.)

Attach Fire line to hook base and secure with several wraps of thread, and coat entire hook base with super glue and allow to dry. The rear hook should trail behind the base roughly 2.5 inches.

Step #4: Attach a 2.5 inch piece of light olive rabbit zonker strip and secure.

Step #5: Tie in a small clump of Hare Lines two tone blue and white crosscut rabbit strip as a collar and secure.

Step #6: Palmer in a 1.5 inch piece of Hare Lines Olive Polar Chenille. The chenille should cover roughly a 1/2 inch of the hook base.

Step #7: Tie in 2 strands of white rubber leg to each side of the pattern. Legs should be around 2-2 1/2 inches long.

Step #8: Center tie in a sparse amount of Hare Lines Pearl Ice Dubbing, and fold the material over itself. Comb out all loose material with a dubbing brush.

Step #9: Tie in toward the hook eye a set of medium metallic green plastic bead chain eyes and secure. Center tie a piece of Olive Mcfly Foam on the top of the hook just behind the eyes, and white Mcfly foam on the bottom just behind the eyes. Make several wraps to secure the fly foam and then bring the thread over the eye to the front to form small thread head.

Add a sparse amount of super glue to the thread head, and cut the thread.

Step #10: Cut the Mcfly foam straight across the top and bottom of the pattern to form the Emerald Shiner Head.

Final: Add gills to your Emerald Shiner with a red Sharpie Marker...

The Triple Bunny Streamer finishes out at roughly 3.5 inches! Colors can easily be created to match, goby, sculpin, egg head leeches, Emerald Shiners, Chubs, Baby Sucker, or flashy attractors.

Senyo's Sick Puppy Streamer

2009-12-30T18:08:00.000-08:00

Well its that time of year when I like to start day dreaming of spring! Spring is my favorite time of the year to up size the offerings. Steelhead have begun to spawn and then of course drop toward the Lake. All the while Small Mouth Bass begin to migrate into the streams... Hungry and agitated steelhead plus Smallies, Sounds good to me!

Step #1: Take a Mustad 3366 size 2 hook and cut off the point just where the hook starts to bend. Place cut hook into your vice and attach 6/0 black thread.

Step #2: Cut a 7 inch piece of 30 pound Berkley Fire Line, Fold the line in half and thread the fire line through the eye of a Gamakatsu Octopus #2 hook. The loop you thread through the eye should then be separated so that the hook goes through the loop.(This will allow you to change hooks as they dull)

Attach the fire line over the top of the hook and secure with several wraps. Fold the tag ends of the fire line over the top and secure with several more thread wraps. Coat the entire hook body with a thin coat of Super Glue and allow to dry. The Gamakatsu hook should be roughly 3 inches from the base hook.

Step #3: Attach a 3 inch long piece of a Barred Rabbit Zonker Strip and secure. Next tie in 2 strands of Flash-A-Bou over the top of the Zonker Strip.

Step #4: Attach a 2 inch long piece of Hare Line's Polar Chenille and Palmer in the material to cover about 1/2 an inch of the hook base.

Step #5: Center tie in a clump of hand blended Chartreuse and Tan Senyo's Laser Dubbing and fold material back onto itself.

Step #6: Attach a pair of 2.5 inch long pieces of rubber legs on each side of the pattern. Here I use hot orange and clear rubber legs from a bass skirt.

Step #7: Center tie in a clump of brown Senyo's Laser Dub, and brush out all loose material with a wire brush.

Final: Tie in a set of Medium Metallic Red Plastic bead chain for the eyes. Finish off the head with a dab of Zap-A-Gap and cut the thread.

This pattern is not limited to Steelhead and Small Mouth Bass, but is equally effective for other warm water predators such as Large Mouth Bass.

The Sick Puppy Streamer finishes out at roughly 4 inches in length.

Mixing and matching your favorite color combo's is the name of the game! Here is my Spring Steelhead and small mouth Sick Puppy and Sculpin Box!

Happy New Year!!!

Senyo's Super Ice Man Minnow

2009-11-24T12:18:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving!!! Well to go along with the spirit of over stuffing ourselves on tasty mounds of turkey, stuffing, and mashed potato's...We added 4 new tutorials for the holiday! We hope you enjoy, and don't forget to pass the gravy!!!

Senyo's Super Ice Man

Step #1: Attach red 6/0 thread to a Diiachi 2450 #8 hook and wind toward the rear stopping at the hook point.

Step #2: Center tie a sparse clump of Senyo's Pink Laser Dubbing and fold the material onto itself toward the rear of the fly.

Step #3: Tie in a clump of Hare Line's Steely Blue Ice Dub.

Step #4: Tie in a 2 inch long piece of white rubber leg to each side of the hook. Fold the rubber legs over and secure, creating two legs on each side of the fly pattern.

Step #5: Blend together white and blue laser dubbing, and center tie a sparse clump of the mixture in front of the rubber legs.

Step #6: Comb the Laser dubbing toward the rear of the fly, and build a small red thread head. (This will become the base for the eyes.)

Step #7: Whip finish, cut the thread, and add a drop of super glue. Place a 3/32 3D prismatic eye on each side of the head.

Final: Coat the head with UV knot sense and cure with a UV light.(two part epoxy can be used if you do not have these items.)

Small, simple, and deadly on Great Lakes steelhead!

The possibilities and color combinations are endless! This picture is of one of my boxes while guiding the Lake Erie Tributaries... It pays to keep it simple and most importantly different from anything else!!!

Easy As 1-2-3 Egg Sucking Leech- Tube Fly

2009-11-24T10:48:00.000-08:00

Easy 1-2-3 Egg Sucking Leech

Step #1: Marry together a piece of 1 inch extra small tubing to a piece of 1 inch medium tubing and apply a drop of super glue.

Step #2: Tie in a sparse clump of Hare Line's Peacock Black Ice Dub, and comb to the rear of the tube.

Step # 3: Attach a small clump of Black Finn Raccoon Fur so that it covers around the medium tubing. Note: Do not trim away the front excess material it will be folded over to form the collar.

Final: Tie off the thread and apply a drop of Super glue to the thread. Slide on a 6mm mottled tangerine colored trout bead.

Trim and melt excess tubing flush to the trout bead. Add a Diiachi X510 #10 hook to the rear.

Here is a super fast leech pattern tied on a tube for Lake Erie Steelhead. this pattern is always in my box and can be tied in multiple colors and in bulk in one sitting at your vise.

Here you can see my steelhead tube box with multiple versions of easy leeches, sculpins, and minnows...

The Wiggle Butt Caddis

2009-11-24T10:23:00.000-08:00

Step #1: Attach 6/0 black thread to the hook and wind to the rear stopping just after the hook barb.

Step #2: Tie on a piece of rubber leg, which hangs of the rear about a 1/4 inch. (Here I am using a piece of black and chartreuse rubber leg)

Step #3: Blend a small amount of Olive and Chartreuse Laser Dubbing together, and lightly apply a sparse amount of the mixture to your tying thread. Evenly wrap the body leaving about an 1/8 of an inch for the head.

Step #4: Dub on a small head of Hare Line's Peacock Black Ice Dubbing.

Final: Whip finish and tease out the peacock dubbing.

Here is a simple and effective caddis pattern for Lake Erie steelhead. Works well in the spring and during low water periods throughout the season.

Low Water Nuke Egg

2009-11-24T10:07:00.001-08:00

Step #1: Attach 6/0 red thread to the hook, stopping just before the hook point.

Step #2: Center tie in a half inch piece of Water melon McFly Foam and secure with several wraps.

Step #3: Trim the McFly foam to form an egg about the size of a BB.

Step #4: Center tie in a sparse clump of Senyo's White Laser Dubbing.

Final: Trim the laser dubbing directly behind the egg to finish the veil. Tie off and cut the thread.

Here is a fast, easy, and effective egg pattern on Steelhead Alley when the rivers are very low and clear. Multiple colors can be created by simply changing the Mcfly foam and laser dubbing colors. Pattern was tied on a Diiachi X120 #14 hook.

Robinson's Chicken Hawk

2009-10-26T15:01:00.000-07:00

Here is a new early season fly that has just finished it's field testing and is working remarkably well. Inspired by it's larger brother the Chicken Little, this fly has been in conceptual form for some time. Recently, it was finally put into action and has become quite the little weapon. The fly is best fished in lower, clear water conditions when fish are pressured, stressed and not so willing to take. In such conditions, this fly has proven to be a real jewel.

ROBINSON'S CHICKEN HAWK

Below is the step by step process for this simple tie. If you have any questions about this fly, feel free to contact me at flybum@windstream.net.

CHICKEN HAWK

Hook: Daiichi 1120 size 14

Body: Hairline Midge Cactus Chenille - Chartreuse

Wing: Green-Wing Teal Flank Feather

Head: McFly Foam - Fl. Cerise

(Alternate color combos below)

Step #1: Start thread about the mid point of the

hook shankand wrap back to deep into the bend

of the hook. This is where your material will start.

Step #2: Take some Hairline chartreuse midge

cactus chenille and tie in deep in the bend of the

hook. After tie in, wrap thread forward to the

2/3 point of the hook shank.

Step #3: Wrap the cactus chenille forward to

about the 2/3 point of the hook shank capture

with thread and cut.

Step #4: Select a Green-wing Teal flank feather.

Stroke fibers in their natural direction and size up

the hackles to the hook. The hackle should protrude

slightly beyond the bend of the hook. Capture just

in front of the tie off point for the chenille and wrap

several times, then clip the excess hackle and wrap

down any remaining fibers.

Step #5: Take a 3/4 inch piece of Fl. Cerise Mcfly

Foam and lay over thread base that remains. Capture

the foam at its mid point and make 6 turns of thread

to secure it.

Step #6: Next, pull McFly Foam into and up

position and make 6-8 wraps around the base

making a post of foam. Take care to make sure all

wraps stay tight to each other if not directly on top of

each other. Once wrapped, whip finish and cut

the excess thread.

Step #7: Lastly, take sharp scissors and cut the

McFly Foam about 1/4" above the thread wraps

and trim up to form a very small foam head.

Final: The fly is now ready to be added to your box.

THE CHICKEN HAWK TIED IN FOUR COLOR COMBINATIONS

This pattern is designed to be a small enticer that will present well to fish under many of our early fall water conditions. Fish will readily take this offering under an indicator if water depth allows for it, or on a tight lined presentation.

Add a few of these to your box and be sure to drop a line to let us know how you do with them.

Patrick "Flybum" Robinson
Head Guide
Steelhead Alley Outfitters

Tube Fly: Senyo's Mini Egg Stealing Sculpin

2009-10-01T12:07:00.000-07:00

The Sculpin Finishes out at about 2 inches long and fishes extremely well under and indicator on a dead drift.

Step#1: Marry a piece of 1.5 inch long Eumer x-small tubing to a 1.0 inch long piece if medium tubing with Uni 6/0 black thread. Coat thread with a drop of Zap-A-Gap.

Step#2: Attach a 1.5 inch long piece of dark olive rabbit zonker strip.

Step#3: Tie in a pair of 2 inch long rubber legs to each side of the x-small tubing. The color of the rubber legs used here is Missouri Craw from Net Craft Fishing Supplies.

Step#4: Fold rubber legs toward the rear of the tube, and center tie in a small clump of Senyo's Brown Laser Dubbing.

Step#5: fold over laser dubbing and comb out any loose material.

Step#6: Build a small thread head in front of dubbing and apply a drop of Zap-A-Gap on the thread. Cut off the tying thread and slide on a 8mm mottled tangerine egg bead ( From Trout Beads) tight to the thread head.

Final: Remove tube fly and trim x-small tubing leaving just enough to melt with a lighter a small mushroom of plastic to the front of the egg bead. Pattern uses a Diiachi 1650 #8 tube fly hook.

Here is a fast, simple, and easy to tie sculpin on a tube. Pattern also imitates a realistic steelhead egg, so you get a two for one deal out of it. I like to fish the Mini Egg Stealing Sculpin on a dead drift under and indicator. This pattern finishes out at about the same size as a #8 woolly bugger, and is dynamite on Steelhead alley tributaries like Elk Creek and Conneaut Creek.

Tube Fly: B.O.B (Boy O' Boy) Minnow

2009-09-06T08:24:00.000-07:00

Here is the requested tutorial of the BOB's Minnow adapted into a tube version. I had these pictures taken before I lost my good camera to the Brooks River in AK. The next tutorial will be the "Spey Minnow" previewing in the Orvis News this month. I should have the new Camera by Monday!!! Thanks Greg..

The BOB's Minnow

Step#1: Marry a piece of .5 inch extra small Eumer tubing into a 1.5 piece of medium tubing.

Step #2: Attach 6/0 Red Uni thread and wind to rear of medium tubing. A light coat of super glue on the thread at the junction of the two tubes is applied.

Step #3: Tie in clump of natural white Arctic Fox tail. Tail length is roughly the same as tube body.

Step #4: Attach a 3 inch long piece of Small or Medium Pearl Estaz.

Step #5: Wind Estaz to form an even body. Tie down and trim left over estaz leaving roughly a 1/4 inch x-small tubing exposed.

Step #6: Attach 6 strands of Pearl Flash-A-bou over the body extending the length of the tail.

Step #7: Palmer on a large Gadwell or Mallard feather.

Step #8: Create a small thread head, whip finish, and cut off thread. Apply a drop of super glue to the thread and slide on a Red Eumer Cone head.

Final: Trim and melt tubing flush with cone, and add a Diiachi X510 #10