Composed by: Keith Allison, of Chrome Chasers Fly Fishing, and Evan Jones
It’s practically that time of year once again, when dropping temperature levels and much shorter days start to separate the casual anglers from the genuinely committed. Cleaning out frozen guides every couple of casts isn’t for everybody, however benefits do wait for those hearty souls happy to brave the harshest aspects. This is specifically real for anglers residing in steelhead nation, because winter season is typically when the most significant fish appear. No one wishes to lose time tossing below average flies when it’s freezing cold and dark by 5 p.m., so we asked 30-year veteran Olympic Peninsula guide Keith Allison from Chrome Chasers Fly Fishing about his preferred flies for winter season steelhead. (Click the fly name for a link to a shop where you can purchase these patterns or comparable.)
This pattern fishes best in slower, clearer water at moderate depths. I attempt to keep this fly around 2 inches in length. Another color combination I utilize often is a chartreuse butt, orange calling ball and pink or cerise marabou. In super-clear water conditions, I will utilize more natural colors like olive and black.
Hoh Bo Spey
Hook: 25mm shank signed up with to Intruder-style hook (such as a Daiichi 2557), sizes 2-6.
Thread: Color to match the body, 3/0 or 210-denier.
Body: Steelie Blue Ice Dub.
Calling ball: Dark olive Creepy Crawley or purple Ice Dub.
Flash: 3-5 hairs Holo Flash or Krystal Flash.
Collar: Black marabou.
Connecting notes: I typically connect these on a 25mm shank, utilizing 50-pound Power Pro for the hook loop. Include a Steelie Blue Ice Dub calling loop at the back, and a tight calling ball of dark olive Creepy Crawley Ice Dub or purple Ice Dub in the center brushed out (with or without some Woman Amherst Pheasant), however constantly with 3-5 hairs of Holo Flash or Krystal Flash folded and completed with black marabou connected securely in front of the calling ball, utilizing 3 or 4 covers to protect it.
Leeches fish well in all water conditions, however I tend to utilize them more in stained water for the profile and their unbelievable motion. There are numerous variations on this fly over the previous years approximately, especially consisting of the Dirty Hoh by Jerry French
Tube Egg-Sucking Leech
Tube: Fly tubing of any brand name.
Thread: Black, 3/0 or 210-denier.
Body: Dark olive Creepy Crawley Ice Dub.
Tail: Black bunny strip.
Flash: 3-5 hairs of Holo Flash or Krystal Flash.
Collar: Black saddle hackle.
Head: Hot-orange cone.
Connecting notes: This fly begins with a calling loop over television utilizing Creepy Crawley calling in dark olive, gently dressed with 6 to 8 covers. Next, connect a three-inch bunny strip, and surface with saddle hackle and a conehead. I have actually been connecting tube-fly variations the previous couple of years, however I have actually guided far from utilizing the tandem tubes, as I have actually discovered that they can be hard for customers to utilize and lead to regular fouling. Now I typically utilize one tube enough time to install a straight eye hook into the back of television to let it swim totally free on the leader.
Terrific fly for deep, sluggish swimming pools. It’s sporadic, so it sinks well, however still has great deals of action in sluggish to walking-speed water due to the double “station” style, permitting the products to flare out extensively at front and back while preserving a slim body profile in the middle. I likewise connect this fly in orange/pink, orange/white and chartreuse/blue.
Double Station Trespasser
Hook: 25mm shank signed up with to an Intruder-style hook ( such as a Daiichi 2557), sizes 2-6.
Thread: Color to match the body, 3/0 or 210-denier.
Eye: Hot-orange dumbbell, sizes medium-XL.
Body: Blend of black Seal Dub and copper Ice Dub.
Flash: 3-5 hairs of Holo Flash or Krystal Flash.
Collar: Ostrich or rhea in 2 various colors.
Connecting notes: I begin with a long shank, connect 50-pound Power Pro to the shank from back to front, and return through the eye, lashing down back to the back. Then I produce a tight calling ball at the back of the shank to act as the very first “station”, utilizing black seal calling brushed out, then connect flash of your option and ostrich or rhea in 2 colors tight to the rear dubbing ball. Next, produce a substance dubbing loop enough time to conclude to the forward station. I utilized black seal dub and copper Ice Dub here, or cover the body with tinsel of your option. Produce another forward station calling ball bigger than the rear one, connect flash and double back. I like to cover the flash around the eyes to produce stability. Connect ostrich or rhea behind and in front of the eyes, I have actually utilized black and purple on this one, and you’re all set.
Another fantastic all-water fly with a remarkable profile, suitable for conditions with less presence.
Squidro
Hook: 25mm shank signed up with to Intruder-style hook ( such as a Daiichi 2557) sizes 2-6.
Thread: Tan, 210-denier.
Eye: Hot-orange dumbbell, size medium-XL.
Back Body: Tan calling ball.
Front Body: jungle dick plumes.
Flash: Long copper Ice Dub fibers.
Collar: Pink or orange colored hackle suggestions.
Head: Tan calling.
Notes: I have actually seen a lots of various dishes for this fly. I essentially construct a 2 Station Trespasser as explained above, however include the big jungle dick eyes to the rear station (rather of ostrich/rhea) and 2 pink or orange hackle suggestions at the front prior to completing the head with some dubbing. I do not put Krystal Flash into this fly, as it tends to decrease the motion of the plumes. Rather, I utilize some long, copper-colored dub fibers when completing the fly.
Terrific fly to fish in walking-speed water or slower, and not unfathomable. This fly hardly ever hangs up, that makes it an excellent guide pattern. I like to stack them too, utilizing various color combinations to produce a great deal of action in sluggish to moderate speed water.
Notes: I typically purchase these due to the fact that they are so low-cost I can’t connect them that inexpensive. Weighted variations with the turbo cone are offered too. Developing a fly from them is easy: make a calling ball, include marabou in 2 colors, layer flash after each marabou color and include a little hackle or guinea. At any time I’m utilizing a tube mandrel, I put a half-hitch after every fly element is put down so the fly can’t unwind from wear and tear, or more notably, can’t spin on the mandrel. If you do wish to attempt to connect tube flies, take a look at the video series “Tube Fly Fundamentals” from Tightline Productions: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.
