Washington steelhead fly fishing guide - Olympic Peninsula - Forks WATarpon Fly FishingFL Keys Tarpon Fly FishingForks WA steelhead fly fishing guideWashington Fly Fishing GuideSteelhead Fly Fishing Guides Olympic Peninsula WashingtonTarpon Fly Fishing Guide Florida KeysIslamorada , Key Largo Bonefish captainFly Fishing Guides Olympic PeninsulaFly Fishing Forks WashingtonBiscayne Bay Bonefish GuideForks Washington Fly Fishing GuideWashington Fly Fishing Guide Forks WA

Fly Tying

Here are some fly patterns that we have developed while chasing steelhead, trout, and salmon between Washington, Alaska, and Montana.

Freeloader

Washington Steelhead Fly - Steelhead Fly Tying
Video of the Freeloader in the water below.

Recipe:

Thread – 6/0 Black

Body – EP tarantula brush 1″,  Dyed Guinea

Tail – 6 rubber legs, 10 strands crystal flash, ostrich hearl

Underwing – Ostrich, Flashabou

Overwing – Ostrich, Marabou

Head – EP Sparkle brush, EP Anadromous Brush

Steps:

1.  Tie on the stinger wire and hook. Eye of the shank hook to the back of the stinger hook should be 2.5″ – 3″. Take the wire through the eye of the shank hook and fold over, wrap to secure and apply glue. Wrap to the back of the shank, tie in blue EP 1″ tarantula brush. Wrap 5 times then secure (This will create a thick profile that we want in steelhead flies, it will make all the other material get good movement in the water). Tie in blue strung guinea feather, wrap 6 times then secure.

Washington Steelhead Fly - Steelhead Fly Tying

2. Now, tie 6 rubber legs to the top half of the fly. We are going to fix the material so it goes past the trailing hook by 1/4″ – 1/2″. Then lay 10 strands of blue krystal flash on the rubber legs. Again, distributing the material evenly over the top half of the fly. Next, apply 6 strands of dark blue ostrich, keeping the material on the top half of the fly.

Washington Steelhead Fly - Steelhead Fly Tying

3. Attach 6 strands of royal blue ostrich tot he top half of the fly. Secure 10 strands of blue flashabou on top of the ostrich. Then attach the tip of a black marabou feather and palmer it forward (1-2 turns).

4. Next, tie on 6 strands of black ostrich distributing them evenly over the top half of the fly. Tie in Blue EP Sparkle Brush, make 1 turn, tie off and cut the excess brush away. Then tie in a Black EP Anadromous Brush and make 2 wraps. Secure and trim excess. Whip finish head glue. Then cut the hook that the fly is tied on just behind the EP tarantula brush (avoid cutting the stinger wire).

Washington Steelhead Fly - Steelhead Fly Tying

 

Video – Freeloader in the Current