Further implements of steelhead destruction

Nov19

Or, an angler can hope. Either way, fly boxes must be replenished, here with an eclectic selection of attractors, eggy fare, classic soft hackles and gaudy streamers. A few hungry customers is all I ask.

The best flies for Great Lakes steelhead are the ones that get eaten. Surely a delectable morsel lies within this diverse menu.

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Fly tying video: the Copperhead Stone steelhead nymph

Oct12

It’s hard to go wrong with black and copper on New York’s Salmon River. The Copperhead Stone is the proof. A small steelhead nymph, easy to tie, and you won’t get upset about losing one on the bottom because you have a dozen more in your box.

Hook: Orvis 62KC size 10

Thread: Black 6/0

Tail: Black goose biots

Body: Black wool

Head: Copper solid and krystal tinsel chenille

I have an emotional connection to this pattern — it’s the fly I used to land my first steelhead. It was given to me on the river with the guarantee that I would hook a steelhead. And so it came to pass.

I kept that fly so I could duplicate it at home. The original had a black wool tag that extended a few turns below the tail; I have eliminated it, apparently with no ill effects.