North-Country Spider Egg « currentseams.com

Calling all steelhead fanatics and soft-hackle aficionados! “Soft Hackles for Winter Steelhead” first appeared in the Jan/Feb 2015 issue of American Angler. It features six of my favorite winter steelhead soft-hackles, including detailed photos, pattern recipes, and a little story about each fly. Also included is my winter steelhead indicator setup.

I wrote this piece several years ago, but I’m pleased to tell you that I still use all of these flies. With the brutal cold approaching, it seemed like a good time to post “Soft Hackles for Winter Steelhead.” To read it, click on the pdf link below.

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This fine buck was taken in late fall 2017 on a Salmon River Rajah, one of the soft-hackled flies featured in the article.

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This modern take on the traditional template is one of my favorite steelhead patterns.

Hook: Orvis 1641 size 8-10

Thread: 6/0, color to match head

Tail: Hen hackle fibers

Body: Diamond braid color to match hackle and tail

Hackle: Hen

Head: Estaz petite, contrast color to hackle, body and tail

Here’s what I wrote about the North-Country Spider Egg in the Jan/Feb 2015 issue of American Angler:

T.E. Pritt never chased chrome, but his renowned North-Country spiders make for fine steelhead soft-hackles. I’ve had even more success with the spider template by adding a tail and using bright colors and modern materials. Pritt may be rolling over in his grave at the liberties I’ve taken, but he could not argue with the results: steelhead love this fly.

Classic North-Country patterns like the Winter Brown and the Grey Partridge sport a head of wound peacock herl. In the Spider Egg, I’m simply using a few turns of Estaz Petite. The Estaz should be a contrasting color to the monochromatic body, wing, and tail. I like black/chartreuse; chartreuse/black; chartreuse/white; black/purple; and metallic copper/black. You can and should experiment with different color combinations.

The North-Country Spider Egg Rogues’ Gallery:

Fresh chrome, Salmon River, 11/2014