Dave’s Mistake

Dave’s Mistake

Steelhead

David McNeese, 1987

Tag - Silver flat tinsel

Tail - Purple hackle fibers or purple-dyed golden pheasant crest, topped with fruit crow

Rib - Silver oval tinsel

Body - Red dubbing

Hackle - Purple

Wing - White polar bear hair or bucktail

Cheeks - Jungle cock

Note: Substitutes for the rare and expensive fruit crow (aka Indian fruit crow) include white feathers from the neck of a ringneck pheasant dyed a pale tan-yellow and then tip-dyed with bright red; these are troublesome to create and require expertise in dying feathers. Much simpler is to simply use a small red feather, including those taken from a dyed-red hen’s neck.

Classic Steelhead Flies – John Shewey