Minute Midge

Minute Midge

Vince Wilcox

Hook - Curved scud style

Bead - Peacock color glass seed bead

Thread - Black

Body - Midge braid

Flash back - Fushia holographic tinsel 

Thorax - Ice dubbing

Island Full Steel Ahead

Island Full Steel Ahead

Steelhead Fly

Michael Garnier

Hook - Mustad 36890 or equivalent

Thread - Black

Tag - Gold tinsel

Tail - Blue floss or Golden pheasant crest dyed blue

Body - Blue floss

Rib - Round or oval gold tinsel and red micro chenille in back of the tinsel

Wing - White calf tail

Collar - Guinea followed by blue hackle 

Fly Anglers OnLine

Patton

 

Patton

Winged Wet Fly

Hook - Mustad 3399 or equivalent

Thread - Black

Ribbing - Gold tinsel

Body - Brown floss

Hackle - Brown

Wing - Guinea

Perrault's Standard Dictionary of Fishing Flies - Keith Perrault

Gary's Assassin

Gary's Assassin

Steelhead Fly

Hooks - Single salmon

Thread - Fluorescent red

Tail - Dyed black squirrel tail tied one and one-half half the length of the body

Butt - Narrow band of fluorescent red floss

Body - Dubbed with chartreuse lamb's wool

Hackle - Black tied on as collar and tied back

Author's Note

This pattern was redesigned for steelhead head from a Canadian pattern.

Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art - Terry Hellekson

Maverick

Maverick

Hooks - Single salmon

Thread - Black

Tail - Amherst pheasant tippet barbs

Body - Black chenille

Hackle - Badger tied on as a collar and tied back and down

Wing - Gray squirrel tail tied over the body

Mike Kennedy of Lake Oswego, Oregon, originated this pattern in 1961 for the Rogue River. 

Today you will see it tied with a black Crystal Chenille body.

Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art - Terry Hellekson

Maverick

Hooks - Single salmon

Thread - Black

Tail - Amherst pheasant tippet barbs

Body - Black crystal chenille

Hackle - Badger tied on as a collar and tied back and down

Wing - Gray squirrel tail tied over the body

Steelhead Fly Tying Manual - Light & Humphrey

McReynolds

McReynolds

Hook - Single salmon

Thread - Black

Tail - Black hackle barbs

Ribbing - Heavy black thread

Body - Dubbed with orange lamb's wool

Hackle - Grizzly tied on as a collar and tied back

Author's Note

Clarence McReynolds of Eureka, California, originated this pattern in 1940

Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art - Terry Hellekson

Pink Mambo

Pink Mambo

Steelhead Fly

Victor Moore of Smithers, British Columbia, originated this pattern

Hooks - MUS80500BL, MUS80501 BL, TMC7999, DA12441 or equivalent

Thread - Red

Tail - Scarlet red hackle barbs

Body - Rear halt, dubbed with fluorescent hot pink lamb's wool: the front half, black chenille

Hackle - Scarlet red tied on as a collar and tied back and down

Wing - Pink bucktail tied over the body

Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art - Terry Hellekson 

Purple Angle

Purple Angle

Hook - Single salmon

Thread - Fluorescent fire orange

Tail - Tuft of purple marabou

Butt - Fluorescent fire orange chenille

Ribbing - Oval silver tinsel

Body - Purple chenille

Hackle - Claret tied on as a collar and tied back and down

Wing - White bucktail tied over the body

Author's Note

Bob Strobel originated this pattern

Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art - Terry Hellekson

Royal Coachman - Waiting

Royal Coachman - Waiting

Hook - Single salmon

Thread - Black

Tail - Golden pheasant tippet

Body - Peacock herl with a wide red floss center band

Hackle - White tied on as a collar and tied back and down

Wing - White bucktail tied over the body

Author's Note

Al Allard came up with this variation

Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art - Terry Hellekson

Silvius Demon

 

Silvius Demon

Steelhead Fly

Lloyd Silvius of Eureka, California, originated this pattern in the 1930s for the Eel River.

Hooks - TMC7999, DA12441 or equivalent

Thread - Black

Tail - Yellow hackle barbs

Butt - Red chenille

Body - Oval gold tinsel

Hackle - Orange tied on as a collar and tied back and down

Wing - Dyed black squirrel tail tied over the body

Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art - Terry Hellekson

Any similarity to a previously known published fly pattern is purely coincidental

Thunder Mountain

Thunder Mountain

Hook - Single salmon

Thread - Black

Tail - Crimson red hackle barbs

Ribbing - Oval silver tinsel

Body - Red floss

Hackle - Crimson red and black tied on as a collar, mixed, and tied back and down

Wing - White bucktail tied over the body

Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art - Terry Hellekson

Van Zandt

Van Zandt

Steelhead Fly

Josh Van Zandt of Eureka, California, originated this pattern around 1900

Hooks - MUS80500BL, MUS80501 BL, TMC7999, DA12441 or equivalent

Thread - Red

Tail - Crimson red hackle barbs

Ribbing - Silver wire

Body - Peacock herl

Hackle - Crimson red tied on as a collar and tied back and down

Wing - Crimson red calf tail tied over the body.  The original wing on this fly was red goose quill

Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art - Terry Hellekson

Van Zandt

Josh Van Sant Jr., pre-1900 

Hook - Singla salmon

Tail - Red hackle fibers 

Body - Peacock herl 

Hackle - Red 

Wing - Red goose primary sections 

Note: The addition of jungle cock cheeks makes this the Josh Van Sant.

Classic Steelhead Flies

Haile Selassie

Haile Selassie

Hooks - MUS80500BL, MUS80501 BL, TMC7999, DA12441 or equivalent

Thread - Black

Tip - Flat silver tinsel

Tail - Fluorescent orange hackle barbs

Ribbing - Flat silver tinsel

Body - Dubbed with black lamb's wool

Hackle - Fluorescent orange tied on as a collar and tied back and down

Wing - Black buck tail tied over the body

Topping - Two strands of fluorescent orange yarn

Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art - Terry Hellekson

Cliff's Special

Cliffs Special 

Tail - Scarlet red hackle barbs

Ribbing - Embossed silver tinsel

Body - Orange chenille

Hackle - Orange tied on as a collar and tied back and down

Wing - White bucktail

Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art - Terry Hellekson

Ches's Black Fly

Ches's Black Fly

Salmon Fly

Hooks - TMC7999 or DA12441 or equivalent

Thread - Black

Tip - Flat silver tinsel

Tail - Golden pheasant crest feather

Body - Black floss

Hackle - Cream hackle barbs tied in at the throat

Wing - Black moose hair tied thick and flared over the body

Ches Traverse of Corner Brook, Newfoundland, originated this pattern in 1970

Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art - Terry Hellekson

Black Monarch

Black Monarch

Hooks - Single salmon

Thread - Black

Tip - Oval silver tinsel

Tag - Short strand of black floss

Butt - White ostrich herl

Ribbing - Oval silver tinsel

Body - Dubbed with black lamb's wool

Hackle - Badger tied on as a collar and tied back and down

Wing - Two strands of yellow floss tied over the body, with an over wing of gray squirrel tail tied low over the body

Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art - Terry Hellekson

Pig Nymph - Black

Pig Nymph - Black

Hooks - TMC3761 or DAI1560 or equivalent, sizes 12-16

Thread - Black

Tail - Three dark peccary hairs

Abdomen - Wrapped with dark peccary hair

Thorax - Black ostrich herl

Legs - Black hen hackle tied on as a collar and trimmed off on top and bottom

Doug Prince of Monterey, California, originated this pattern. In view of the fact that peccary is not always available, many fly tiers have found that moose is just as effective.

Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art - Terry Hellekson

Leib's Bug

Leib's Bug

Don Leib

Hook - Mustad 9672 or equivalent, size 6-12

Weight - Lead free wire

Thread - Black

Tail - Brown goose biots tied in a "V"

Ribbing - Oval gold tinsel

Body - Peacock herl

Hackle - Brown. Clip off on top

Legs - Brown goose biot tied in on each side so tips flair out

Popular Fly Patterns - Terry Hellekson

Silver Tip I & II

Silver Tip I

Hooks - TMC7999 or DAI2441 or equivalent, sizes 4-10

Thread - Black

Tip - Oval gold tinsel

Tag - Short strand of red yarn

Body - Oval gold tinsel

Wing - Gray squirrel tail tied low over the body

Hackle - Yellow tied on as a collar and tied back

Head - Black with a red center band

The original pattern called for silver tip grizzly bear hair for the wing.

Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art – Terry Hellekson

Silver Tip II

Hooks - TMC7999 or DAI2441, sizes 4-10

Thread - Black

Tip - Flat silver tinsel

Ribbing - Flat silver tinsel

Body - Black floss

Wing - Black moose hair tied low over the body

Keith Fulsher of Eastchester, New York, originated this pattern in 1960. The silver tinsel ribbing on this pattern should be wrapped so there are equal portions of both black floss and silver tinsel showing.

Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier's Art – Terry Hellekson

Taylor Special

Taylor Special

Bill Taylor

Hook - Gamakatsu T10-6H or equivalent

Tag - Silver tinsel

Body - Rear half - Fluorescent green floss

Veil - Fluorescent green floss

Ribbing - Oval silver tinsel

Body - Front half - Peacock herl

Wing - Fluorescent green squirrel tail

Collar - Yellow hen hackle

Taylor Spec... (fabri-mouches.ca)

Fly Patterns of Canada - Paul C Marriner

Another Version

Taylor Special

Arthur Taylor

Hook - Gamakatsu T10-6H or equivalent

Tag - Oval silver tinsel

Tail - 3-4 peacock herl fibers

Body - Rear half fluorescent green floss. Front half peacock herl

Ribbing - Oval silver tinsel

Veil - Fluorescent green floss over rear body reaching to tail

Throat - Yellow hackle fibers

Wing - Fluorescent green squirrel tail

Collar - Yellow cock

The Complete Illustrated Directory of Salmon Flies - Chriss Mann