steelhead flies?

[Darian]

After reading all of the posts on this, thought I might introduce some new/old favorites that still catch fish to the mix .

If I'm fishin' the Klamath or Trinity Rivers for Steelhead , I'd have, to mention a few:

Green Butt Skunk, sizes 10 thru 6
Green Butt, Bear Paw, sizes 10 thru 6
Coal Car, sizes 8 thru 4
Brindled Rubberlegs, sizes 8 thru 4
Assassin, sizes 10 thru 6
Orange Bucktail Caddis, dry/wet, sizes 10 thru 6
Red Ant, sizes 10 thru 6

All of these patterns are to be fished on the swing using a floating or sink tip line (depending on flows).

[OregonSalmon]

For Joe Shirshac's sake, let us not forget the Boss. "Ah yeah, and dat Boss fly....dats a good fly"...

[Darian]

Amen brudda

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I would fish the lower Klamth in September. It is usually warm then so it is more AM and PM fishing with the sun off the water. Bruce Slightom here guides with a jet boat in this area.

Fish the middle river in October. I like this best because the weather is usually cooler. I floated once with guide Bruce Slightom in that nice water between Happy Camp and Somes Bar. All floating lines and it was one of my best days on the river.

The upper river in November but it can be sinking lines if it is cold.

Size 8/10 flies. Some weighted.

Brindle Bug

Moss Back

Assassin

Herniator

Renegade

Silver Hilton

Tie some palmered style too. Maybe ad a red tail?

(Some use #6 Dark stonefly nymphs in the daytime with indicators)


I like a 9.5' rod in a #6 weight on average for the Kalamth River. Have a good WF6F and a 15' type 3/4 sinktip.

I use a 9' 2x leader on the floater and about 6' of leader to 2x on the sinktip.

This is real fly fishing at it's finest if you are there on a good year and on good week and in the right place.

Bruce's email address: mothgils@cox.net

[Digger]

anyone got the specs on both the assasin and herniator?
can't seem to locate them on-line easily.
Thanks

[Darian]

Hi Digger,..... Not sure about on-line sources but the Herniator is listed with a picture in the FFF Fly Pattern Encyclopedia .

The Assassins' I've seen are really just a wool yarn or dubbed body in a subdued color palmered with an appropriate color/size saddle hackle. The tail is usually the same color as the saddle hackle and the body is ribbed with silver or gold wire. A wing of sorts consists of sparse, pearl Krystal Flash (2 - 4 strands) tied so it stands up when out of the water..... I've seen this fly tied in black, olive, brown and tan. The hook is usually a traditonal salmon iron in the usual sizes..... Weight is optional.

As with all effective flies, simplicity seems to be the key... .

[Darian]

Digger,..... Saw another version of the Assassin, today. This one, a beadhead Assassin. It had a variegated chenille body, palmered with a saddle hackle and Krystal Hair, divided and placed at the tail at about a 30 degree angle to the shank of the hook.... This thing was heavy and obviously intended to sink like a stone.....

[Digger]

Thanks D.
So you're saying it was a forked tail of krystal hair?
I'm not familiar w/ krystal hair ?

[Darian]

WOW Did I blow that one. Shoulda been Flashabou

Gotta go to the vet and have my remaining brains cells inventoried

[Adam Grace]

Assassin's usually have a crystal FLASH tail.

Another name would be flashabou ACCENT.