This is my favorite winter steelhead prawn fly. Just is. I like the lines and the fact that it reminds me of the days when I tied hundreds of dozens of TDCs (Tied Down Caddis) for Randall Kaufmann. That was then and this is . . . . .
I have tied this Prawn fly with the Softex firmed tail and here are a few notes on this feature of the fly.
When tied to a leader and soaked in a steelhead stream, the semi-firm feature of the fly usually does one or both of the following: 1) sometimes it makes the fly spin, and 2) sometimes it just folds back on the back of the fly and makes a blob. This leads to the conclusion that it would be better to either clip this material off and tie a thread head, or just trim the tail/head of the fly like you would if tying an Elk Hair Caddis, and leave an un-cemented puff of Arctic Fox to finish the fly.
Jay Nicholas
January 2012
Foxee Steelhead Prawn
Hook: TMC 7999 #4
Thread: Lagartun 150 White
Hackle: Pink Strung saddle
Back: Eumer Arctic Fox Tail, orange
Eyes: Epoxy Crab Eyes
Body: Speckle Crystal Chenille Pearl Fl. Fire Orange
Glue: Softex
These are great; keep ’em coming!