This winter steelhead fly is an especially tasty fly in a series of a dozen that I crafted to update my traditional fly arsenal at the dawn of 2012. Prawn like flies have always been fascinating fodder for both steelhead and steelhead anglers. Steelhead eat prawns in the ocean, or at least we think they do, or we claim they do, but maybe they do and maybe they don’t. And maybe when a steelhead eats one of our best Prawn flies the fish is really thinking about a hamburger or pigs in a blanket or chili or whatever and just eats our fly out of curiosity or desperation.
Whatever the motivation, Prawnish flies catch fish and they are fun to tie, especially when dreaming of chrome while we tie in those cute little epoxy eyes at the rear of the fly and imagine a steelhead peeking at them just before the tug.
In case you noticed the overhand knot in one of the rubber legs, yes, this is a crucial characteristic of the pattern. Failing to put a knot in one of the legs (feelers) will result in far fewer steelhead caught, so tie it in, OK?
Tie some up, make ’em pink or purple too, and have some fun at the vise and on the river.
Frizzle Chenille Steelhead Prawn
Hook: TMC 5263 #2-6
Thread: 150 Lagartun White
Bead: 7/32 Plummeting Tungsten Bead Fl. Orange
Legs: Crazy Legs Orange Black Flake
Tail: Hot Orange Eumer Arctic Fox
Eyes: Hareline Epoxy Crab Eyes
Body: UV Hot Orange Frizzle Chenille large
Hackle: Hot Orange Schlappen
Very nice fly. Understand everything, but am going to have to be one of THOSE people and ask………Jay, I see the knot, did you put it there on purpose?
Oh, never mind…..got it figured out what that does now. Called up a friend that had been in the Navy. Thats so its mind cant be read. Ha! All the others are outgoing channels and cant receive. Pretty neat you guys.
Two Dogs: been in the navy myself, few years ago. My answer is that the knot in the feeler is intended to simulate a wounded Prawn, this making it prey more likely to be vulnerable to the pursuit by steelhead or salmon. Ha ha. JN