Bootleg Fly: Green Butt Purple Skunk vs. Silver Hilton

Well, we set our clocks forward, the days are getting longer, March Madness is nearly upon us, and spring is in the air. All this, of course, means summer steelhead aren't far behind.

I'm still inspired by mash-up DJs and bootleg fly patterns, and longing for some summer steelhead action, so I decided to combine two of my favorite low water summer patterns. A little Green Butt Purple Skunk, a bit Silver Hilton, this fly is absolutely wicked on the greased line swing.


I've always loved the grizzly hackle tip wing on the Silver Hilton. It's such a severe, sparse fly, yet these long, dramatic wings bring a graceful, rich, and sweeping quality to it. I always use Diamond Brite dubbing for the butt on this fly because it just adds a little something else to the mix, something that pedestrian chenille can't hope to provide.

Underwater, the two stately hackle tips hold forth. They gyrate, flow, and tantalize (if you haven't seen it, get a copy of Lani Waller's original steelhead tapes and watch him fish the Silver Hilton with great success).

When I fish the Deschutes in August, I like to carry a whole box of these in addition to a full array of summer Spey and Dee patterns, as well as a whack of caddis and stonefly adults. It's a smallish Wheatley box. I keep it in my left chest pocket next to a tightly rolled Ramon Allones and beneath a small nip flask of Bullet.

I can't wait for the dog days.


The Green Bootie Purple Hilton >>


Hook >> Tiemco 7999SP, sizes 8-4
Thread >> Wapsi UTC Ultra Thread, 210 denier, red
Bootie >> Spirit River Diamond Brite Dubbing, caddis green
Ribbing >> Wapsi UTC French Oval Tinsel, medium, silver
Body >> Spirit River Angora goat dubbing, dark stone
Collar >> Spirit River Schlappen, purple
Wing >> Matched Keough grizzly hackle tips


Maybe the dog days aren't here yet, and we may not have a summer run for a few months, but in the meantime, here's a little something from DJ Axel, Hova, and GNR to carry you through... (Axl Rose's white leather get up is so rad).



Evan LeBon is a regular contributor to beyondthebug.com

Fly Recipe: Shunji's Kabuki Fly

In the 1600s a new form of dance theater emerged in the dusty streets of Kyoto, Japan. The men and women who performed in these gritty, impromptu plays depicted "ordinary life" in 17th Century Japan and they did so with a new, avant-garde, and sexually charged style that became known as "Kabuki."

Here is an image of an early Kabuki performer, Izumo no Okuni (from Okuni Kabuki-zu Byōbu, a six-panel screen, a collection of Kyoto National Museum).The suggestive nature of these early performances (and their loose association with prostitution) quickly drew attention from all corners of Japanese society and the movement developed at a fevered pace. Soon, Kabuki performers were gracing not only the stages of Kyoto's crowded and narrow streets, but the guilded halls of the Japanese Imperial Court as well. This tradition continues today, and although it's changed a great deal over the centuries, the obsessively stylized and edgy spirit of Kabuki remains.

It's with this same spirit that Shunji, a San Francisco, CA-based angler and fly tyer, developed his Kabuki Fly.

In Shunji's aesthetic contemplation of the fly, color and shape are clearly important. Also, proportion and exactitude shine through in the design. According to Shunji, "I wanted to have a small body profile while keeping enough volume to be a good snack size for trout and steelhead. At the same time, I wannted to give the fly a longer profile for a good swimming action."

He went on to say, "I think these flies are very useful in many conditions; they'll fish well in fast water or calm, pool-like water. I prefer the faster water. They could be used from Russian river to the Smith I hope!"
Shunji's Kabuki Fly demonstrates the value of precision, thoughtfullness, and experimentation in the world of fly tying.

Scholars believe the word "kabuki" is derived from the Japanese verb "kabuku," which means "to lean" or "to be out of the ordinary." Loosely translated into English, kabuki means "avant-garde."

Whatever you want to call them, Shunji's Kabuki Flies are certainly out of the ordinary. Modern fly designers, take note.


Shunji's Kabuki Fly >>

Hook >> Gamakatsu Octupus size 6, and 7999 size 8
Thread >> Danville 6/0 red for some of them, black for some of them
Wing >> Black bucktail
Hackle >> Schlappen, color is varied
Rib >> Medium silver flat tinsel
Body >> Wool dubbing or Angora goat dubbing
Butt >> Black bucktail
Throat >> Natural guinea feather or natural teal flank feather


Evan LeBon is a regular contributor to beyondthebug.com

photos and flies courtesy of Shunji, a regular contributor to beyondthebug.com

Fly Recipe: Ian's Whiplash Prawn

Well, Ian McNemar has been logging some hard hours at the vise lately. He's been caught up in the world of tube flies now for a while, and it looks like the obsession is paying off.

Here are two variations of his newest tube pattern, a fly he calls the Whiplash Prawn.

I think he likes Metallica...



Ian's Purple Whiplash Prawn >>

Tube >> HMH thick wall micro tubing nested with clear HMH hybrid tubing
Feelers >> Black bucktail
Flash >> Pearl crystal splash
Butt >> Pink angora goat dubbing
Body >> Claret wool dubbing
Rib >> Small oval silver tinsel
Hackle >> Purple schlappen
Wing >> Black bear hair
Thread >> Danville 6/0 gray/blue
Hook >> Daiichi 1650 tube fly hook, size 6


Ian's Orange Whiplash Prawn >>


Tube >> HMH thick-wall micro tubing nested with HMH orange hybrid tubing for the junction
Eyes >> Small pink shiny beads glued onto 33lb hard mono
Feelers >> Black bucktail
Butt >> Pink angora goat dubbing
Body >> Brown angora boat dubbing
Rib >> Small silver oval tinsel
Hackle >> Orange schlappen
Wing >> Black bear hair
Thread >> Red Danville 6/0
Hook >> Daiichi 1650 tube fly hook, size 6



Evan LeBon is a regular contributor to beyondthebug.com

photos and flies courtesey of Ian McNemar, a regular contributor to beyondthebug.com

Fly Recipe: MJ's Rubber Leg Copper John

The classic Copper John nymph, an attractor fly originally designed by Colorado-based angler and modern fly tying master, John Barr, was intended to sink quickly and to be fished in concert for big trout with larger grasshopper imitations. Over the years, however, the pattern has developed a cult following of anglers who use the Copper John on its own as a wickedly productive searching nymph in both rapid and still waters.


Matt "MJ" Jones of San Francisco, CA is an avid trout angler. He spends lots of time on the rich fly water of California's high country. The Truckee River is one of his favorite spots and this simple, but effective, Rubber Leg Copper John is one of his favorite flies.

Each time he heads to the Reno-Truckee area, MJ is sure to have a box-load of these bugs in red, chartreuse, and copper color variations at the ready. He loves this fly because it works well in the varied water anglers can encounter on rivers like the Truckee and for its simple design.


MJ's Rubber Leg Copper John >>
Hook >> Tiemco TMC 2457, sizes 12-18
Tail >> Black rubber legs
Body >> Wapsi UTC copper wire, size medium, red, chartreuse, copper, and other colors
Thorax >> Peacock herl
Wing Case >> Flash material coated wtih Z-Poxy 5-minute epoxy and resin
Leg >> Black rubber legs
Head >> Gold bead head, appropriately sized to fit hook


Evan LeBon is a regular contributor to beyondthebug.com

fly and photo courtsey of Matt "MJ" Jones, a regular contributor to beyondthebug.com

Fly Recipe: The Emerald Shiner Tube Fly

Recently, Wylie Haggerty took an exploratory trip to New York State's Niagara River in search of some of the biggest lake-run steelhead on the East Coast. Wylie loves to swing for chrome, and some of the most effective swing patterns on the "Big River" are those that represent bait fish.

Here's a relatively simple fly he brought with him, and is sure to carry again.


The Emerald Shiner Tube Fly >>


Tube >> 2-inch copper, brass, or aluminum tube
Thread >> Wapsi UTC 210 Denier, red, green, or purple
Body >> Flat Mylar tinsel, large
Ribbing >> French tinsel, oval or Antique tinsel
Wing >> Canadian and Russian Goat hair, married, dark green, light green, and white
Throat >> Webby schlappen fibers, red
Collar >> Wrapped schlappen feather, grey or white
Eyes >> Jungle cock nail feathers, sized to match
Head >> Silver cone head, large


Evan LeBon is a regular contributor to beyondthebug.com

Fly recipe and photo courtesy of Wylie Haggerty

Holiday Flurries and Summer Steelhead Flies...

Well, it's looking more and more like Christmas will be white in Manhattan...

... and that means there's only one thing to do: tie up some summer steelhead flies in anticipation of the coming season (even if it is like 7 months off).

Here's a simple low water steelhead fly that I've used with great success on the Deschutes River in Central Oregon during the late summer months.

It's a simple, sparsely-dressed pattern that doesn't require crazy materials or long hours at the vise, making it the perfect antidote for a steelheader on a snowy afternoon.


The Snow-day Summer Steelhead Fly >>


Hook >> Tiemco TMC 202 SP, size 4 or 6
Thread >> Wapsi 210 denier UTC Ultra Thread, red
Tag >> Wapsi Flat Mylar Tinsel, silver, medium
Dubbed Body >> Spirit River Angora Goat Dubbing, black or dark grey
Dubbed "Cheek" >> Spirit River Diamond Brite Dubbing, UV pearl (a nub of dubbing wrapped just forward of the hook eye return, teased for sparkle)
Collar >> Spirit River Pheasant Rump Feather, blue-green


Evan LeBon is a regular contributor to beyondthebug.com

Fly Recipe: Wylie's One Percenter Tube Fly

Every good fly has a story, and every good tube fly has a better one. You never know what will inspire, spark, and feed the naming process of a fly. Regardless of how you get there, settling on the name of a new fly is always an interesting exercise in creativity, free-association, and cool hunting.

Here's the story of a fly called the "One Percenter." It's tied by avid New Jersey-based Delaware trout bum turned steelhead freak, Wylie Haggerty.

Here's Wylie's "page 13 version" of the story behind the name:

"I remember reading Hunter S. Thompson's book Hells Angels a while back and have been interested in the gang from a sociological standpoint ever since. I had been tying flies at the lady's house while watching Gang Land on the tube and the Hells Angels piece came on. The term "1%ers" or "one percenters" has been used to describe the Hells Angles gang because only 1% of the motorcycle community ever meets their criteria. I thought this fly was unique because I had yet to see a fly use a rhea feather as the wing at the time and I thought the black and blue looked similar to the garb of motorcycle gang member. I also thought the fly would explode with movement while in the water, and coincidentally, the Hells Angles were responsible for the second largest car bomb in US history back in the day."

On a side note: In case you're wondering what the current leader of California's Hells Angels would do if he were president...



Here's a quick and dirty recipe for the One Percenter Tube Fly>>

Tube >> HMH large, medium, or small fly tying tube depending, of course, on the desired size of the finished fly
Dubbing >> Polar bear dubbing or Angora goat dubbing
Tinsel >> Silver French or Oval tinsel sized to match the tube, use a diamond braid or traditional wrapping style
Rear Wings >> Wrapped rhea feather or ostrich plume
Top Wing >> Stripped and secured rhea feather tip or ostrich plume tip
Collar >> Palmered marabou feather, oversized
Eye >> Flanking jungle cock nail feathers secured near the hook eye


Evan LeBon is a regular contributor to beyondthebug.com

photo and fly courtesy of Wylie Haggerty

Fly Pattern: Wylie Haggerty's Grab Bag Atlantic Salmon Fly

"Man it's gnarly. But, Wylie, why do you call it the Grab Bag?" That's precisely what I asked after a good friend and fishing buddy, Wylie Haggerty, gave me a look at a new fly he'd been working on from his fly tying desk in northern New Jersey.


His response: "I call that pattern the grab bag because I take a few techniques used in some of my favorite flies, and mix them up."

This fly uses the diamond wrap threading technique (more on this in another post), special dubbing (polar bear) picked out for the hackle, teal collar, the classic jungle cock eyes used in Atlantic salmon flies, and the late-October Salmon River hot color combo of black and orange.

Wylie's Grab Bag is a fantastic illustration of how modern fly tyers are similar to jazz musicians when they develop new fly patterns. Borrowing a bit from something here, mixing elements, and using the language of the past to push the craft forward -- that's it.


Wylie's Grab Bag >>

Hook >> Partridge salmon iron, size 6/0 - 2/0
Thread >> Floss wrapped with diamond technique, burnt orange color
Dubbing >> Polar bear dubbing, black color, heavily teased
Collar 1 >> Teal flank feather, blood red color
Collar 2 >> Schlappen feather, black color
Eye >> Jungle cock nail feathers, matched to hook size


Evan LeBon is a regular contributor to beyondthebug.com

photos and fly courtesy of Wylie Haggerty

Fly Pattern: The Simple Life Flatwing Streamer

Make a cast. Strip line. Set the hook. Play the fish. Take a breath. Keep it simple.

For many, fly fishing and fly tying are about escaping the concrete canyons, carpeted cubicles, conference calls, nagging bosses, and other daily obstacles of a busy modern life. These bright little flies, inspired by the patterns in the classic work by Ken Abrames, Striper Moon, don't take long to tie and are good for the senses.


The Simple Life Flatwing Streamer >>Hook >> Tiemco TMC 800S, 600SP, Gamakatsu Octopus, or similar saltwater hook, size 4-1
Thread >> Wapsi UTC Monofilament Thread, .006
Belly >> Spirit River Bodi Braid, silver
Guard >> Spirit River Bucktail Fibers, vary colors
Wing 1 >> Spirit River Saddle Hackle Feather, tied flat, vary colors
Wing 2 >> Spirit River Saddle Hackle Feather, tied flat, vary colors
Wing 3 >> Spirit River Saddle Hackle Feather, tied flat, vary colors (3rd wing optional)
Topping >> 4-5 Strands Spirit River Peacock Herl
Eyes >> Small Stick-on Plastic Eyes

Whip finish fly and coat head and eyes with Z-Poxy 5-minute epoxy and resin. Allow 20 minutes for drying.


Evan LeBon is a regular contributor to beyondthebug.com

Fly Pattern: Shunji's Redwing Blackbird (or Ronin) Steelhead Fly

Tied by Shunji of San Francisco, CA, this Redwing Blackbird or "Ronin Fly" is an excellent example of a sparsely dressed modern steelhead fly. This lightweight, but attractive offering works well when swung through gnarly current seams and bubble lines.
Run it around the edges of exposed boulders and other types of structure. Its excellent contrast, slim profile, stiff wing and tail, and gentle flash will move steelhead from their lies even in cold fall and spring water.


Shunji's Redwing Blackbird (Ronin Fly) >>
Hook >> Tiemco TMC 7999, size 4
Thread >> Wapsi UTC 210 Denier Ultra Thread, black
Ribbing & Tag >> Wapsi Silver oval tinsel, size medium
Tail >> Schlappen Fibers from Spirit River, red
Body >> #2 Chenille from Spirit River, black
Wing (optional) >>Long bucktail fibers from Spirit River, red

Evan LeBon is a regular contributor to beyondthebug.com

photos by Ian McNemar, a regular contributor to beyondthebug.com

Fly Pattern: MJ's Swingin' Freight Train

For years now, Randall Kaufmann's Freight Train has been swung through the green waters of the Deschutes River in Central Oregon with great success.

Anglers know the fly by its distinctive purple and orange floss and sparse dressing. Summer steelhead know it as an irrisistible, if dangerous, staple of their watery environment, especially through the months of July and August.


Even though Kaufmann's original pattern is very modern in its angular lines, sparse dressing, and choice of few materials, Matt "MJ" Jones offers a pattern with softer lines and a more traditional feel to construct a fly that looks a bit more gaudy than Maupin is used to seeing on the end of a leader.


MJ's Swingin' Freight Train >>
Hook >> Tiemco TMC 7999, size 4
Thread >> Wapsi UTC 140 Denier Ultra Thread, orange, pink, green, and black
Ribbing >> Wapsi Silver oval tinsel, size medium
Tail >> Purple Chinese saddle hackle from Spirit River
Body >> Black Ultra Chenille from Spirit River
Collar >> Purple Chinese saddle hackle from Spirit River
Wing (optional) >> White calf hair from Spirit River


Evan LeBon is a regular contributor to beyondthebug.com

flies tied by Matt "MJ" Jones, a regular contributor to beyondthebug.com

photos by Josh L. Frazier

Fly Recipe: Calimari con Super Spey

Beyond the Bug has come a long way since we started blogging in March. Thanks to the loyal followers of the site for clicking in and taking a look! Heretofore, we haven't really posted any fly recipes for the fly designs we explore on these pages, but that's about to change.

We've had about a zillion requests for a fly recipe for the squid fly featured in our very first post. You'll find the recipe and material list below. Detailed tying instructions can be obtained via email at beyondthebug@gmail.com


Calimari con Super Spey, a squid fly for steelhead and stripers >>

Hook >> Tiemco TMC 7999 #1/0

Thread >> Wapsi UTC GSP 200 deneir, white (colored with Prismacolor art marker)

Tentacles 1 >> 2 or 3 red emu feathers (best quality is from Siskiyou Aviary in Ashland, Oregon)

Tentacles 2 >> 2 or 3 saltwater saddle feathers (white, dotted with Prismacolor art marker)

Tentacle highlights 1 >> Spirit River Pearlescent Fly Flash, pink

Tentacle highlights 2 >> about 10 strands of Spirit River Crystal Splash, purple and pearl

Head 1 >> EP Fibers by Enrico Puglisi, lavender and navy blue stacked 360-degrees around the shank
Eyes >> 2 matched Spirit River Jungle Cock Nail Feathers

Dubbing >> Spirit River Diamond Brite Dubbing, UV pearl

Head 2 >> Paul Miller Super Spey rhea feathers, gentian purple


Evan LeBon is a regular contributor to beyondthebug.com

photo provided by Ian McNemar, a regular contributor to beyondthebug.com