Paul's April 2024 Fly of the Month

 Jeff's Little Rainbow Trout

Hook:  Mustad  79580 or 4X streamer hook of choice Size #2 - #10.

Thread:  Black Danville Flat Waxed Nylon & UTC 70 Denier.

Belly:  White Bucktail

Body:  Silver Mylar Flat Tinsel. 

Wing:  Cream or White Bucktail over which is Hot Pink Bucktail, topped with 5-6 strands of Peacock Herl.

Throat/Beard:  Red Saddle Hackle Fibers.

Cheeks:  Wood Duck feather tips.

Head:  Black Tying Thread finished with Head Cement or Hard As Nails.

Sometimes there are flies in your box that are great patterns, have produced a lot of fish, but get forgotten over time.  For me this is one of them.  At least 20 years ago I fished the Connetquot River with friend Jeff Purcell.  Jeff landed fish after fish on this fly.  Recently, I used it on the Farmington River and did quite well with it.  It’s tied in the ‘classic’ manor of New England Streamers.  That means dressed sparsely with natural materials.  The most successful way to fish this fly is to dead drift it, mend, and briefly dangle it where you expect fish to be.  If that doesn’t work, try varying strip retrieves.  This is a killer streamer!

To tie this fly crimp the barb and place it securely in your vice.  Start your thread an ‘eyes’ length behind the eye and wrap down to the bend.  Cut off the butt end of your thread.  Tie in your Silver Mylar Tinsel, then advance your thread up to your starting point.  With touching wraps, palmer your tinsel forward and tie it off at your initial thread starting point.  Tie off your Tinsel and cut off the butt end.  Next, tie in your White Bucktail Belly.  If you have a rotary vice, simply turn your fly upside down.  If you don’t have a rotary, remove your fly and reaffix it in your vice.  Do not overdress your fly.  The Belly should extend slightly longer than the hook bend.  Trim the butt ends of your Belly and again rotate your fly.  Now, using the same quantity of Bucktail (Cream or White), tie in your wing.  It should be the same length as your Belly.  On top of that tie in an equal amount of Hot Pink Bucktail.  Again, the same length as your cream or white Bucktail.  Now tie in 5-6 strands of Peacock Herl, Equal length as your wing.

Reverse your fly 1 more time and tie in your Red Saddle Hackle fibers for your Throat/Beard.  It should be approximately a hook gap in length.  Reverse your fly to tie in your Wood Duck Feather Cheeks.  I stroke back these feathers and tie in the tips on each side of the fly.  They should be a hook gap in length on each side of the fly.  Cut off the butt ends and using your thread, build up a substantial black head for your fly.  Painted or 3D eyes are optional if you want to add them to the fly.  Finally, with Head Cement, coat your finished head. 

If you have any questions about this fly or would like to submit a Fly of The Month I can be reached at pdinice@frontier.com .