Steelhead Flies - Traditional Hook

A unique Squid/Shrimp pattern.

Size 4 hook

Spirit River continues to lead the way in UV2 technology. We have used a double dye process to give all our unique UV2 materials and flies the added UVF/UVR ultraviolet wave lengths. We all know UV Florescence which is so common on everything from street signs to bass lures. UV Reflectance is a spectrum of wave lengths humans can not perceive yet is extremely common in the animal and insect world. UVR allows mayflies to find mates, and bees to find flowers. Many male birds and bugs have a strong natural UVR signature.

This fly is now tied in a classic tie up, and has been a super effective Steelhead fly. It first started as the Improved Methow Moal, and then evolved into Skagit Methow Leech (which has the record for catching 20 lb Steelhead).

For lower water and summer conditions this same color pattern can be found in this fly and Skagit Leech Lite.

See other Neo Classic patterns (Click Here) | Also See Neo Classic Methow, WW (Click Here)

Tied on a:

• 2051 Alec Jackson Black Spey Hook, Size 3
• Chartreuse Holographic Flashabou
• Chartreuse Veevus Holograophic Tinsel, Large
• Black UV Ice Dub
• Black Saltwater Neck Hackle
• Black Ostrich Herl, 10-12 inch
• Kingfisher Blue Guinea Hackle
• Red VEEVUS THREAD 8/0

This fly is now tied in a classic tie up, and has been a very effective Summer/Fall Steelhead fly.

For lower water and summer conditions this same color pattern can be found in this fly and Skagit Leech Lite.

See other Neo Classic patterns (Click Here)

Tied on a:

• 2051 Alec Jackson Black Spey Hook, Size 3
• Flashabou
• Chartreuse Veevus Holograophic Tinsel, Large
• Black UV Ice Dub
• Black Saltwater Neck Hackle
• Black Ostrich Herl, 10-12 inch
• Guinea Hackle
• Red VEEVUS THREAD 8/0

This fly is now tied in a classic tie up, and has been a very effective Summer/Fall Steelhead fly.

For lower water and summer conditions this same color pattern can be found in this fly and Skagit Leech Lite.

See other Neo Classic patterns (Click Here)

Tied on a:

• 2051 Alec Jackson Black Spey Hook, Size 3
• Flashabou
• Chartreuse Veevus Holograophic Tinsel, Large
• Black UV Ice Dub
• Black Saltwater Neck Hackle
• Black Ostrich Herl, 10-12 inch
• Guinea Hackle
• Red VEEVUS THREAD 8/0

A proven summer Steelhead fly. Great on the Deschutes, and Clear Water rivers.

Tail: Golden Pheasant Tippet

Butt: Peacock Herl

Body: Chartreuse Dubbing

Hackle: Pheasant

Wing: Grey Squirrel Tail

Size: 6

Skate it (deer hair head is shaved flat on belly side) or fish it wet. A very effective fall Caddis and Muddler imitation.

Size: 6

A famous fly for trout and Steelhead that still produces. This fly is custom tied and enhanced with with flash and holographic tinsel.

Sizes: 4, 6

A nice natural Spey Fly for late summer and fall Steelhead.

Tied with Pheasant Tail and Rump. A fly for imitating Salmon Flies, Pteronarcys californica, and Dicosmoecus gilvipes, Giant October Caddis.

Daiichi Alec Jackson Spey Hook, Size 3

The Egg Sucking Leech is one of the best all around Steelhead flies. Tied by Solitude Fly.

Size 2

Swing this fly, Nymph this leech - it works for Steelhead, Trout, Bass, and Walleye.

A good Summer Steelhead Fly, Fall Cutthroat.

The traditional summer steelhead flies were developed on the fabled rivers of the Pacific Northwest, such as the Umpqua, Deschutes, and the Rogue. Our traditional summer steelhead flies are tied on a black nickel, up-turned eye, salmon hook.

A very good traditional summer Steelhead fly -really good in late summer and fall. Has October Caddis coloration.

Size: 4 hook

A nice well tied skating muddler imitation. Great for early morning and late evenings for summer and fall Steelhead. Marabou gives the fly lots of action.

Size 4 hook

 Green Butt Skunk - It was developed by Dan Callaghan on the North Umpqua River, date unknown, but sometime after 1950. He took the original Skunk steelhead fly and added the green butt. Just that minor change made a big difference in the fly.

See other Neo Classic patterns (Click Here)

Tied on a:

• 2051 Alec Jackson Black Spey Hook, Size 3
• See other Green Butt Skunks (Click Here)

BoilerMaker a green butted skunk Steelhead skating fly - good for summer and fall Steelhead. From the North Umpqua to BC rivers.

one size 6 in stock. 

A nice well tied skating muddler imitation. Great for early morning and late evenings for summer and fall Steelhead. Marabou gives the fly lots of action.

Size 4 hook

The Coachman was a well known wet fly for trout.  The Steelhead Coachman is a take off of that classic.  It features the same peacock body, but uses a white wing and mottled brown hackling.

Good Trouty Steelhead Fly

Size: 4

The traditional summer steelhead flies were developed on the fabled rivers of the Pacific Northwest, such as the Umpqua, Deschutes, and the Rogue. Our traditional summer steelhead flies are tied on a black nickel, up-turned eye, salmon hook.

Size: 5 hook

Also see Heisenberg Pheasant (CLICK HERE)

The traditional summer steelhead flies were developed on the fabled rivers of the Pacific Northwest, such as the Umpqua, Deschutes, and the Rogue. Our traditional summer steelhead flies are tied on a black nickel, up-turned eye, salmon hook. Special orders can be tied on Gamakatsu, Daiichi, or Maruto hooks.

A very nice tie.

A great Steelhead Pattern for Summer and Fall.

Size: 6

The Lady Caroline | first mentioned in George Kelson's "The Salmon Fly", 1895 |

The Classic Lady Caroline Fly is arguably one of the most recognizable Spey patterns; however unlike traditional Speys, the Lady C is tied with a tail. Tied by (most likely) Geordie Shanks, who was head ghillie at the Gordon Castle (as mentioned in A. E. Knox's Autumns on the Spey). The fly was named after Caroline Elizabeth Gordon Lennox (1844-1934) who was daughter of the Duke of Richmond and Gordon at Gordon Castle. 

Steel Plow,  Pale Orange

A good October Caddis imitation.

Hooking a steelhead on a skated fly is one of the most rewarding experiences in fly fishing.  As we sought out to develop a “top-shelf” steelhead skater we turned to an unlikely source for inspiration - blacksmith John Deere’s original walking steel plow.  Our #4 short-shanked hook acts as a rudder and helps keep the fly in the surface tension even during violent grabs, while the plow handles act as outriggers, giving the fly balance and the simulation of wings. The flash and hackles catch water and light to give indication of movement and life and an orange sighter helps you track this fly across the early morning slicks.

Size 4

Custom Tied by Grabflies.

Atlantic salmon flies usually don't cross over to become steelhead flies but when they do you know they are extra special.  This is one of those patterns.  This fly features a yellow butt.  the black body and mottled wing plus Kingfisher blue hackle give this a stark contrast to the brighter butt.  This can be fished as your primary searching pattern, or as your follow-up pattern if you miss a fish and want to come back with something smaller and darker.

Size # 4

Like the Neo Classic Methow, but tied with White Bucktail Wing, instead of Black Ostrich.

This fly is now tied in a classic tie up, and has been a super effective Steelhead fly. It first started as the Improved Methow Moal, and then evolved into Skagit Methow Leech (which has the record for catching 20 lb Steelhead).

For lower water and summer conditions this same color pattern can be found in this fly and Skagit Leech Lite.

See other Neo Classic patterns (Click Here)

Tied on a:

• 2051 Alec Jackson Black Spey Hook, Size 3
• Chartreuse Holographic Flashabou
• Chartreuse Veevus Holograophic Tinsel, Large
• Black UV Ice Dub
• Black Saltwater Neck Hackle
• White Bucktail
• Kingfisher Blue Guinea Hackle
• Red VEEVUS THREAD 8/0

The GF Pheasant Stone and giant October Caddis Fly imitation is a good swing fly for Browns and Rainbows in rivers that have Hellgrammite nymphs, and Stone Flies - Pteronarcys californica, and Dicosmoecus gilvipes, October Caddis. Also good for Steelhead in Summer and Fall months.

Fly is tied with Pheasant Rump Tail and inner collar, special sauce dubbed body, and spun Pheasant tail fibers collar.

Browns love this fly. 

non-weighted

Size: 6 hook

GF Pheasant Swing Fly is a hot fly for imitating Salmon Flies, Pteronarcys californica, and Dicosmoecus gilvipes, Giant October Caddis. Good swing fly for Deschutes River Steelhead, and Redsides.

Browns and Rainbows also love this fly in rivers that have Hellgrammite nymphs, and Stone Flies - Pteronarcys californica, and Dicosmoecus gilvipes, October Caddis.

Fly is tied with Pheasant Rump Tail and inner collar, Orange dubbed body, and spun Pheasant tail fibers for collar.

non-weighted

Size: 4 hook, Ahrex NS110 Nordic Salt Streamer Hook

Pteronarcys californica - Salmon Fly

Dicosmoecus gilvipes - Giant Fall Caddis 

See other Green Butt Skunks (Click Here)

Purple and Steelhead go together. Purple Flashabou Tail for aggressive takes, Black UV dubbed body, white bucktail overwing with some UV flash underwing, and Black Schlappen Collar.

Tied on a:

• 2051 Alec Jackson Black Spey Hook, Size 3

Green Butt Skunk Flash Tail - a Grabflies design addition of red flashabou tail (hot grabs) to the Green Butt Skunk - It was developed by Dan Callaghan on the North Umpqua River, date unknown, but sometime after 1950. He took the original Skunk steelhead fly and added the green butt. Just that minor change made a big difference in the fly.

See other Neo Classic patterns (Click Here)

Tied on a:

• Hook Size and Tied on a 2050 Alec Jackson Black Spey Hook, Size 5 
• See other Green Butt Skunks (Click Here)

Heisenberg Pheasant, Grabflies rendition of the Heisenberg.

History: This Fly, and others were named after either Werner Karl Heisenberg (1901 – 1976) was a German theoretical physicist, or Martin Heisenberg inventor of the fly collar.

The Pheasant Tail wing has good movement and a natural bug presence. Mix that with some blue and Steelhead just got real interested. 

Tied on a:

• 2051 Alec Jackson Black Spey Hook, Size 3
• Also see Heisenberg Pheasant, size 5 (different collar) (CLICK HERE)

A proven summer Steelhead fly. Great on the Deschutes, and Clear Water rivers.

Tail: Golden Pheasant Tippet

Butt: Black Osteerich Herl

Body: Chartreuse Tinsel

Hackle: Black Pheasant

Under Wing: Flor. Chartreuse Flash

Wing: Grey Squirrel Tail

Size: 5, Daiichi 2050 Alec Jackson Bronze Spey Hook

A great summer Steelhead fly. Very effective on the Deschutes, Grande Ronde, and low water conditions anywhere.

So much steelheading with a fly takes place at first light.  That grab you get will jolt you awake like a thunder clap on a camping trip.  There's something about Kingfisher blue that steelhead love.  Tied on the sleek looking Alec Jackson Steelhead Iron for added weight and beauty.

Size #5

This has been a proven Steelhead Grab Fly producer.

Tied on an Alec Jackson #3 Heavy Wire Black, tapered-loop up-eye hook.

Under Wing: Purple Flashabou, Purple & Black Synthetic

Over Wing: Black Rabbit Strip

This has been a proven Steelhead & Sea Run Cutthroat producer. In smaller size, 6, 8 hook size this is a good low water Steelhead fly. The Ringneck Pheasant wing has very good movement in the water.

Hook: Alec Jackson Spey Hook
Tail: Red Golden Pheasant Tippets
Body: Black Sparkle Ice Dubbing
Ribbing: Silver Tinsel
Under Wing: Purple Krystal Flash
Hackle: Died Black Golden Pheasant Soft Hackle
Wing: Purple Ringneck Pheasant Tail Feather
Head: Black Ostrich Herl
Sizes: 4,6,8

A very good summer and fall Steelhead Fly.

Size: 2

Woolly Buggers are a great catch all fly pattern. If you had to choose one color for catching steelhead, black or purple would be your best bet. This is a nice small bugger for Steelhead and Trout.

Size 6

A great summer Steelhead fly. Very effective on the Deschutes, Grande Ronde, and low water conditions anywhere.

So much steelheading with a fly takes place at first light.  That grab you get will jolt you awake like a thunder clap on a camping trip.  There's something about Kingfisher blue that steelhead love.  Tied on the sleek looking Alec Jackson Steelhead Iron for added weight and beauty.

Size #5

Made in the USA by Jeff Layton

Mykiss Muddler tied by Rio

Everyone who swings flies for steelhead needs muddlers in their boxes.  RIO’s Mykiss Muddler is a beautiful version you will want to add to your collection.  It will also be the one you reach for first on your next outing.  The flat head causes this muddler to dive into fishing position quickly.  This fly’s happy place is being swung on a floating line just slightly below the surface.  Tied on a #5 Black Alec Jackson Steelhead Iron.

Steel Plow, Black/Chartreuse

Hooking a steelhead on a skated fly is one of the most rewarding experiences in fly fishing.  As we sought out to develop a “top-shelf” steelhead skater we turned to an unlikely source for inspiration - blacksmith John Deere’s original walking steel plow.  Our #4 short-shanked hook acts as a rudder and helps keep the fly in the surface tension even during violent grabs, while the plow handles act as outriggers, giving the fly balance and the simulation of wings. The flash and hackles catch water and light to give indication of movement and life and an orange sighter helps you track this fly across the early morning slicks.

Size 4

Great traditional fly for late summer run Steelhead and Sea Run Cutthroat. Caddis Fly imitation/attractor. First day on the water (Cowlitz River) during an evening session this fly produced 24 Cutthroats, and one nice summer Steelhead.

Size: 6 hook

The traditional summer steelhead flies were developed on the fabled rivers of the Pacific Northwest, such as the Umpqua, Deschutes, and the Rogue. Our traditional summer steelhead flies are tied on a black nickel, up-turned eye, salmon hook. Special orders can be tied on Gamakatsu, Daiichi, or Maruto hooks.

A very nice tie.

A great Steelhead Pattern for Summer and Fall.

Size: 5 hook

Freight Train Fly utilizes a proven combination of colors and a classic profile. A top-producing summer steelhead fly. A favorite on the Deschutes River

Size: 6

Pink and purple flies are a favorite of summer steelhead.  This is a proven pattern that should occupy some space in your steelhead selection.

The GF Pheasant Wing Bug is a good swing fly for Browns and Rainbows in rivers that have Hellgrammite nymphs, and Stone Flies. Also good for Steelhead in Summer and Fall months.

non-weighted

Size: 8 hook

Purple Peril tied by Grabflies with Purple Flashabou Tail.

A famous Summer and Fall Steelhead fly. Ofter fished in the famous Steelhead rivers in the Pacific North West: Deschutes Rouge River , North Umpqua Rouge River, and Rouge River...

Purple Peril: Developed by Ken McLeod, Pacific Northwest Steelhead man of great acclaim. This pattern works best in clear water situations where its subtle contrasting colors work their magic best. 

Hook Size and Tied on a 2050 Alec Jackson Black Spey Hook, Size 5 

Fly is tied and glued in every step of it's construction - tied to last.  

A Steelhead Skater tied on an Ahrex NS110 Nordic Salt Streamer Hook, size 6.

Brown Elk Hair Tail - a two layers of foam for float and waking the water.

Made in the USA by Jeff Layton

A custom tie and design by Grabflies. The name: Caddis-O-Muddler: A Muddler that can imitate a Sculpin, Grass Hopper, and in this case also an October Caddis too. Fish this fly on top, or moving in and out of surface film, or with a sinking tip deep. It catches Steelhead.

Size 6 hook

Tail: Flor Orange Flashabou

Body: Flor Orange Dubbing with Black Saltwater hackle ribbing

Wing: Golden Pheasant Tail

Collar - Head: Orange Elk Hair Spun

Made in the USA by Jeff LaytonMade by a fisherman for fishermen

A good trout spey and/or steelhead pattern, the Scorpion has a stinger hook to ensure easy hook sets.

Some natural colors with a white wing for visibility and chartreuse butt that says bite me.

Good in PNW rivers like the Deschutes, North Umpqua, Grande Ronde... 

Easy to cast

Size: 6

A good swinging fly with lots of dancing leg movement, Great in late summer and fall when October Caddis are present.

Swing up Searun Cutthroat, Steelhead, Rainbow Trout, and even a King Salmon occasionally.

Tied on a number 6 AHREX NS11o Streamer S/E Hook.

Fly is weighted with heavy wire under body. 

See photos of Dave and Erik Robinson Trout Speying these fish up. 

A good low water Coho Salmon and Steelhead fly.

 Size 4 hook 

Hexagenia Nymph's are a favorite snack for steelhead no matter what time of year. 

Work Great For: Great lakes Steelhead, Tierra Del Fuego Browns, Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout...

Swing them, dead drift them, retrieve them...

Hex nymphs are important to Michigan fly fishers because their distribution density is vast, the physical size is easy to see and calorie-rich, and the realistic swimming movement all contribute to its success. Steelhead anglers know this pattern to work extremely well fall through spring just as trout anglers know its importance come June when the nymphs get active just prior to the celebrated hex hatch.

Tied on a Daiichi #1760 Size 6 Nymph/Wet Fly Hook 

Tierra Del Fuego  Bead Head Miller's Electric Leech

Size: 4 

Design for big trout in Tierra Del Fuego but works great for big trout in almost all rivers and lakes. Also great for Steelhead.

Swing it, Strip it... 

A Grablies original - a cross between a Bugger Leech and a Montana Nymph.

I like to swing flies - always have. Even when I trout fish, I would swing nymphs and or do a full swing with a mend when the fly was a cross from me.

Using nymphs for steelhead and sea run-brown trout in Tierra del Fuego can be a very effective technique. In the rivers of the Pacific Northwest and the Midwest, nymphing is quickly becoming the go-to method for many anglers fishing for steelhead. The hooks used for our nymphs are stout enough to hold the heaviest steelhead or the sea run browns of Tierra del Fuego.

Nymph it, or Swing it = works!