My Best Steelhead Pattern - The Choking Black and Blue - Pacific Angler Fly Tying

[@rowdymacd]

Tied this up in a big 2 station intruder pattern two nights ago. First light, six steps down into the run and a chrome hen grabbed that thing 2 feet off the bank and sent the hardy screaming. This is by far my fav black and blue pattern. Looks absolutely amazing in the water. The choking black and blue MS intruder for the win 👌

[@rickbrown7067]

Great Job! Like the way you explain your procedures!

[@PacificAnglerTV]

Thanks Richard

[@duncangasiewicz7353]

I use a chip clip for long fibers like ostrich or maribou. Same with rabbit strips. You can fan the fibers out on the stem, chip clip them, cut em and then straight into your loop.

[@blflyfish]

Excellent tying tutorial, Matt, and pattern.

[@SilversidesfishingBC]

Nicely done Matt!

[@Raevenswood]

Try 30lb Berkley Fireline it's a fused braid with a mono like coating that is really stiff like old braid and about 15$ for 125 yards. It can easily hold a #2 hood without drooping.

[@Belbivdevoe]

You should try the loon material tweezers you can lay them out all flat then just pinch them and put them in the loop

[@mikekuczynski1552]

Nice easy tie , I have used egg beads sometimes where you tie in the chenille for the egg just for weight instead of dumbbell eyes . I like the hackle lateral lines really makes it pop . Do you dye the saddle blue? Or purchase it ? Cant say I’ve seen long blue saddle hackles like that . In any case nice tie . Thanks for the video.

[@recoveryfishing364]

So i have a suggestion to everyone palmering marabou. I cut from the thick stem down and save it for sticking marabou in a loop. Such as at the front of a prom dress where you want the marabou short spun in a loop.

[@mikering5844]

I've watched a few of your steelhead fly videos and they've had the trailer loop, but you never show how you connect a hook to that loop or when you cut the original off. Any videos I've missed about this?

[@allancrow134]

I don't tie or fly fish but I'd say that looks like an excellent salmon fry pattern with a nice yoke, lateral line and bars. Looks fishy. :)

[@snagrbuster7343]

Most fishermen, pronounce the name of the Japanese hook (Gamakatsu), as Gama...Gatsu! When it should be Gama .Katsu :-0)>

[@fartsarerad]

Thanks Matt, perfect as always.

[@chazt4863]

Matt, thanks so much for sharing this beautiful Steelhead pattern. Do you fish this on both Scandi and Skagit heads depending on the weight?

[@robertoakley980]

I was thinking this could also be tied on a shank, possibly around 35mm

[@PacificAnglerTV]

Ya that’s perfect. I like shanks or cut hooks cus you can tie a loop knot.

[@alfredorusso9263]

Do you think this can work with peacock earl instead of ostrich?

[@PacificAnglerTV]

Stick with ostrich or rhea

[@alfredorusso9263]

@@PacificAnglerTV thanks for the answer!

[@ларчен]

Кто-то мне ответит? У меня чложилось впечатление, что этот парень вяжет мухи и крутит нить "к себе". Или я ошибаюсь?

[@snagrbuster7343]

We don't have any idea as to what Steelhead eat in the ocean. And, for those those who have found a few mosquitoes in the stomach of a hatchery Steelhead, these in no way are an indicative of eating, in a returning Steelhead/Salmon! They don't eat Spinners or Spoons, yet they agresively take these lures!

[@allancrow134]

Steelhead feed mostly on krill in the ocean, the same goes for Sockeye, Chum and Pink salmon. We'd catch the odd one on the Sockeye gear(which was mostly pink in colour) when commercial trolling for salmon. We'd rarely catch them on spoons or plugs(herring, anchovy and sardine patterns) when we were fishing for Springs off the West Coast of Vancouver Island.

[@cmclee153]

A beautiful tie! I like the long slinky profile and the subtle flash. Thanks so much for sharing. One question I had was about adding dumbbell eyes. Would you do that at the end, or would you out them in first and build the head around them?

[@PacificAnglerTV]

When I was guiding I would do the body (flash, tail, trailer, dumbbell eyes) glue the body, then when I had 50 bodies I would do the egg and umbrella, but for a couple patterns play first and get the correct proportions

[@cmclee153]

Got it. Thanks!!

[@cmclee153]

@@PacificAnglerTV I guess I am wondering whether the eyes are at the very front of the fly or set further back. I assume they are ahead of the red egg but behind the head? Like in an intruder?