Here's a pattern that I just learned about from the West Coast of Canada, originally used for summer-time steelhead. However, I think if adapted this can prove to be a deadly fly for any fish depending on how you fish it and how you tie it.
This fly has flown under the radar for quite some time and was a guide's secret weapon. Just recently however it was published and the word is getting out.
What's great about this pattern is it's easy to tie, it floats well, skates well, and imitates a number of things, depending on how you tie it.
The Recipe!
Hook: Long shank dry fly, I used a Tiemco 200, however the original pattern uses a down-turned eye instead of a straight eye.
Under-Underbody: A snippet of heavy mono, floating fly line, or weed whacker cord. You want to tie this along the hook shank from the bend to out past the hook eye. Tie it down good and dab some cement or epoxy to avoid it slipping
Shellback: Tie in a strip of foam that will be folded over, back to front, and tied in behind the hook eye. Don't fold over and tie down til after you tie in the wing.
Underbody: Dub or wrap an underbody to suit your desires up to the hook eye.
Wing: Tie in a clump or moose mane, elk hair, deer hair, bucktail, or calftail.
Shellback pt2: Split the wing in half to stick out the sides. Fold the foam between the split hair and tie down. Trim the hair tips and foam much like you would an elk hair caddis fly. There's no thread head, the hair and foam tags will act as the head. Whip finish behind the hook eye and apply cement. Tada!
I have to caution, I haven't fished this pattern yet. There's 2 feet of ice on all our rivers and lakes right now but in 2 long months I'll be tossing this fly. Thought I'd share a new fly from across the pond! =)
Nick
The Steelhead Beetle
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