MFF Archiveac9

Eggs Over Easy:
A Steelhead Mainstay

Dedicated steelhead anglers probably fish egg patterns more than any other.

In an edition of Midwest Fly Fishing magazine a few years ago, Thunder Bay, Ontario, steelheader Scott Earl Smith summed it up:

"Egg/attractor patterns are mainstays for taking steelhead, especially in high, turbid spring water. the ubiquitous Glo Bug is a proven producer in natural egg colors. I carry egg colors (off-white) for clear water and spooky fish and light orange, bright orange and chartreuse Glo Bugs for darker stained water. I use mainly # 6 and #8 hooks and tie the Glow Bug with a contrasting eye color."

DOUBLE EGG FLY

Hook: Heavy-wire salmon hook, black

Thread: 3/0 Monocord

Body: Medium chenille - orange, pink, chartreuse, etc.

Instructions

1. Wrap chenille to egg shape at bend of hood and again behind the eye.

2. If desired, add marabou plume behind eye; tie off.

THE CACTUS FLY

Cactus Chenille makes great egg flies.

Instructions

1. Tie a small clump of white marabou at bend of hook.

2. Wrap 3 or 4 turns of Cactus Chenille.

3. Tie in another clump of marabou and tie off.

THE GLO BUG

Hook: Tiemco 105 #4 - #10, or comparable hook

Thread: Kevlar, color matching body

Yarn: Egg yarn or McFly foam

Instructions

1. Wrap thread base at center of hook.
2. Cut clump of egg yarn or foam about an inch long
3. Cut smaller (about 1/3 or less of normal width) clump of yarn for eye
4. Stack "eye yarn" on top of egg yarn; tie to hook with two or three firm wraps.
5. Lift both clumps with fingers; wrap thread around base horizontally; tie off; trim yarn to desired egg size and shape it around hook.
6. For larger, fuller egg flies, stack another clump of egg yarn under hook
(a clump about half the width of the top yarn) after tying on the yarns on the top of hook.