These are based on Ed's intruder work coupled with my work with Aaron on patterns and myself and Briab Styskal on materials. They have been tested a lot in Skeena country as well as on the Hoh, Sol Duc, Skagit, and Sauk this year and they work. I currently offer then in Black-Green, Black-Blue, Orange, Pink, Coral, and Purple. The pattern offerred here will be the basic orange. Email me at babr@speyman.com for details on the other color combos or make up your own.
Waddington Shank - 55mm, 45mm, 35mm, 25mm. The flies are all 6" long. The size of the shank simply determines the leength of the body AND the weight of the fly. The 55mm end up at 1.5g, 45 at 1g, 35 at .75g and 25 at .5g. This way you can dial in the amount of weight you need while still using the same pattern. I do not use eyes on mine. You can use them if you wish but I like to let the fly swing in tight and I cannot do it if there is even more weight on the shank so I skip the eyes.
Thread - Red
Hook - Owner SSW 4 or 2/0
Attachment - The hook is attached to the shank by two methods. One way is to use a loop of Fireline, I use 25#. Bind it to the shank and then pull the tag end to the rear and bind it again so it is cinched to the shank. This way it will not slip out. I also use furled 15# Maxima attached in the same manner. If you go larger than either of these you will have trouble getting the #4 hook on.
The length of the loops should be about 4.5 inched from the front of the shan to build at 6" fly.
Feelers - Start by securing 4-5 strands of pearl flashabou on each side of the shank, right in the back. Then attach Orange Estaz and take two turns right on top of each other right at the back to create a little bump. Just in front of the bump attach 5-7 hairs from a piece of Orange Yak Hair. Yak has the translucency of Polar bear but is 14" long so it works for these big flies. Attach 5-7 hairs on each of the 4 sides of the shank. The bump will cause them to stand proud from the side of the hook. This creates desireable movement in the water. Trim the Yak at 5.5 to 6" but do it so it is not abrupt. What I do is to push the hair a bit towards the front of the fly and then snip with the tips of the scissor to get a random effect. Next attach 3-4 strands of Orange Rhea on each of the 4 sides of the hook. This too will stand proud and look great in the water.
Body - Start with some Pearl Flexicord Light, 3/8" for 55 or 45, 1/4" for 35 and 1/8" for 25. Attach the end about half an inch up on the shank and bind it to the rear. Once bound pull it forward and bind it down again. Once bound pull it back and bind it down again. This gives us a nice bump of the top of the shank. Make sure the end of the binding goes right to where the Estaz bump ended. Secure some eyes to the sides of the body. I use 25# mono with a 3mm black bead and it looks great. Let it protrude about 1/2" beyonmd the shank. Attach the Estaz to the top of the body and an Orange Spey Hackle which will be the legs. Start winding the Estaz and make the first two turns go behind the mono of the eyes so it pushes the eyes a bit proud of the body. Then wind on to the font of the Felxicord and secure it. Wind the Spey Hackle forward and tie off at the front of the Flexicord. Pull down the hackle on top of the shank and pull the Flexicord forward and tie it down right at the front of the body. Be sure to leave a bit extra on the shank and really bind it down as the stuff can fall apart if you leave it too short. Finish winding the Estaz forward to the front of the shank. Leave about 1/4" at the front for finishing.
Feelers - In front attach 5-7 strands of Orange Yak Hair on each of the 4 sides of the shank and then 3-5 fibers if Orange Rhea. It is true there are no feelers in the front but this veil of materials looks unreal in the water. The front feelers go all the way to the rear of the fly.
Whip finish and rock on.
If you need materials or help contact me or Aaron at River Run Anglers.
Waddington Shank - 55mm, 45mm, 35mm, 25mm. The flies are all 6" long. The size of the shank simply determines the leength of the body AND the weight of the fly. The 55mm end up at 1.5g, 45 at 1g, 35 at .75g and 25 at .5g. This way you can dial in the amount of weight you need while still using the same pattern. I do not use eyes on mine. You can use them if you wish but I like to let the fly swing in tight and I cannot do it if there is even more weight on the shank so I skip the eyes.
Thread - Red
Hook - Owner SSW 4 or 2/0
Attachment - The hook is attached to the shank by two methods. One way is to use a loop of Fireline, I use 25#. Bind it to the shank and then pull the tag end to the rear and bind it again so it is cinched to the shank. This way it will not slip out. I also use furled 15# Maxima attached in the same manner. If you go larger than either of these you will have trouble getting the #4 hook on.
The length of the loops should be about 4.5 inched from the front of the shan to build at 6" fly.
Feelers - Start by securing 4-5 strands of pearl flashabou on each side of the shank, right in the back. Then attach Orange Estaz and take two turns right on top of each other right at the back to create a little bump. Just in front of the bump attach 5-7 hairs from a piece of Orange Yak Hair. Yak has the translucency of Polar bear but is 14" long so it works for these big flies. Attach 5-7 hairs on each of the 4 sides of the shank. The bump will cause them to stand proud from the side of the hook. This creates desireable movement in the water. Trim the Yak at 5.5 to 6" but do it so it is not abrupt. What I do is to push the hair a bit towards the front of the fly and then snip with the tips of the scissor to get a random effect. Next attach 3-4 strands of Orange Rhea on each of the 4 sides of the hook. This too will stand proud and look great in the water.
Body - Start with some Pearl Flexicord Light, 3/8" for 55 or 45, 1/4" for 35 and 1/8" for 25. Attach the end about half an inch up on the shank and bind it to the rear. Once bound pull it forward and bind it down again. Once bound pull it back and bind it down again. This gives us a nice bump of the top of the shank. Make sure the end of the binding goes right to where the Estaz bump ended. Secure some eyes to the sides of the body. I use 25# mono with a 3mm black bead and it looks great. Let it protrude about 1/2" beyonmd the shank. Attach the Estaz to the top of the body and an Orange Spey Hackle which will be the legs. Start winding the Estaz and make the first two turns go behind the mono of the eyes so it pushes the eyes a bit proud of the body. Then wind on to the font of the Felxicord and secure it. Wind the Spey Hackle forward and tie off at the front of the Flexicord. Pull down the hackle on top of the shank and pull the Flexicord forward and tie it down right at the front of the body. Be sure to leave a bit extra on the shank and really bind it down as the stuff can fall apart if you leave it too short. Finish winding the Estaz forward to the front of the shank. Leave about 1/4" at the front for finishing.
Feelers - In front attach 5-7 strands of Orange Yak Hair on each of the 4 sides of the shank and then 3-5 fibers if Orange Rhea. It is true there are no feelers in the front but this veil of materials looks unreal in the water. The front feelers go all the way to the rear of the fly.
Whip finish and rock on.
If you need materials or help contact me or Aaron at River Run Anglers.