Fly Fishing Forum banner

Steelhead Fly of the week – Midnight Sun

2K views 2 replies 3 participants last post by  flytyer 
#1 ·
The Originator of this fly is Trey Combs of Port Townsend, Washington. He developed the fly for winter and off-colored water fishing situations. Combs is also the author of “Steelhead Fly Fishing”, a book that many of us consider the bible for steelhead fishermen.


Hook: Up eye salmon hook.
Tag: Flat silver tinsel.
Tail: Orange Hackle fibers
Rib: Flat silver tinsel.
Body: Fluorescent orange floss.
Wing: Long white marabou under shorter white marabou under shorter orange and yellow marabou mixed together.
Throat: Orange and yellow marabou mixed together.
Collar: Red Hackle.
Head: Fluorescent red.
 

Attachments

See less See more
1
#2 ·
This is a very nostalgic fly for me Charlie... I caught a big native buck on this fly right after I let my wife sell all my non-flyfishing gear at a garage sale. I made a commitment to be FF only and I went to the river with my buddy who was not fond of FF and was giving me a lot of friendly BS about my setting up before even making a cast.

Finally I waded out, he had already cast 100 times. I made a cast and the fly swung right out of the seam into the main current too quick.

I waded up and out and made a second cast. This time the mend held the m midnight sun dancing for a few seconds in the seam and just as it started to swing out BLAM a thick shouldered native buck inhaled it and started cartwheeling down the rapids!

Probably about 12-13 pounds, a very nice fish. Sure silenced my buddy, kinda like the kingdome used to get when bo jackson would run the opening kick-off for 103 yd touchdown in the old days back when the raiders were actually good and the hawk's not.

Only variation to Comb's recipe was that I hackled a wrap underneath the marabou to let it get a little more lift off the body in current.
 
#3 ·
Charlie,

Thanks for putting up a marabou steelhead fly from one of the most knowledgeable and gracious steelhead fly fishers I've ever been fortunate to get to know. Trey also ties this fly without the white marabou in the wing, using only the yellow and orange. And as you know, he has a series of flies tied in this style.

By the way, Trey either ties these with a nickel plated hook or lays down a foundation of flat silver floss before tying the floss body (which is almost always composed of Danville's Flat-waxed Nylon tied with a bobbin) to ensure the body "glows" and doesn't get discolored when wet. Also, he ties the wing in this manner: 1) rear most wing section; 2) first color of the throat; 3) 2nd wing color; 4) 2nd throat color; and 5) front wing color.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top