Castaway Guide Service

In the following fly patterns you will notice a few common threads. First on the more traditional flies I almost always use the Partridge CS10/1 long shank hook, I have tried many hooks and feel that this particular hook has proven itself time and again to be the best at hooking fish on the swing without going to a stinger style fly.  I have also  noticed that this hook is very easy to sharpen to a scary sharp point and I think it just plain looks good. The second thing you will notice is that I really like flies that are reminiscent of traditional Spey and Dee patterns, often just changing to newer and more durable materials, these flies fish fantastic in the water that steelhead live in and there is just something about the tradition behind them that makes every fish that much more satisfying.

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Hook: Partridge CS10/1 size 2 - 1/0

Hackle: Black Cock tail with an iridescent sheen

Body: Claret Euro-seal or similar

Rib: Medium Silver flat Lagartun metal tinsel

Counter Rib: Fine Lagartun varnished wire

Collar: Claret Teal flank

Wing: Black Swan

Thread: Black Georgio Benechi 12/0

note- When tying flies that I am going to fish I do not spend the time to mount matched pairs of slip wings as it is so time consuming and they will almost instantly be messed up from casting. Instead I found an alternative in John Scheweys book Spey Flies & Dee Flies their history and construction.  All I do is select a wing slip twice as wide as normal an fold it in half so the natural curve of the fibers from one half help counteract the natural curve from the other half and they basically hold each other straight. This significantly lessens the pain of the wing being shredded from being fished.

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Hook: Partridge CS10/1 size 1 - 1/0

Hackle: Red saddle ( select an extra webby one ) stripped and wound butt first

Rib: Medium gold Lagartun oval
 
Counter Rib: Extra small Gold Lagartun oval

Body: Red silk floss

Collar: Black dyed Blue Eared Pheasant

Wing: Black Swan

Thread: Black Georgio Benichi 12/0

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Hook: Partridge CS10/1 size 4 - 1/0

Butt: Flat Silver tinsel

Rib: Copper oval tinsel

Counter Rib: Small blue metal wire

Body: Black Psuedoseal dubbing

Hackle: Black Marabou from dubbing ( one side stripped away to keep from being to full)

collar: Kingfisher blue Guinea

Flash: 3 - 4 strips of kingfisher blue Flashabou

Wing: Black swan

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Hook: Partridge CS10/1 size 4 - 1/0

Tag: 3 turns flat silver tinsel

Hackle: Yellow cock tail

Body: Orange Euro-Seal dubbing

Counter rib: Small silver wire

Collar: Black dyed Blue Eared Pheasant

Wing: Black Swan

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Hook: Partridge CS10/1 size 1 - 1/0

Rib: flat medium silver tinsel

Counter rib: small varnished silver wire

Body: 1/3 red, 2/3 black Euro-Seal dubbing

Hackle: black dyed Blue Eared Pheasant from black dubbing

Collar: Gadwall flank

Wing: Zebra Turkey slips tied Dee style

note - I often tie this fly with white wings as they are easier to find than zebra turkey

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I went out and fished on Wednesday the 9th with two clients Rob and Cameron from Colorado. I knew it was going to be a rough day when the thermometer in my truck was reading 4 degrees as I went through Grand Rhonde at six in the morning. Thankfully Cameron and Rob were going to be here for two weeks and had hired me to mostly show them the river so they could fish it on their own so even though fishing was going to be tough they would get what they were looking for. By the time I rolled into Hebo it had even warmed up to a respectable ten.
I have never fished the coast in conditions like that, the water temps were only 32.8 degrees which made rowing the river kind of tough as there was a constant push of large chunks of ice flowing downriver and getting the ice off your flyline impossible. It was the only time I have ever fished that even the leaders were coated with a few millimeters of ice buildup that wouldn't melt in the water, leaving Cameron and Rob to chew it off so they could keep fishing.
because the river was low and clear we managed to spot a few fish and even to get one of them to bite. All in all it was a day of fishing I will never forget, not for the fishing but for the extreme conditions.