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Posts tagged "streamer pattern"

Autumn Offender Streamer Pattern

Posted by Ted Kraimer - December 16, 2013
Autumn Offender Streamer Pattern

Autumn Offender Streamer – Fish it year round

While the name of this trout streamer pattern suggests it’s only effective in the fall, it catches fish all year -round and not just here in northern Michigan. While imitating nothing in particular, it suggests a number of common food sources including sculpins, creek chubs, and juvenile trout  – staples to most trout’s diet.

This easy to tie fly incorporates colors and materials which often work when proven patterns in the fly box aren’t — making it a go-to pattern when fishing is tough. The long rabbit strip combined with the marabou and cone-head provides nice movement on the pause after a strip. With a bit of flash and a number of natural colors also incorporated, this pattern has just enough attention-getting characteristics and “bling” when the water is stained. But since the colors are relatively muted, it fishes well in clear water, too – which is often the water’s condition come fall.

Autumn Offender - Brown TroutFish the Autumn Offender on a sink-tip or floating line depending on the water and time of year,  and strip it back with a rod twitch and a pause. This streamer pattern has also caught steelhead when swung with a two handed rod and heavy sink-tip.  To learn more about streamer fishing techniques read my article, “Tips for better streamer fishing“.

Not into tying streamers? This pattern is available from Rainy’s Flies and can be bought in stocking fly shops.

Recipe:

Hook:
Thread:
Tail:
Weight:
Body:
Wing:
Over Wing:
Collar:
Head:

Gamakatsu S11-4L2H #4
Uni 6/0 – Camel
Rabbit Strip – Black Barred Sand Variant or Brown Barred Tan
Large Cone – Copper
Krystal Hackle – Olive Brown, Large & UV Polar Chenille Rusty Copper
Marabou Blood Quill – Golden Brown & Yellow
Flashabou – Kelly Green and Holographic Copper
Mallard Dyed Wood Duck Flank feather
Ice Dub – Golden Brown


Tying Instructions

Autumn Offender - Step 1Step 1. Slide cone onto hook by inserting small end through point first. Put hook in vise.

Autumn Offender - Step 2Step 2. Wrap a base layer of thread to above barb.

Autumn Offender - Step 3Step 3. Tie in a section of rabbit that is a little longer than hook’s length.

Autumn Offender - Step 4Autumn Offender - Step 4.5

Step 4. Tie in Krystal Hackle and Polar Chenille and at the same time, palmer towards cone
while stroking fibers backwards and stopping 3/8” behind eye.

Autumn Offender - Step 5Autumn Offender - Step 5.5

 

Step 5. Tie in a yellow marabou feather by its tip and wrap two to three times.
Too much feather results in bulk which has less motion so fewer can be better.

Autumn Offender - Step 6Autumn Offender - Step 6.5

 

Step 6. Repeat Step 5 but with a golden brown marabou feather.
Tip : A little saliva on your fingers stroked through the marabou
helps manage the materials, making the following steps easier.

Autumn Offender - Step 7Step 7. Tie in two strands of each color flashabou and tie on top as a wing, not extending
beyond the rabbit strip. Also, keep the ends staggered rather than trimmed to one length.

 

Autumn Offender - Step 8Autumn Offender - Step 8.5

Step 8. Take the Mallard flank and tie in by the tip. “Fold” the half of the feather on the other side of the
step from you by using your scissor’s edge to crease the fibers. Holding the feather taught, run your
scissors in your other along the feather to “break” the fibers allowing them to flow backwards.

Autumn Offender - Step 9
Step 9.
Wrap the flank collar two or three times depending on coverage, tie down and trim.

Autumn Offender - Step 10

Step 10. Dub a loose “trigger” ball of ice dub between flank and cone and the whip finish.

Autumn Offender Streamer Pattern - FinalFinished Fly – The Autumn Offender

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autumn offender streamer, fly-fishing guide, how to tie streamers, manistee, michigan trout fishing, Northern Michigan, rainys flies, sculpin, sink-tip, streamer pattern

Lamprey Leech

Posted by Ted Kraimer - December 9, 2012
Lamprey

Lamprey Leech Streamer

The Chestnut Lamprey is an important food source for the Manistee and many Northern Michigan trout rivers. This is what led me to develop the Lamprey Leech fly pattern.  I wanted a pattern that was easy to tie and had lots of motion which resulted in this fun-to-fish and effective pattern. The Lamprey Leech has become my go-to fly when the fish aren’t overly active or are acting lethargic and deserves a place in your fly box.

Each year customers bring a significant number of fish to the net with numerous Chestnut Lampreys attached to them – I can’t help but think that the fish remember these parasites and revengefully attack them when given the chance.

Lamprey - Chestnut Lamprey on Brown

Chestnut Lamprey on a Brown Trout

Lamprey - Chestnut Lampreys

Lampreys Taken Off a Trout

Rich in protein and provocative swimmers, the lamprey often swims against the current making themselves easily noticed and vulnerable to predatory trout.

Late spring and early summer is when these 4-6 inch lampreys are most active and abundant, making them significant to the fly angler. While the months of May and June are optimal, this pattern has caught fish throughout the year  perhaps because of its resemblance to worms and night crawlers, or because of its profile and action.

How to fish the Lamprey Leech Fly

Lamprey - Chestnut Fish

Trout Like Protein Packed Food Including Lampreys

Since it is tied with a bead-head, anglers can fish this fly on both a floating line or a sink-tip. The floating line approach is a fun way to fish shallow water with moderate cover, allowing you to work the fly in and around that cover.

Mends in either type of fly line are very important as it gets this fly to work in conjunction with the current to maximize its movement without stripping it out of the targeted water.  Popping  or snapping the rod tip upwards like a jig, combined with mends, can really seductively work the pattern as can two, quick strips with a long pause in between.

To learn more on an alternative presentation and approach to streamer fishing, read Seductive Streamer Fishing.

Lamprey Leech Recipe 

Hook:                   TMC 200R #4
Thread:                 Uni 6/0 Camel
Bead:                    3/16″ Copper
Tail:                       Marabou – Blood Quill Ginger and Golden Brown
Body:                    Natural Brown  Strung Saddle Hackle
Flash:                    UV Polar Chenille – Copper
Wing:                    Same as tail
Collar:                   Mallard Dyed Wood Duck Flank
Topping:               Sheep Hair – Rust


Tying Instructions 

Lamprey - Step 1Step 1. Place bead on hook and place in vise. Start a thread base from behind the bead to above the hook point. 

Lamprey - Step 2Step 2. Tie in ginger marabou so it extends close to twice the length of the hook.
I typically remove the end of the feather to keep it long and lanky to maximize motion.
Wrap on top of the hook extending 2/3 rds up the shank.

Lamprey - Step 3Step 3.  Repeat Step 2 with the darker marabou so it is the same length.

Lamprey - Step 4Step 4. Tie in a very webby (almost schlappen-like) saddle hackle by the tip and wind up over the marabou.

Lamprey - Step 5Step 5.  Tie in the Polar Chenille and make one or two wraps depending on the amount
of flash desired. Use your bodkin to pick out any trapped fibers.

Lamprey - Step 6Lamprey - Step 6.5

 

Step 6.  Use just a bit of marabou and tie in so the tips extend past the bend of the hook.

Lamprey - Step 7Step 7. Repeat Step 6 with the darker marabou feather, using just a little more product but remaining sparse.

Lamprey - Step 8Step 8. Tie in mallard flank by the tip, and fold the feather so both sides of the stem
sweep backwards. Make 1 to 1.5 turns to create the collar.

Step 9.  Tie in a clump of sheep hair on the top half of the fly where the tips extend to above
the hook barb. Tie off and apply head cement.

The wet look of the Lamprey Leech. Lots of motion and a great profile.

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chestnut lamprey, lamprey, leech, michigan, night crawlers, streamer pattern, trout rivers
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