FREE SHIPPING ON ORDERS OVER $49 FREE SHIPPING ON ORDERS OVER $49

Posts tagged: Fly Fish Puget Sound

Easy Chum Fry Pattern

Easy Chum Fry Pattern

The words "Chum Fry" spark every fly fishers attention in Puget Sound. This is a time of year when Cutthroat are leaving the spawning grounds and looking to recover from the hardships associated with an anadromous lifestyle. Food is usually plentiful with large schools of Chum Fry pouring out of the streams and into Puget Sound. 

Although this year's Chum Salmon returns were low and flooding post spawn could have disrupted many of the redds, we are hoping there will still be Chum Fry around with hungry Sea Run Cutthroat and Resident Coho looking for an easy meal. 

If you have looked into the Spawn Simi Seal Dubbing, you will see that the blends we have created with John Romher are ultra specific. Their applications reach far outside the beaches of Puget Sound, but the inspiration stems from our home waters here in Washington. Pete Rosenau is one of the most talented tiers and materials designers there is and his involvement with creating the Chum Fry Simi Seal is invaluable.  

Chum Fry Recipe:

All available on our site!

Spawn's Mega Simi Seal- Chum Fry

Spawn's Mega Simi Seal- Smolt Belly

Spawn's Simi Seal- White/Silver

Lead Free Wire .025

Ahrex NS122- Size #10

Spawn Eyes- 4mm 

Black Sharpe

 

First we will start with a size #10 NS122 from Ahrex Hooks.

After a thin thread base, add 8-10 wraps of .025 Lead Free Wire leaving about 4mm of space in front of the wraps to finish your fly and add Spawn 3D eyes.

Then, take Spawn's Mega Simi Seal in Chum Fry and tie on the tail section. For this you want to have as much going off the back end of the hook as possible while still ensuring it is snugly tied in. 

Dub your thread with Spawn's Simi Seal in White/Silver and begin to wrap forward. For best results, wax your thread!

Stop wrapping the Simi Seal at the end of your Lead Free Wire wraps. 

 

Now add Spawn's Mega Simi Seal in Chum Fry to the top of your hook shank and veil back the Simi Seal to create a small taper for the head of the fly. 

Add Spawn's Mega Simi Seal in Smolt Belly to the bottom of your hook shank to create the belly of the fly. 

Whip finish and brush out the fly. 

Use resin to add on your favorite Spawn Eyes to give your fly an even more lifelike look and feel.

If you'd like, you can use a permanent marker to add Parr marks.

Without Parr marks:

With Parr marks: 

You now have an easy and effective Chum Fry Pattern using dubbing that was designed to exactly replicate the colors of this Puget Sound Hatch here on our home waters! 

 

Read more

HOT FLY FOR PUGET SOUND!

HOT FLY FOR PUGET SOUND!

I recently had the honor of presenting about Fly Fishing Puget Sound to the Salmon Creek Fly Fishers Club. Not only did I present all of the ins and outs of catching both Sea Run Cutthroat and Coho Salmon, but I also tied a fly that has been extremely successful for me in the saltwater. This simple articulated jig-style fly made up of Spawn products is a must have pattern for any fishery! You can change the colors of the pattern as well as size of hooks and shanks to fit your fishery's needs! 

60 Degree Jig Leech Pattern Materials List: 

Ahrex SA280 Size #6

Spawn Jig Shank 60 Degree, 20mm

Spawn's UV Simi Seal Ghost Shrimp/UV Orange

Mottled Tactical Slotted Tungsten Beads, Orange 5.5mm

Spawn's Southern Fl. Peach 

Lead Free Wire .025

 

Start out with your Ahrex SA280 Hook! 

Using Spawn's Fluorescent  Southern Peach Marabou, reverse wrap a quill of marabou onto the shank of the hook starting at the bend.

Add Spawn's UV Simi Seal Ghost Shrimp/UV Orange by using a dubbing loop or tying directly onto the shank up to the hook eye. Once you've finished, place a small amount of head cement or resin and cure.

Next, insert a slotted bead onto the Spawn 60 Degree Shank just as you would use a slotted bead on a standard hook!

Place the tail section of the fly to the Spawn 60 Degree Jig Shank.

Be sure that your slotted section of the bead is facing towards the tail section of the fly. 

Tie down the shank and add seven wraps of .025 Lead Free Wire Wrap to the shank. Push the wire wraps up into the slot of the bead to secure it into place. 

By using a dubbing loop or tying directly down, build the body of the fly using Spawn UV Simi Seal Ghost Shrimp/UV Orange. Stop building the body about 3mm from the bead.

Take another quill of Spawn's Fl Southern peach and reverse tie onto the shank. Wrap the feather forward until it is snug against the bead.

This is when I like to throw in a few whip finishes and add a bit of thin resin or head cement to increase durability of the fly. 

Once you have added a bit of head cement, dub your thread and add a few wraps as snug as possible to the bead. Whip finish and cut your thread. 

The last step is to remove the fly from the vise and shorten the tail section. Do not trim anything other than the very first feather that you started with! 

There you have it! A simple jig-style leach pattern using Spawn products! This fly will bounce over oyster shells and nets and shoot along the bottom like a shrimp, pulsing upwards with every strip! Not only will Sea Run Cutthroat and Coho Salmon love this fly, but countless other species in both fresh and saltwater won't be able to resist.

Under UV light:

Read more