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
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! 