If you are new to steelhead and new to fly tying, the following are some simple patterns that you can tie that will introduce you to tying and teach you all of the skills needed to learn to tie more advanced flies. I always recommend learning to tie the egg patterns first and them progress to woolly bugger and leach patterns. From there you should gain a nice foundation of tying skills and working with different materials to lead you about any place else you want to go. I can tell you that if I were limited to the patterns that follow for an entire year, I would be able to catch all of the steelhead I wanted to catch. Keep it simple. Learn the basics and you will do well on the tribs!
Pattern #1: Glo Bug Recipe: Glo Bug Yarn or McFly Foam, Glo Bug Micro Yarn for blood dot, Daiichi 1120 or Daiichi 1500 series Glo Bug hooks, thread of your choice.
Pattern #2: Sucker Spawn/Crystal Meth Recipe: Glo Bug Micro Yarn or Dyed Pearl Diamond Braid, Daiichi 1120 or Daiichi 1500 series Glo Bug hooks, thread of your choice.
Pattern #3: Micro Nuke Egg Recipe: McFly Foam, Sculpin Head Wool (white)or Glo Bug Yarn (white), Daiichi 1130, thread of your choice.
