The White-Winged Akroyd

In Eric Taverner’s Salmon Fishing (1931), when discussing the merits of the Akroyd he is quoted as saying, “This is a hard-wearing and killing fly, especially if pains have been taken to dress it neatly and sparingly, so that the body has the appearance of slimness, lightly clad with luminous filmy robes. I would cheerfully put my trust in and even my money on a well-dubbed Akroyd for any river, when the water was at a suitable height.”

The Heisenberg

Heisenberg” as a blue fly name should make sense to anyone who has seen Breaking Bad. If you haven’t, “Heisenberg” was the alias of the high school chemist turned meth cooker, Walter White. His meth was the best, and it was also blue. According to Brian Clemens, a northern California guide who spends a lot of the fall and winter on the Trinity River, “There’s nothing like breaking out the bad, and swinging the Heisenberg – the fish hit it like they are hitting meth.” He also adds, “It’s addicting.”

Steelhead Fly Signatures: Hackle Tip Wings

For me, nothing speaks more of steelhead fishing than a brightly colored, finely ribbed, steelhead Spey fly topped with a graceful set of hackle tip wings—a perfect example of form and function. These captivating patterns take us back to the days of Syd Glasso, whose tying would inspire untold scores of anglers to strive for perfection at the vise in an attempt to present the magnificent steelhead with something worthy.