Salmon Fly Box

This is an inside look at the fly box that I carry when fishing for salmon in rivers of estuaries. I usually carry this box along with my saltwater fly box if I am going to be fishing for salmon in estuaries or the saltwater . Many of the patterns in this box will also take cutthroat in estuaries and my largest coastal cutthroat to date was actually taken on a chartreuse eggsucking bugger out of this box. The most common salmon in the area that I live are chum and coho, so many of my patterns are made specifically for them. However just because these patterns where tied with chum and coho in mind does not mean that they will not take other species as well.

Left Side: This side holds some of my favorite patterns for salmon.

Top Row 1: I am not sure of the name of this pattern, but it is effective for Coho salmon. It is a very simple pattern with a silver sparkle chenille body, and a marabou wing; Size 4.

Middle of Top and Bottom Row: This little pattern called the Croft's Spider is often effective when salmon refuse everything else. It has a silver or gold tinsel body, gold bead head a little bit of pearl flashabou for a wing and an orange and yellow hackle collar; Size 6-8.

Row 2: Egg sucking buggers/ leaches size 4. This row contains egg sucking leaches in chartreuse, purple, orange, and pink. I tie most of these flies with an orange bead head to get the fly down a little better. This is a fairly generic pattern, and it will take many different species of salmonids, such as Sea Run Cutthroat, Bull Trout and Dolly Varden, Coho, Chum, Pink and Chinook Salmon.

Row 3: Chumley Variant: This row holds my version of the pattern the chumly. In which the rabbit strip is replaced with marabou, and a marabou collar is added. I tie it in chartreuse, orange, pink, purple and black.

Right Side:

Top Row 1: Blue Comet variation. This fly is very closely related to the blue comet, but I prefer to tie it in orange, as well as a few blue. I tie some of these with a heavy copper wire body to get the fly down deeper. It is also effective for coastal cutthroat and resident coho salmon in the saltwater.

Row 2: Chum candy and Rolled Muddlers: Size 4; The chum candy is a great chum pattern, and the rolled muddler is quite effective for coho and cutthroat at times.

Row 3: The row holds some of my random creations that have resulted from to many hours at the fly vise. The orange pattern in the middle is called an Alaskabou and is another effective fly for salmon.

Row 4: Once again I am not sure of the name of this fly, but it has prove its usefulness on more than on occasion and has become on of my favorite patterns for chum salmon.