Indigo Guide Service

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Michigan Fly Pattern… Egg Sucking Sculpin by Kevin Morlock

Kevin wanted an easy and quick to tie “sculpin stealing an egg” fly that looked natural in the water. Easy and quick meaning it did not involve a trimmed deer hair head. With a few changes he modified Walt Grau’s Easy Sculpin and came up with a fly that has ended up in the mouth of many a salmon this season.

Kevin likes the rag yarn because it is a blend of several natural colors, giving it that mottled sculpin look. While the fly looks clunky dry, it transforms into an alive looking imitation when wet.

Best For… salmon, steelhead and trout

***Materials listed in tying order

Hook – Daiichi 2151, size 1 or Mustad R74-9672
Tail – brown rag yarn (only available at FlyMasters?)
Body – Cactus Chenille, large pearl
Flash Collar – red Flashabou Mirage, 6-10 one inch strands tied facing back
Hackle – mustard yellow/brown
Head – brown rag yarn, about a two inch piece fanned and tied over and under (just like tying a Nuke Egg).
Egg – bright colored Cactus Chenille or Estaz

Visit our Michigan Flies page for all of our patterns and recipes.

Michigan Salmon Fly… Salmon Candy by Aaliyah Morlock

The youngest member of the Indigo Guide Service crew, Aaliyah, has been getting more and more interested in fly tying lately. With salmon season here, Dad decided to put her energies and interest to good use. After a few practice flies Aaliyah was proud to point out that Mom couldn’t tell the difference between her fly and one of Dad’s.

Kevin and Aaliyah went through many name options and Aaliyah finally choose Salmon Candy. Kevin reports that the Salmon Candy has caught several kings already.

Best For… salmon, steelhead and trout

***Materials listed in tying order

Hook… TMC 105, size 4
Eyes… medium bead chain
Tail… marabou
Body… estaz

Visit our Michigan Flies page for all of our patterns and recipes.

Michigan Steelhead Fly… Afternoon Delight version by Phil Cusey

This is one of Phil Cusey's go-to steelhead patterns on the Muskegon River, though it would also work well on other rivers.  A sharp looking and traditional pattern that is easy to tie.  Phil only sent over the olive version but I can imagine this pattern producing well with a dark orange or black body.

Best For… steelhead and trout

***Materials listed in tying order

Hook… size 6 nymph, 2x strong
Tail… pheasant tail barbs, natural
Body… light olive 4 strand floss
Rib… small copper wire
Thorax… peacock herl
Collar… grey hackle

Visit our Michigan Flies page for all of our patterns and recipes.

Steelhead Caddisfly… Ted's Slingshot Caddisfly by Ted Grossman

Our good friend and customer Ted Grossman gave us a couple of his caddisflies with a raving review.  This is hands-down Ted's favorite fly pattern for the Ohio streams that he often fishes.  I really like the bold segmentation and brightness of the body.  For people looking for a simple pattern, it doesn't get any easier than this one.

Below is a picture of Ted's original version, same rubber band body but no hackle and a peacock dubbing head.  I like the head on Ted's but I didn't have any dubbing that I liked so I substituted natural peacock.  Ted's original is a proven pattern without the hackle, I like the looks of the fly with the hackle legs but haven't proven that it fishes as well as the original.

Best For… steelhead and trout

***Materials listed in tying order

Hook… Mustad C67S, size 4-8
Body… rubber band, stretched and wrapped forward
Legs… dark pheasant neck (trimmed-off over the back)
Head… peacock herl (twisted around thread to increase strength)

Ted's original caddisfly pattern, simple and effective.

Ted with one of many steelhead caught on the Slingshot Caddis

Visit our Michigan Flies page for all of our patterns and recipes.

Steelhead Stonefly… Martinez's Psycho Stonefly by Steve Martinez

While Steve's new woven series of flies began with Steve going crazy with winter boredom from tying the same old standards.  These new flies have been catching steelhead.  The Martinez's Psycho Stonefly adds a bright twist to the standard stoneflies.  I really like the definition and segmented look between the light and dark yarn for the body.

Best For… steelhead and trout

***Materials listed in tying order

Hook… TMC 3761, size 6
Eyes… medium red plastic
Tail… black goose biot
Body… woven light tan and dark brown antron yarn
Wing… black goose biot
Head… orange uv dubbing