Fly Tying Hub

Flash Fly

The Flash Fly is a sparse, flash-dominant steelhead pattern tied in the proportions of a traditional hairwing fly. This purple version uses Flashabou for the tail, body, and wing, with a dark purple hackle collar adding movement and contrast. It is an attractor rather than a precise imitation, although its narrow reflective profile can suggest a small baitfish. The fly is commonly presented on the swing and is suitable for both summer and winter steelhead. Its effectiveness depends on restraint at the vise: the wing and tail should remain sparse, the Flashabou body should be wrapped evenly, and the hackle collar should be mobile without overwhelming the slim profile.

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Recipe

Tying Instructions

  1. 1

    Secure the hook in the vise, start the thread behind the eye, and lay a smooth thread foundation toward the rear of the shank.

  2. 2

    Tie in a sparse bunch of purple Flashabou at the rear of the body, allowing the ends to extend beyond the bend as the tail.

  3. 3

    Secure a working length of purple Flashabou at the tail tie-in point.

  4. 4

    Twist or gather the Flashabou into a narrow strand and wrap it forward in touching turns to form the body.

  5. 5

    Secure the body material near the front of the hook and trim the excess.

  6. 6

    Tie a sparse bunch of purple Flashabou on top of the shank as a traditional hairwing-style wing extending approximately to the end of the tail.

  7. 7

    Prepare a dark purple soft-hackle feather and tie it in immediately ahead of the wing.

  8. 8

    Fold the hackle fibers rearward and wrap the feather to form a sparse collar.

  9. 9

    Secure and trim the hackle stem, sweep the fibers rearward, and build a neat thread head.

  10. 10

    Whip finish and apply head cement or clear varnish.