The most patriotic fly out there.. The Bald Eagle fly pattern is a streamer pattern fished anywhere big trout might be lurking. This searching pattern can resemble a number of things in the river from sclupins to leaches. I like to switch up the color scheme to make it even more versatile. One of my favorite combinations would be purple and peach/pink for salmon species. Swing this fly and let the stinger hook do the work.
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The Bald Eagle Fly Ingredients Recipe:
Hook: Firehole 811 Size 2
Stinger Hook: Gamakatsu Octopus Hook – Size 2 (Any Color)
Thread: UTC 140 Tan (Coming soon) or Danville 140 Tan
DB Eyes: MFC Sparkle DB Eyes – Gold/Sparkle Red
Flash: Krystal Flash – Pearl
Body: Rabbit Strips – Brown
Head: Rabbit Strips – Cream
Trailer: 50lb Braided Line (Power Pro) or for a stiff look you can use Intruder Wire
Tools used to create this fly:
Vise – Peak Vise
Tools – Loon Fly Tying Tool Kit
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Please let us know if you have any questions or feel free to drop a line in the comments. We would love to hear what you think about this pattern!
Step By Step Tutorial
Place Firehole 811 in the vise. Start thread wraps behind the eye and work wraps down the shank until your thread is even with where barb would be on the barbless hook.
Take a 10-12” piece of braided line and half the line making a loop. Work the loop through the eye of the hook and loop around the hook. Make loose wraps to secure the braid to hook shank. You want the hook point facing up on the trailer hook.
Adjust trailer to length desired and make snug wraps up the shank to just behind the eye. Take two tag ends of the braid and thread them down through the eye. Pull the braid back down toward the trailer hook and make securing wraps. Trim braid near hook point.
Secure MFC Sparkle Eyes with figure 8 thread wraps. Rotate eyes to the bottom of the shank and secure them tightly to the hook. Coat thread wraps around DB eyes and on the shank with some super glue for some extra security.
Tie in 3-4 pieces of pearl Krystal flash and trim them to the length of the trailer hook.
Prep piece of rabbit strip by measuring the tail to the length of the trailer hook. Part rabbit fur at the measured tie in point and make a couple loose wraps securing rabbit hide to the shank. Make securing wraps and bring the thread up to behind the eye MFC Sparkle Eyes.
Make overlapping wraps with rabbit towards the dumbbell eyes trying not to trap too many hairs. Brushing and pulling them free as you go seems to help the profile.
Pro tip: Wetting your fingers when working with rabbit helps remove the static
Capture rabbit strip behind the eyes and clean up area with thread wraps.
Prep a piece of cream rabbit strip. Take a chip clip or material clip and grab a large section of the fur close to the hide. Make sure the distance from the edge of the clip to the hide is even and trim fur between the clip and the hide. Split your thread evenly with a bodkin, holding two strands apart with a finger.
Place exposed ended of fur in the split thread and remove your finger. Release clip and even up trimmed ends in the split thread.
Spin bobbin clockwise until hairs are secure and trips are facing all directions.
Make two wraps with hair noodle behind the eyes and figure 8 remaining cream rabbit fibers ending your thread just behind the eye of the hook. Whip finish and brush out fibers.
Take a leatherman or a pair of wire cutters and trim out the 811 hook at the start of the bend.
Completed Bald Eagle
Sit back and admire your work! Thanks for tying The Bald Eagle fly. #PavsPatterns #AvidMaxFlyTyers
