Recently, I joined in on a winter steelhead fly pattern swap on a flyfishing forum I am a member of. Each participant was required to submit two different patterns. I figured that I would do one of my favorites and a new pattern. Thinking of what ‘new’ pattern to do, I was confronted by all the lazer wrap on the tying table from the preparation of pink salmon flies. I remembered a pattern I read about some number of years ago, created for fishing winter runs on the Squamish River, BC. This garish pattern was given the name ‘Davie St. Hooker’, a pun on a colourful, albeit seedy section of downtown Vancouver. The original pattern called for a body of silver tinsel, two thirds over-wrapped with pink lazer wrap and a wing of pink over white bucktail or polar bear hair with some flash mixed in. I have modified the original to include a little more flash and a collar of several wraps of pink over purple schlappen hackle. The result is an excellent roe imitation. With the salmon beginning that final phase in their lives, I can’t think of a better pattern to be washing through the flows. I’ll have the step by step instructions posted within the next few days, but, for now I must load the boat and head for the coast to see how the salmon populations are faring in a couple of west coast Vancouver Island estuaries and lower river tidal pools. Tight lines!

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