Well its that time of year when I like to start day dreaming of spring! Spring is my favorite time of the year to up size the offerings. Steelhead have begun to spawn and then of course drop toward the Lake. All the while Small Mouth Bass begin to migrate into the streams... Hungry and agitated steelhead plus Smallies, Sounds good to me!
Step #1: Take a Mustad 3366 size 2 hook and cut off the point just where the hook starts to bend. Place cut hook into your vice and attach 6/0 black thread.
Step #2: Cut a 7 inch piece of 30 pound Berkley Fire Line, Fold the line in half and thread the fire line through the eye of a Gamakatsu Octopus #2 hook. The loop you thread through the eye should then be separated so that the hook goes through the loop.(This will allow you to change hooks as they dull)Attach the fire line over the top of the hook and secure with several wraps. Fold the tag ends of the fire line over the top and secure with several more thread wraps. Coat the entire hook body with a thin coat of Super Glue and allow to dry. The Gamakatsu hook should be roughly 3 inches from the base hook.
Step #3: Attach a 3 inch long piece of a Barred Rabbit Zonker Strip and secure. Next tie in 2 strands of Flash-A-Bou over the top of the Zonker Strip.
Step #4: Attach a 2 inch long piece of Hare Line's Polar Chenille and Palmer in the material to cover about 1/2 an inch of the hook base.
Step #5: Center tie in a clump of hand blended Chartreuse and Tan Senyo's Laser Dubbing and fold material back onto itself.
Step #6: Attach a pair of 2.5 inch long pieces of rubber legs on each side of the pattern. Here I use hot orange and clear rubber legs from a bass skirt.
Step #7: Center tie in a clump of brown Senyo's Laser Dub, and brush out all loose material with a wire brush.
Final: Tie in a set of Medium Metallic Red Plastic bead chain for the eyes. Finish off the head with a dab of Zap-A-Gap and cut the thread.
This pattern is not limited to Steelhead and Small Mouth Bass, but is equally effective for other warm water predators such as Large Mouth Bass.
The Sick Puppy Streamer finishes out at roughly 4 inches in length.
Mixing and matching your favorite color combo's is the name of the game! Here is my Spring Steelhead and small mouth Sick Puppy and Sculpin Box! Happy New Year!!!
