Sticky Egg

Created by Jeff Morgan

HOOK: Dai Riki 135, size 10 THREAD: Pink BODY: Yellow, peach, and pink egg yarn FLASH: Pearl Krystalflash mixed in with yarn

Uses

This fly imitates fish roe. Many fly anglers won't use an egg fly because it looks too much like bait. That's a silly reason not to use a fly, though. Egg flies imitate a naturally-occuring food that wild trout, steelhead, and salmon eat with gusto. When salmon spawn in the fall, there are always steelhead and trout just downstream from them, waiting to scarf up loose eggs.

 
This pattern cannot be adapted to the small size of trout and whitefish eggs.

 
The Sticky Egg has the advantage of hanging up briefly in a trout's teeth, thus giving anglers precious moments to recognize the take and set the hook. For more on sticky flies, see the article Sticky Flies.

Variations

Good color choices are pink, peach, red-orange, and chartreuse. Since the fly needs to be on the bottom, weight can be added in the form of non-toxic eyes or lead under the body.

How to Fish

During spawning seasons, dead drift near the bottom with the indicator or tight line presentation. If you see spawning salmon, you can cast so the fly lands just behind them and drifts below the spawning pair. You can bet there are steelhead or trout waiting below the salmon for drifting eggs.

Tying Instructions

1. Debarb hook, place hook in vise, and start thread.

 
2. Tie in yarn at head, pointing forward.

 
3. Pull back in a small loop and tie down.

 
4. Repeat for each color, varying size and position of loops.

 
5. Tie down, whip finish and cement.