Salmon Spawn - A Steve Burke Fly

This is a variation of the Sucker Spawn, (which see) that became very popular and productive around the Great Lakes tributaries several years ago. The Sucker Spawn was tied mostly in pastel colors, and was mainly a steelhead fly. This variation uses glo-bug yarn in bright colors as an attractor for King salmon. Salmon bait fisherman often drift large clusters of red or orange eggs through deep drifts successfully here in the late summer and fall for Fall-run kings and in the spring for Springers. This Sucker Spawn variation is an imitation of those egg clusters. Fish it on a floating line, and long leader. The fly should be weighted or the leader weighted to get it to the bottom. The general rule of thumb here is to put it in front of the salmon's nose, bouncing it along the bottom through the drift. Follow your line with the rod tip to detect strikes. Salmon will sometimes take hard, but at other times, the line will just stop, indicating a take. This is essentially like fishing with drift gear like the bait fisherman do and it gives you a little more control than fishing a sinking or sink tip line. It may be necessary to go to a sink tip line on big water, but this system works well for fishing deep drifts on smaller water.

Tying Instructions:

1. Wrap .030 -.035 lead around hook for desired amount of weight.

2. Start the thread at the middle of the hook and wrap to secure lead. Bring thread to rear and tie in marabou tail.

3. Cut a piece of yarn for body about 8 inches in length. Separate the strands. Tie-in the end of one strand of yarn at the bend of the hook. Wrap the thread to the eye. Wind the one piece of yard around the hook to the eye, tie off at the eye and cut the end.

4. At the eye, tie in two to four stands of your wing yarn. Cut off the loose ends. The number of strands of yarn you use depends on the size of the hook and the thickness of the yarn. Hold all the strands along the top of the hook and wind the thread to the bend, tying the strands to the top of the hook.

5. Make a loop with all the pieces of yarn about 1/8 inch above the shank and tie them back to the hook with two wraps slightly ahead on the shank. Make another loop the same size and again tie back to the hook. Alternate this process by laying the yarn first to the far side of the hook, tying the loops on the right and left sides of the hook shank at 90 degree angles. Keep moving forward toward the eye of the hook making loops and tying them to the hook. When you reach the eye with a loop, tie-off and cut the ends of the yarn.

6. Whip finish and lacquer the head.