Possibly one of the finest gifts the late, great Lefty Kreh gave to the fly fishing world was the Deceiver fly pattern. Both patterns work equally well in salt and fresh water and on many more fish species than bass. (That pattern originally had a pink & grizzly wing, although it often is tied nowadays in orange for some reason). 
You are not allowed to post links (http://) in comments. Lefty Kreh was a strong advocate for Clousers Deep Minnow pattern, naming it and promoting it via a number of books in the early 90s. This pattern was inspired by Eddie Reif's Ripogenus Smelt, a popular casting and trolling streamer for landlocked salmon in Maine, and one of my favorite blue patterns. Some tiers use peacock herl as a topping.Belly: White deer hair strap.Throat:Red Flashabou or Crystal Flash.Head: Thread color must be similar to the green one of the fly body.Eyes: White with a black pupil. Tie in the darker topping. Show everythingShow all reviewsShow all questionsShow helpful positive reviewsShow helpful negative reviewsShow unanswered questions. A jig-n-pig consists of a large jig with a rubber skirt baited with a piece of pork rind. Smallmouth anglers in Cayuga Lake did very Learn how your comment data is processed. After catching the material with two loose wraps, distribute the Bucktail around the hook shank for a well-proportioned fly. Here, Jared ties the Lefty's Deceiver in Blurple (black and purple) which is the most productive color combination for targeting fish at night. Click the Species Caught links for more photos of the fish that fell for this pattern. Other combinations followed.Usually it is tied in hook sizes ranging from #2 to #4 and the most popular colors are white and yellow with darker tones for the body (green, red, blue, pale blue), though sometimes totally black is used too.Here in Argentina, it has been used to fish for trout with good results; being tied in smaller sizes and darker colors. } 413 274-6143 * Fax 413 274-0145, [Back to the Fly Selection Page] [Wade Back to the Home Page], Ordering Instructions, Shipping rates, Your Satisfaction Guaranteed. Since that time I have had success many times fishing these long flies. The flies of choice at the time were baitfish patterns tied with long saddle hackles tied in near the eye of the hook. This pattern was tied to represent the larger rainbow smelt in Cayuga Lake and was very effective in the dead of winter fished at the warm water discharges of the power plants on the lake. MaterialsHook: TMC 811S or similar. The flattail configuration allows the color-layering in the Tie three or four pairs of white rooster saddle feathers, these must be V-shaped and tied with the tips pointing out. The Leftys Deceiver is Lefty Krehs classic baitfish pattern that catches everything everywhere. We spend a lot of time testing gear and writing reviews to give you all of the tools to make your next trip a success. Your account will be automatically created once the order is placed. As with most saltwater patterns, flash is usually added somewhere in the pattern. This pattern was inspired by Carrie Stevens' Pink Lady, one of my favorite casting streamers for landlocked salmon. But lets read Leftys own words about what was. The #2/0 Lefty's Deceiver is approximately 4 1/4 inches long (11 cm)click Whip finish and add some super glue to the head of the fly for increased durability. "[3] The original Deceiver was all white and mimicked the prolific smelt that the Chesapeake Bay stripers foraged on. event : evt, I am using some strands of Olive DNA Holo Fusion fiber instead of the traditional peacock herl. Deceivers have several unique features to recommend them to fishing and to the tying bench: Deceivers will never displace the classical New England streamers in my streamer wallet; I enjoy tying and fishing those traditional patterns far too much for that to be a temptation. But knowing Robb, I knew he just couldn't create a pork-strip disaster. The style is basically that of Bob Clouser's Deep Minnow, with a Deceiver tail tied in at the bend of the hook. Tie it directly on top of the hook and advance your thread. Sign up to our newsletter and receive 20% off your first order.
If one were to start ground-up to design an immitation, you could hardly do better than to begin with Lefty's Deceiver for a body-plan. Inspired by Carrie Stevens' Morning Glory. TIGHT LINES! A collar of white buck tail was layered at the top, sides and bottom of the front of the hook. Will's Comments: Black and purple can be effective as can red and white, olive and white, red and yellow, or chartreuse and white.You can vary the color combinations; it will also swim well but when lifted for the backcast it will be sleek and have little air-resistance.. Virtually any hook type can be used--regular shank length hooks for small, fat flies or long shank for thin, slender ones. two pink saddle hackles, flanked by 2 grizzly saddles; then 2 strands pearl flashabou and 2 strands pearl krystal flash each side, white tying thread, lacquered to secure the tail materials, ventrolateral, white bucktail; dorsal ("wing"), 3 strands each side pink krystal flash topped with pink bucktail, small bunch yellow krystal flash, cut short, black thead; cement with penetrating head cement, finish with Loon Outdoors Black Hard Head Fly Finish, two light blue or kingfisher blue saddle hackles, flanked by 2 grizzly saddles; then 2 strands pearl flashabou and 2 strands pearl krystal flash each side, ventrolateral, white bucktail; dorsal ("wing"), 3 strands each side yellow krystal flash topped with medium grey bucktail, two yellow saddle hackles, flanked by 2 grizzly saddles; then 2 strands pearl flashabou each side, ventrolateral, white bucktail; dorsal ("wing"), 3 strands each side silver krystal flash, topped with sparse yellow and then purple bucktail, one rather full silver pheasant crest feather, nearly as long as tail, curving up; then two pairs yellow saddle hackles; flanked on each side by 2 strands pearl flashabou and 2 strands orange krystal flash, ventrolateral, yellow calftail; ventral, small bunch white calftail; dorsal ("wing"), 3 strands each side red krystal flash, topped with a small bunch of yellow bucktail, short silver pheasant crest feather, curving up, two golden pheasant red body feathers, tied in by the tip, folded and wound as a collar and tied back to lie on the hair collar, very sparse white bucktail, nearly the length of the desired tail; then one yellow saddle hackle, tied in flat, chicken-side up; then 4 strands pearl flashabou; followed by small bunch purple bucktail, pale yellow tying thread, lacquered to secure the tail materials. It continues to be used to catch not only bass but also trout, pike, bonefish and any other large predatory fish that eats smaller fish, in all types of waters from tidal estuaries and salt flats to mountain creeks. In 2012, Kreh published 101 FishA Fly Fishers Life List detailing many of his fly fishing exploits around the world. These books from 2016/17 have been hiding in my shelf for way too long. Measure the herl to extend just past the tips of the tail, trim the butts, and tie in the herls. Support the Global FlyFisher through several different channels, including PayPal. MaterialsHook: TMC 811S or similar. When they move into the shallows in the spring they are easy targets for predators. I've included a few patterns that I developed primarily when I was living in the Finger Lakes region of New York. } In my early days of fly fishing I bought all of my flies. A bottom seeking fly for pike, bass, cod, pike perch, sea trout - even bonefish and many other fish. Over four days of fishing the pattern proved itself again and again, accounting for everything from overzealous bluegill to the Tiger Muskie featured here. The Deceiver may be one of the most popular streamers for both freshwater and saltwater fish.
"Philatelic phlies--Do Postal Services have notions of flyfishing? Apply a small spot of super glue on the middle of each eye socket and stick on the 3D Fish Eyes. Sign up for special offers & fly fishing news, The most recognizable baitfish pattern in the world, Peacock Bass, Tigerfish & Freshwater Predators. Wrap the excess flash around the butts of the hackle to form a pearl under-body. In the early 1950s, Lefty Kreh could almost always be found out in the Chesapeake Bay chasing striped bass on the fly. It will have a fish shape, but can be made in many lengths. The Clouser has a deadly jigging action and rides hook point up, and you can use it to imitate a wide range of baitfish. Tie in the hackle feathers facing each other with the shiny side out one at a time on both sides of the hook shank. Re-attach your tying thread in front of the Baitfish Headand tie a small thread dam between the Baitfish Headand the eye of the hook to secure the head firmly in place. The Bucktail acts as a support for the tail to keep the fly from fouling. The original Lefty's Deceiver was tied with white saddle hackles tied in at the bend of a standard, short shank saltwater hook. White is shown above - the Chartreuse/White is pictured below. Tie flash into the tail. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Give us a call here at the shop at (888) 413-5211 or email us anytime at [emailprotected]. Some tiers use peacock herl as a topping.Belly: White deer hair strap.Throat:Red Flashabou or Crystal Flash.Head: Thread color. The Lefty's Deceiver is an artificial fly streamer pattern used in fly fishing for freshwater and saltwater species. Flash was added on top of the hackles. with any fly purchased from us - if any fly you order from us does not meet your expectations, you Some of you more traditional streamer flingers will probably cringe at some of these patterns, but give 'em a chance. This fly accounted for several large bass and a few rainbows. It will have a fish shape, but can be made in many lengths. In the late 1950s, striped bass populations in the Chesapeake Bay were healthy and Lefty Kreh pursued them on a regular basis along the lower Eastern shore of the bay. Materials for the tail can be the traditional saddle hackle, marabou, hen body feathers, rabbit strips, rubber legs, etc. Measure the black Bucktail wing to be slightly longer than the purple body. 01236 While the example below is tied on a Size 1 hook, this pattern can easily be reproduced on hooks ranging from Size 6 to 6/0 depending upon your needs. Trident Fly Fishing is a full-service fly shop. Finally, choose roughly four strands of Peacock Herl and tie them in on top of the hook shank to add color to the wing. Good to hear that the setup works Innes books on salmon flies and salmon fishing, The Monster Brown Trout of Thingvallavatn. Four to six hackles were used with tips curved to the outside. } Cockroach is a classic tan/grizzly color fly popular for Bob Clouser and Lefty Kreh were two friends who became fly fishing celebrities via two patterns that bear their names, the Clouser Minnow and Leftys Deceiver. You can also sign up for stock notifications, quickly reorder items, and check statuses or tracking numbers of previous orders. Fished on an intermediate line to help get the fly down, the pattern (tied as shown) proved an excellent mimic for the local forage species (predominantly alewives). An OFFS account gives you the option to securely save your addresses and payment method so you don't have to enter them every time you order. Simple but effective, it has evolved into more of a style of fly than a specific pattern, with many variations in color, size and weight. view of the representative size of this fly. Yes, this is a trick question and easy to answer - it's g! Since Bob introduced me to this idea, I've experimented with adding soft-hackle collars to some of my other Deceivers (mallard flank on the Pink Lady; Teal flank on the Ripogenus and Magog Deceivers); and I think this idea & a few boxes of RIT will inspire a number of new patterns. As is the Ripogenus Deceiver, this pattern was inspired by Eddie Reif's Ripogenus Smelt. I was introduced to this flattail style in Ray Bondorew's Striped-Bass streamers.
Second is the hair collar which surrounds the wing and prevents it from fouling. The Streamers 365 project has delighted streamer aficionados worldwide by delivering a new and beautiful streamer photo online every day. However, the one streamer that may give Clouser, and his namesake pattern, a run for his money has thus far been absent. Featured Fly Pattern: Lefty Krehs Deceiver, Idaho Closes Steelhead Fishing on Clearwater River Basin, Colorado Wildfire Killed 80% of Resident Fish, Faces of Fly Fishing: Dan Rooster Leavens, Video of the Week: The Canadian Angle: Northern Pike on the Fly. Nemo, We're dedicated to your total satisfaction and to finding our gear a happy home. Whether you scale down saltwater versions of this fly, adapt other traditional streamer patterns, or create new patterns, you should experiment with this fly in fresh water--its a good one. I caught my first landlocked salmon on a tandem Magog Smelt trolled from my canoe, and have always since felt it to be a "lucky pattern." Rods that have been fished or have dirty handles are not returnable. Postal Service honored Krehs creation with a postage stamp.[1]. While the heads can be nice and small or built up very large with prismatic stick-on eyes. This has been a very effective largemouth bass fly. Ordering Instructions, Shipping rates, Your Satisfaction Guaranteed, Saltwater Flies Mainpage | Chris Windram's Saltwater Fly Museum, The original modern saltwater streamer designed by Lefty Kreh, the leading guru of modern saltwater fly fishing. How to Tie the Full-Dressed Clouser Minnow Fly Pattern, How to Tie The Standard Clouser Minnow Fly Pattern, How to Tie the Synthetic Clouser Minnow Fly Pattern, How to Tie The Bead Head Wooly Bugger Fly, G. Loomis Asquith Fly Rod Series Review: Model-by-Model, How to Choose the Best Fly Rod for Small Streams. HOUSATONIC, MA Tie over the wing a chartreuse strap of bucktail hair. This pattern has taken so many different species of fish that it is impossible to list them all here. I subjected Bob's pattern to the folk process (i.e., I forgot his recipe & had to wing it) & came up with this. Tie in a third, longer bunch of bucktail on top of the hook shank. on: function(evt, cb) { Today, the Deceiver is tied in an almost infinite number of color-material-size combinations. Sharon Wright is becoming a familiar name to those who follow developments in streamer fly tying. Fit the Baitfish Headover the eye of the hook and position in place. Sign up for our Newsletter, a monthly dose of new ideas and exclusive deals on great gear, sent directly to your inbox.
I have a 5 and a 6 weight rod. streamers. window.mc4wp.listeners.push( Detailed instructions for tying a Moto's Minnow streamer. To make the wing, tie at the tip of the hook a strap of the white bucktail hair. The original body was silver tinsel. Reviewing my recent posts, it seems Ive been on a bit of a streamer kick the past month with the Clouser Minnow, Bunny Leech and EP Minnow all making an appearance in our tutorials since March 1. Misadventures in fly fishing for the artistically disinclined and thick fingered among us. well with a crayfish colored set up. The first Lefty's Deceivers were pretty simple. The original fly has been changed and modified numerous times; however, there are two telltale signs that you're looking at a deceiver. A general baitfish imitation that lefty himself considered more a way of tying than a true pattern, the Deceiver can be tied to mimic a wide variety of forage species by simply tweaking the size, color and bulk of the pattern. The Global FlyFisher has been online since the mid-90's and has been free to access for everybody since day one and will stay free for as long as I run it. Similar patterns: Big Fish Deceiver. Cayuga Lake holds a healthy population of gold carp. To shape the belly, tie another strap of white bucktail hair on the lower section. Essentially a weighted Leftys Deceiver, the basic tying method for this great, time tested fly pattern remains the same with the only exception being that the traditional thread head and painted/stick-on eyes are replaced by the Baitfish Headand Living Eyes. The fly was originated by fly angler and author Lefty Kreh in the Chesapeake Bay for striped bass. Click that box and create a password in the field that opens up. First is the wing placement--the saddle hackle wing is positioned near the bend of the hook. I've designed the following Deceivers, each named for the classical streamer pattern that inspired it. Fly Lines, Leaders, Tippets, Fly Boxes, Sun Gloves, T-shirts, Knot tying tools, Hook Hones, and more! The debate found the authors A small commission may be paid for purchases made through these links. Do flyfishers have something in common with stamp collectors?
This pattern can be tied in a multitude of colors to imitate a variety of bait. window.mc4wp = window.mc4wp || { As Lefty put it, Im going to design a fly that wont foul on the cast! So why introduce Deceivers to the streamer wallet? You don't need an OFFS account to place an order, but having one does save time and makes ordering easier! They were tied with a wing of four to eight saddle hackles tied in at the bend of the hook, and they had a simple bucktail or calf tail collar at the front of the hook. I can still remember the fist fish I caught on a streamer, a stocked brook trout on a Royal Coachman streamer. Measure the flash so it extends just past the Bucktail and hackle feathers. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. The Deceiver is arguably the best known saltwater fly pattern in the world and in 1991 the U.S. { Finnish fly tyer Rane Olsen decided to tie all 93 Carrie Stevens streamer patterns mentioned in Graydon R. Hilyard and Leslie K. Hilyard's book on her and the flies. SandBarFlies. My Deceiver box (completed in early April) was finally put to good use in late May of this year (2021) as I competed in The Mayfly Projects 25 on the Fly tournament. Tie in several strands of flash on each side of the tail. The deceiver was first tied by Lefty Kreh in the 50's for striped bass in the Chesapeke Bay. The store will not work correctly in the case when cookies are disabled. Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. yellow with fabric paint eyes, 1 coat of softex. Maintaining that classic minnow profile, you can use this fly to match things like silversides, juvenile herring, sandeels, or just use it as a general attractor, as its ostrich herl wing adds movement whether your fly is resting on the bottom or getting stripped back to you.
Even out the head with thread to add volume to the fly. See more details about what you can do to help in this blog post. It costs money to drive a large site like this. But they are earning a place alongside their long-hooked siblings. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. The Clouser was initially created by Bob Clouser for catching smallmouth bass on the Susquehanna River in the year 1987, but since then, it's become a staple for pretty much every species of fish that eats other fish. Rainbow smelts are very long, slender fish, very active swimmers, with incredible multichromatic flash. $6.49/ea. Whip finish and cemment.
Originally designed for targeting saltwater game fish, Lefty Krehs Deceiver has since proven effective on piscivorous species ranging from trout and bass to pike and striper. [2] Fouled flies rarely deceived the wily striped bass. Will's Comments: Taking a strong influence from the classic Clouser Minnow, this Full-Dressed version offers a little bit more realism and a whole lot more movement. Home Shop Flies Saltwater Flies Backcountry Flies Leftys Deceiver. Start your thread and tie in a Bucktail tail. Bob in turn credits this inspiration to Jack Gartside's soft-hackle We are not a blog or a review site. Tie in and wrap the Krystal Flash body. And that's Lefty's Deceiver in Black and Purple.
also other forage fish, leeches, small snakes, and attractor patterns as well. Review your cart. You can vary the color combinations; it will also swim well but when lifted for the back cast it will be sleek and have little air-resistance. (Mobile Viewers: Click images to enlarge). This is my attempt to recreate that. Tie in the Bucktail right at the bend of the hook.
Bob Petti came up with this pattern on paper & posted it to the Streamers@ mailing list, & I couldn't wait to get home to tie one up. On the checkout page, underneath the email address field is a box that says. sides yellow bucktail, bottom orange bucktail, top fox squirrel, black with fabric paint eyes, coat with softex, orange rabbit strip and sililegs (pumpkin speckled), 4 grey saddles flanked by a few strands of rainbow krystal flash, Rainbow krystal flash under pink bucktail, grey thread coated with silver Wet and Wild nail polish. I really love this fly. We have talked to Darren MacEachern, the man behind the project. Wrap the excess flash around the hackle butts to form a shiny under-body. Get notified every time a new Step-by-Step posts. The collar can consist of any type of natural or synthetic hair. ); Nice Deceiver Jared.
through several different channels, including PayPal. 100% of our funding comes from your gear purchases, so if this blog post helps you on your next fly fishing adventure, please support us by buying your gear from us. In addition to allowing vertical layering of colors the length of the fly, this style has wonderful action in the water and presents a wider silhouette when viewed from below. Add the materials, flies, gear etc. Saddle hackles secured near the eye of the hook, as was the common practice of the time, had a tendency to twist and foul around the hook bend during retrieves. The Clouser Minnow is one of the most effective streamers ever designed. Both flies were originally conceived to fish for bass: Clousers Minnow for freshwater smallmouth bass in the Susquehanna River, and Leftys Deceiver for striped bass in the Chesapeake Bay. Lefty Kreh, the creator of this fly, is one the most recognized fly fishermen in the world.He made this fly in the late 50s to fish saltwater; he was looking for a streamer that would be easy to cast and would not wrap around the bend of the hook. This is a pattern that has proven itself many times over as an imitation or general slender-minnow attractor for a wide varity of saltwater gamefish. One can take advantage of this and tie not only imitation of smelts, but Will's Comments: Leftys goal as he put it was: "I'm going to design a fly that won't foul on the cast! you need to your cart. forms: { It could be a minnow, a leech or when tied in lrger sizes (up to 2/0) a small snake. You can vary the color combinations; it will also swim well but when lifted for the back cast, it will be sleek and have little air-resistance. All gear must be returned in the same condition you received it: new & unused, in the original package, with all the tags still attached. The original fly was tied to resemble smelt, a common striped bass forage. For the throat, tie a bit of red flashabou. Later in life, Lefty shifted his focus from the Stripers of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast to the tropical species that called the Florida Peninsula home, and it was here that the pattern then took on a life of its own as more and more creative tyers put their own twists on it to mimic the bait of their own fisheries. Turn the fly back upright, wrap a few turns to form a thread-head, tie off and cut your thread. I have a 8wt rod and will be going on a fly in trip to Canada next year What patterns and size fly would recommend. But that doesn't mean that it's free to run. A great majority of those species were caught on variations of the Leftys Deceiver.
Tips for tying Lefty's Deceiver Fly including a materials list, instructional video, and much more. steel dumbell, yellow with black pupil, tied in on top the hook 1/3 the shaft length back from the eye, so the fly will ride inverted (bead-chain eyes may be used for a shallower-running fly). For pike and musky I would recommend 2/0 to 4/0 hooks. In the smelt-filled rivers & lakes of Maine, a handful of traditional New England streamer patterns provide perfectly credible forage fish immitations in the waters and water conditions encountered. Similarly, tie in purple Bucktail on top of the hook shank to give the body a full profile. Will's Comments: Rotate the vise and tie in a purple Bucktail underbody. Sizes # 2 to # 4/0.Thread: 3/0 green.Tail: Three or four pairs of white rooster saddle feathers, V-shaped and tied with the tips pointing out.Flash: Some Flashabou strips or pearled Crystal Flash, tied at each side at the base of the tail feathers.Body: Flat Silver Tinsel.Wing: White deer hair tail and a chartreuse strap over it. What hook, hook size and colors would you recommend for smallmouth bass? In the 1960s when Lefty Kreh relocated to South Florida and began pushing the limits of saltwater fly fishing, the Deceiver grew in popularity and in variety. Will's Comments: This fly was inspired by the classic bass bait rig of the same name. At first glance the amount I am using may seem excessive, however, most of the throat will be covered over by the Fish-Skullis fitted leaving just enough red material protruding realistically out of the gill plate area. Pattens in blue dunn, blue, pink, yellow, white or purple, with some peacock herl & golden pheasant crest for flash, will keep one in business all season; I would feel very well-equipped with a casting-streamer selection of Gray Ghosts, Ripogenus Smelts, Pink Ladys, Barnes Specials, Black Ghosts and Magog Smelts. Improve your fly tying skills here. Double the Krystal Flash over the thread, tie it down, bring your thread back, then advance your thread to just behind the eye of the hook. Turn the fly upside down and tie in a red "throat".
The buck tail extended just beyond the hook bend. Since then, deceivers of every shape and color can be found in most streamer anglers fly boxes. Tie in a small bunch of bucktail low on each side of the hook. To help keep handle in returnable condition while testing avoid stripping line on the cork. But lets read Leftys own words about what was to become the most famous pattern for saltwater fly fishing:"I'm going to design a fly that won't foul on the cast! Tie a few up and I'm sure you'll be pleasantly surprised at the results. This fly is hugely productive for Stripers and other predatory fish at night and works well when tied in different color schemes to imitate a variety of bait. I only hoped it would work and didn't consider it might become a part of fly-fishing history. It may have been two or three years before I added other colors. HALF BUCK FLY SHOP FLY FISHING FLIES DISCOUNT & WHOLESALE, FLY DEAL EXPRESS FLY ASSORTMENTS & 3 PACKS FAST SHIPPING.
His original concept was simple: switch to bucktail for the hackle at the front of the hook. "defending" the fresh water deceiver and prompted us to write a small feature on some of our own deceiver patterns. We guarantee your satisfaction Adhesive and covered by a fine layer of epoxi or painted with varnish or acrylic. Add stick on eyes to the head of the fly. here for another A solid choice in both fresh and saltwater situations that can be tied in any color scheme you like, it's hard to go wrong with this version of a must-have streamer. The more he fished, the more frustrated he became with the tendency of the fly materials to wrap around the shank and bend of their hooks, so he set out to design a fly pattern that would negate this issue, and thus the Deceiver was born. If within 30 days of your purchase you're not completely satisfied, simply return it for a full refund or an exchange. Since 2012, Flylords has been a proud leader in telling the stories of anglers and guides from around the world. The very first Leftys Deceiver was white to imitate the smelt that saltwater striped bass feed on, but within a few years he had added a red/white pattern, and today many other colors and materials are used (usually still in combination with white) to match herring, sprat and other small fish in all types of water. Its also a great fly when fishing for Golden dorados, and its been used in saltwater to catch other species such as anchovies.Here, I will show the step-by-step instructions for the White and Green version of it, which involves fewer steps but still maintains its design. I would not recommend deceivers for lake trout since they often strike the tail rather than the head, resulting in the frustration of missed fish. tarpon and other tropical species.