Hook: Targus TAR 812

Thread: Black

Weight: .035 lead wire tied as a keel

Tail: None

Body: Silver Chenille

Hackle: Small amount red hackle fibers tied as a beard

Wing: Fish Hair or similar tying material; a small amount of Polar Bear White, then a small amount of Sky Blue and finally Royal Blue on top.

Head: Build up the head with tying thread and then paint the eyes. I used model paint for the eyes and then coated the head with head cement

Springers can be color selective. At times, the most effective colors are blue and silver, which is when this fly should work best.

I used this fly last year, but I’ve made some refinements. The fly is heavily weighted so it will sink fast and deep. The weight is tied on like a keel. This causes the fly to ride with the hook point up, reducing snagging.

I also painted eyes on the fly. The baitfish Pacific salmon feed on in salt water all have prominent “pearly” eyes with black pupils. While a salmon in the river is no longer feeding, the presence of eyes may trigger a strike. Many “traditional” salmon flies, such as optics, have prominent eyes.