Shewey’s Spawning Purple Spey

[CharlieD 0]

So I’ve been camping out in my work shop tying flies like crazy when I think, you need to do some more steelhead flies. The way things are going the season will be here and gone in the blink of an eye so I better be prepared.

 

One of my favorites is John Shewey’s Spawning Purple Spey. The wing on this fly has a very unique leach like action that is very different from most other marabou-winged flies. It needs to be seen to be appreciated. Some care must be taken when selecting marabou for the wing of this fly in order for it to look and work correctly in the water. The best marabou for this fly should have long thin barbules with very even tips. Thick uneven barbules will make the fly look and work sloppy in the water.

 

Good marabou quill.

Bad marabou quill.

There are several versions of this fly but the one below is my favorite.

 

Tag: Flat gold tinsel

Body: Fluorescent red thread or floss

Wing: Purple marabou

Collar: Purple hackle then dyed orange guinea hen

Cheeks: Jungle cock (optional)

Head: Red

 

Start some fluorescent red thread on a spey style hook.

Tie in some flat gold tinsel just above the hook point and wrap a short tag.

Cover the hook shank heavily with the fluorescent red thread to about its mid point. This will be the back half of the fly’s body.

Tie in some marabou fibers. They should extend to the bend of the hook. Clip off the excess and cover it with thread to about the thickness of the back portion of the body.

Repeat the process with another clump making sure the tips are even with those of the first clump and work your way towards the eye of the hook.

 

Stop the process leaving yourself room to tie in 2 hackles at the front of the fly.

Tie in a long purple hackle and wind it folding the barbules back towards the hook point and tie it off.

Tie in two jungle cock eyes on either side of the fly (this step is optional).

Tie in a dyed orange guinea hen hackle and wind it the same way you did the purple hackle.

Finish the head and give it several coats of head cement.

 

[letumgo 0]

Outstanding step-by-step Charlie! Very nicely done photos of the tying sequence. Beautifully tyed, as always.

[Old Hat 0]

Thanks Charlie for sharing and taking the time to put this down. A beautiful fly for sure. Shewey is meticulous about his fly tying. He always says that steelhead are too beautiful to be caught on an ugly fly.

[Fred H. 0]

dang now I have to find some jungle cock for cheeks and some orange guinie. See what you did Charlie. I live a thousand miles from where I could use that fly . But now I have to tie it just so I can have one. Beautiful pattern . Thanks for the step by step.

Fred