Howdy,

The December 2009 Riverwood Fly of the Month Club flies are:

Trout Fly of the Month:  Chironomid Larva

Recipe:

• Hook :  Curved Scud size 16-20
• Thread :  Black 6/0
• Body :  Floss
• Rib:  Oval Wire
• Collar:  Ostrich Herl
• Head:  Bead

Chironomids are those very tiny patterns imitated on hook sizes #18 to #24 or smaller that are also found in lakes but are more common in rivers and especially productive tailwaters.
Chironomid pupa are found in a wide variety of colors with the most common ones being black, maroon, green and brown and various shades of each color.

The majority of the feeding interest by trout is in the pupal stage due in large part to the sheer numbers that can be present throughout the water column during an emergence.

Steelhead Fly of the Month:  Purple Matuka

Recipe:

• Hook: Salmon Size 1-6
•  Tail: Schlappen Tips
• Body: Angora Dubbing
• Rib: Oval Wire
• Collar: Schlappen

The Purple Matuka is a fly originated by Forrest Maxwell in the 1970′s – the heyday of steelhead fishing in the Santiam Canyon area. Maxwell, along with John Shewey, developed several fly patterns for steelhead to be used on the North and South Santiam Rivers.

This is a fairly simple pattern to tie. One unique feature is that the tail, back and collar are created using 2-4 full schlappen feathers tied in together, yet used to create different body parts.

Try this fly in a variety of color combinations by changing both the body color as well as the feather color.