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Red Head Starlite Leech
By Elaine Cook

It's steelhead season again. There are many fly patterns to choose from and it's hard to decide what to use. Keep in mind that you want something that will get down and in front of the nose of that magnificent fish, one that is easy for it to see and will trigger a bite. This fly has these qualities:
* weighted with barbell eyes,
* black, for a strong silhouette in off-color water,
* a tail with lots of enticing motion, and
* a head that can be mistaken for an egg.
For use in shallow or slower-moving water, make all the parts smaller.
The barbell eyes on top of the shank will turn the fly upside-down when fished, which will help keep the fly from hanging up on the bottom.

Hook:	Tiemco TMC 700 (1XL, 1XH, black) size 2 and 4
Thread:	Fluorescent fire orange, heavy flat waxed (3/0 or heavier Monocord)
Eyes:	Large plated barbell eyes
Tail:	Black Zonker strip (rabbit fur on hide)
Body:	Black Cactus chenille
Hackle:	Black strung saddle hackle
Head:	Fluorescent fire orange (hot orange) chenille

1. Crimp barb.
2. Attach thread to rear of shank, wrap forward to eye in close turns and return thread to one eye length behind the eye.
3. Lay barbell eyes astride the hook shank one eye length behind the eye and bind tightly in place using X and figure eight wraps. Saturate the wraps with Zap-A-Gap or similar glue to lock the eyes in place.
4. Return thread to rear of shank.
5. Tie in a piece of Cactus chenille, with the end hanging over the hook bend.
6. Cut a Zonker strip the length of the shank. Tie it in as a tail, with the fur lying to the rear.
7. Wrap the Cactus chenille forward in close turns, covering the back 2/3 of the shank. Take care not to bind down fibers of each prior turn. Tie off and cut excess.
8. Select a relatively web-free hackle and tie in by the butt immediately in front of the Cactus chenille with tip to rear and shiny side toward you. Bring the tip across the rear of the hook to the far side and take three or four close wraps forward. Stroke each wrap back so the next one won't bind down any hackle fibers. Tie off and cut excess.
9. Tie in a piece of fluorescent fire orange chenille immediately in front of the hackle. Bring the thread forward of the barbell eyes.
10. Wrap the chenille around the barbell eyes, ending with a turn in front of them. The wraps should form a rounded head surrounding the barbell eyes. Don't make it too bulky. Tie off at the eye and cut excess.
11. Whip finish and cut excess thread. The whip finish should not be noticeable in size and should not bind any of the chenille down. Apply Zap-A-Gap to the thread only, taking care not to get any in the chenille.