Feng's Steelhead Lizard

Bluebelly variant

Redbelly variant

The idea for the Steelhead Lizard came to me from a demand for a fly that could consistently close the deal on the redds. I linked two 20 mm waddington shanks together and tied the trailer hook (size 2 CuttingEdge) with a loope of 18# muskellunge braided line. Each shank is palmered with large marabou plumes: Bluebelly: ((black-violet)-(carribean blue)-(fluorescent blue)); Redbelly:((black-red)-(fuschia-pink)), collared with guinea fowl and/or gadwall flank. The eyes are red dot-enamelled nickel dumbbells. The whole action is one of a jointed 'up and down' motion: the weighted eyes leading the marabou plumes downward, the tension on the line leading it upward. The double joint imitates a lizard's swimming action and the puffy marabou is compressed under water tension, yielding a very lifelike action.I'd like to add a third shank and get a real snake like effect going. Stay tuned for the Sea Serpent. This thing will get clipped by a pissed off King or Alpha Steelie, sealing its reputation as a true redd cleaner.