Fly of the Month 12.14 Lefty's Deceiver
We do not often cover a fly pattern that is useful for not only coldwater trout, but also freshwater and saltwater species as well. Although there are many streamer patterns in the tool box for trout, the deceiver and its numerous variations may be tied in smaller sizes and produce large fish just as well. One pattern for trout and smallmouth in particular is the Cockroach which is most likely viewed by the fish as a crayfish rather than a baitfish.
Lefty’s Deceiver
The deceiver is unquestionably the most famous and ubiquitous saltwater fly pattern in history. Originally designed by Lefty Kreh in the late-1950s, anglers have relied on the fly pattern to the extent that it has become one of the world’s most popular saltwater flies. Bernard “Lefty” Kreh among others was one of the first to break into the sport of fly fishing for saltwater gamefish. He specifically developed the deceiver as a fly that was both easy to cast and would not wrap around the bend of the hook when cast. Many other tiers have adopted the deceiver and further modified the fly pattern with potential improvements such as flash, manufactured heads and trailer hooks.
The abundance of materials used in the fly pattern provide for a fish shape streamer while being striped underwater. Once wet, the sleek fly has little air resistance making it very manageable to cast great distances or punch through the wind. This fly pattern can imitate a bait fish of almost any length. This flexibility of fly pattern allows for big, saltwater game fish as well as small, freshwater smallmouth and coldwater trout.
With bucktail wings on top and bottom and a long hackle tail, the deceiver fly pattern can be tied in a multitude of colors and color combinations. Typically, a combination of a light or white bottom and darker, colored top is used to imitate bait fish. Banding is accomplished by using barred materials such as grizzly hackle.
Fly Fishing with a Deceiver
The deceiver is fished in the same manner as other streamers. Designed for mid-water action, an intermediate sinking line is best. In an open body of water such as a saltwater flat or open bay the deceiver is cast to a maximum distance, allowed to sink into the water column, then striped back as an imitation of a fish progressing through the water possibly in a fleeing action. Interrupted action, jerks, stalls and long duration strips are all possible actions to be applied depending on the species targeted.
In freshwater for smallmouth bass, the deceiver is best striped with a slow steady movement that crosses in front of the target fish or runs upstream-downstream close by.
In coldwater for trout, the deceiver is best cast across and down at 45 degrees to the current, then allowed to tail out before the return striping is applied at a moderate pace. For dingy, milky water conditions, a deceiver pattern that is a very dark black, brown, green, blue or purple is best. In very clear conditions, the lighter and brighter colors of chartreuse, pink, yellow are best. In either case, generally the bottom portion is white giving the contrast much like any bait fish.
Lefty’s Deceiver
Hook : Streamer, Tiemco 5263 or equivalent, sizes 2,4,6,8,10
Thread : 6/0 white or color to complement the back
Tail : White saddle hackle
Body : Flat braid, pearl
Body : Deer tail, two colors. Top color olive,chartreuse, brown, blue,pink. Bottom color white
Flash: Flashabou, Crystal flash both in pearl
Beard: Crystal flash, red
Directions :
1) Mount hook in vise, begin wraps three eyelengths from the eye and advance to the hook bend. Build a small bump of thread and let the bobbin hang.
2) Take the saddle clump in your left hand, separate four or six feathers somewhat randomly and with your right hand pinch the select feathers together, spin and twist and pull them away from the skin. This random method is how Lefty does it and it works quite well. Tie in the tail at the thread bump with the feathers being about two times the length of the hook shank. After securing, advance the thread, binding in the feathers while maintaining the feathers on top of the hook shank. Trim waste and smooth out with thread wraps ending at the beginning point at the eye. Let the bobbin hang.
3) Select two strands of crystal flash and tie in on the side of the hook closest to you and repeat with two more on the far side. Keep these trapped on the side. Trim all four to slightly shorter than the tail. Repeat this procedure with flashabou but trim slightly longer than the tail feathers
4) Select a three inch piece of flat pearl braid, tie in, and advance the thread to the eye. To form the body,wrap the braid in touching wraps to the hook bend. Tie in and trim waste.
5) Select white deer tail, from the tip or close to the tip of the tail. The hair is not hollow and will not flair when tied in. The hair should be about half the diameter of a pencil. While pinched in your left hand stroke out any fine hair from the clump. Trim the hair at an angle after measuring the length against the hook so that the hair is slightly past the hook bend. Tie in on the side of the hook at the eye with the slant of the cut toward the eye. Repeat on the far side of the hook.
6) Rotate the hook and select two strands of red crystal flash. Fold the two in half and tie in doubling again. Trim to the hook tip and return the hook to the original position
7) Select color deer tail, same size as above and tie in on top of the hook shank, where the white is tied in. Keep the color from spinning as you tie in.
8) Form a nice shape head with thread wraps, whip finish, cut thread and coat with head cement.
- Tom Adams, Alen Baker
We do not often cover a fly pattern that is useful for not only coldwater trout, but also freshwater and saltwater species as well. Although there are many streamer patterns in the tool box for trout, the deceiver and its numerous variations may be tied in smaller sizes and produce large fish just as well. One pattern for trout and smallmouth in particular is the Cockroach which is most likely viewed by the fish as a crayfish rather than a baitfish.
Lefty’s Deceiver
The deceiver is unquestionably the most famous and ubiquitous saltwater fly pattern in history. Originally designed by Lefty Kreh in the late-1950s, anglers have relied on the fly pattern to the extent that it has become one of the world’s most popular saltwater flies. Bernard “Lefty” Kreh among others was one of the first to break into the sport of fly fishing for saltwater gamefish. He specifically developed the deceiver as a fly that was both easy to cast and would not wrap around the bend of the hook when cast. Many other tiers have adopted the deceiver and further modified the fly pattern with potential improvements such as flash, manufactured heads and trailer hooks.
The abundance of materials used in the fly pattern provide for a fish shape streamer while being striped underwater. Once wet, the sleek fly has little air resistance making it very manageable to cast great distances or punch through the wind. This fly pattern can imitate a bait fish of almost any length. This flexibility of fly pattern allows for big, saltwater game fish as well as small, freshwater smallmouth and coldwater trout.
With bucktail wings on top and bottom and a long hackle tail, the deceiver fly pattern can be tied in a multitude of colors and color combinations. Typically, a combination of a light or white bottom and darker, colored top is used to imitate bait fish. Banding is accomplished by using barred materials such as grizzly hackle.
Fly Fishing with a Deceiver
The deceiver is fished in the same manner as other streamers. Designed for mid-water action, an intermediate sinking line is best. In an open body of water such as a saltwater flat or open bay the deceiver is cast to a maximum distance, allowed to sink into the water column, then striped back as an imitation of a fish progressing through the water possibly in a fleeing action. Interrupted action, jerks, stalls and long duration strips are all possible actions to be applied depending on the species targeted.
In freshwater for smallmouth bass, the deceiver is best striped with a slow steady movement that crosses in front of the target fish or runs upstream-downstream close by.
In coldwater for trout, the deceiver is best cast across and down at 45 degrees to the current, then allowed to tail out before the return striping is applied at a moderate pace. For dingy, milky water conditions, a deceiver pattern that is a very dark black, brown, green, blue or purple is best. In very clear conditions, the lighter and brighter colors of chartreuse, pink, yellow are best. In either case, generally the bottom portion is white giving the contrast much like any bait fish.
Lefty’s Deceiver
Hook : Streamer, Tiemco 5263 or equivalent, sizes 2,4,6,8,10
Thread : 6/0 white or color to complement the back
Tail : White saddle hackle
Body : Flat braid, pearl
Body : Deer tail, two colors. Top color olive,chartreuse, brown, blue,pink. Bottom color white
Flash: Flashabou, Crystal flash both in pearl
Beard: Crystal flash, red
Directions :
1) Mount hook in vise, begin wraps three eyelengths from the eye and advance to the hook bend. Build a small bump of thread and let the bobbin hang.
2) Take the saddle clump in your left hand, separate four or six feathers somewhat randomly and with your right hand pinch the select feathers together, spin and twist and pull them away from the skin. This random method is how Lefty does it and it works quite well. Tie in the tail at the thread bump with the feathers being about two times the length of the hook shank. After securing, advance the thread, binding in the feathers while maintaining the feathers on top of the hook shank. Trim waste and smooth out with thread wraps ending at the beginning point at the eye. Let the bobbin hang.
3) Select two strands of crystal flash and tie in on the side of the hook closest to you and repeat with two more on the far side. Keep these trapped on the side. Trim all four to slightly shorter than the tail. Repeat this procedure with flashabou but trim slightly longer than the tail feathers
4) Select a three inch piece of flat pearl braid, tie in, and advance the thread to the eye. To form the body,wrap the braid in touching wraps to the hook bend. Tie in and trim waste.
5) Select white deer tail, from the tip or close to the tip of the tail. The hair is not hollow and will not flair when tied in. The hair should be about half the diameter of a pencil. While pinched in your left hand stroke out any fine hair from the clump. Trim the hair at an angle after measuring the length against the hook so that the hair is slightly past the hook bend. Tie in on the side of the hook at the eye with the slant of the cut toward the eye. Repeat on the far side of the hook.
6) Rotate the hook and select two strands of red crystal flash. Fold the two in half and tie in doubling again. Trim to the hook tip and return the hook to the original position
7) Select color deer tail, same size as above and tie in on top of the hook shank, where the white is tied in. Keep the color from spinning as you tie in.
8) Form a nice shape head with thread wraps, whip finish, cut thread and coat with head cement.
- Tom Adams, Alen Baker
