Hook:

2 - 6 Tiemco 300 6 XL Streamer Hook

Thread:

8/0 Uni-Thread Fluorescent Orange

Tail:

Black Elk tied full to represent an Egg Sack

Body:

Orange strip of 2 mm closed cell foam wrapped onto hook shank

Head:

Black Elk pulled back bullet style to provide a short collar

Late June on the Madison River.  The willows branches tight to each bank are sagging with the weight of thousands of fat insects, performing their annual mating ritual in a desperate attempt to continue the species.  A brief gust of wind delivers a handful of these overgrown dirty orange critters onto the gentle currents flowing against the bank - and one by one, each struggling, fluttering, panicky bug is inhaled by an eager Madison River brown or rainbow trout.  How can that not get your blood boiling ?????  And when the Salmon Flies are out, this is one of my favorite imitations to try fool a bunch of those eager trouts.  When you tie this bug, a simple way of preparing the Furnace Saddle feather is the spread the barbs open and then trim them short - 1/8" to 3/16" long on each side of the stem - use a long pair of standard scissors - before wrapping the body of the fly.  This technique is much easier than trimming after the hackle is wound onto the body.  Lightly touch the high points of the body with a Brown Pantone marker to dull down the Orange (or Yellow for a Golden Stone) body foam - don't completely paint the body brown - just a light dusting will do!  Use a Dark Elk for the head and collar of the Golden Stone version as well as a smaller hook - about an 8 - 10 T-300.