Ever since I found the www.baytubers.com website and saw some of the huge halibut they catch in Long Beach Harbor on live smelt, I have been thinking about smelt patterns. I have tied a few myself but none as good and as well thought out as this one sent in by Doug Uyematsu. He writes:

"I have enclosed one of my impressionistic smelt flies and a copy of the recipe... you should warn your readers that it is not much fun to cast. At least I dont have much fun casting it with my 7wt floating line and 18 foot leaders. It also sheads some wing material as it is used (especially when hit by fish with big teeth)"

Sorry but I couldn't resist trying out the fly... hence the tattered appearance. I will say for a large fly it does cast very well and even though I thought it looked a little sparse at first, in the water it looks full and very edible!

Hook: #2 Tiemco 811s, Daiichi 2546, Gamakatsu SL11-3H of equiv.

Thread: White Danville flat waxed nylon

Eyes: Black 7/32 Machined Brass tied opposite the hook point (This placement reduces sand blasting of the tippet to fly not).

Top Wing: From bottom layer up:
8-10 strands of pearl flashabou apx 7" long
A pinch of pearl blue angel hair about 5" long
A small pinch of blue ice angel hair slightly longer than the pearl blue
A slightly larger pinch of pearl blue angel hair about the length of the blue ice
A very thin pinch of chartreuse angel hair - Use a length that is twice the length of the rest of the wing. Tie it in at the middle and wind the thread to the eye of the hook. Pull the angel hair forward and tie off short of the hook eye. Tie in some medium clear vinyl rib (flat side down), fold back to the eye and wind the thread back. Fold the angel hair back on itself and tie down at the same place the vinyl rib was anchored. Wind the thread forward using open spirals of the thread to the eye of the hook. Wind the vinyl rib forward and tie off. The colors of the top layer of the wing should show through.

Head: Un wind the twist of the thread so it is flattened and wind on a tapered head. Use 30 minute epoxy to secure the thread wraps and cover the vinyl rib. The body should be tapered from the eyes to the hook eye.

Sleeve: Wrap more thread over the wing material to the bend of the hook. Coat the sleeve with 30 minute epoxy. The purpose of this step is to reduce the fouling of the wing around the hook bend. It helps a little.