Purple Peril

Ken Mcleod was the originator of the Purple Peril. This fly attracts steelhead in all sorts of conditions. Trey Combs writes in his book “Steelhead Fly Fishing” that he likes to fish bright flies when the rivers become off colored. With its bright purple color, this fly will attract the fish on those off colored water days. It is a very effective summer and fall fly. With it being very sparse, it has the capability to be fished effectively in the water column that the steelhead are holding in.

Material List:

Hook: Daiichi 2051 #7
Thread: UTC 140 Red
Tail: Strung Saddle Hackle Purple
Rib: Veevus French Tinsel Medium THREAD6
Body: Hareline STS Trilobal Dub Purple
Hackle: Strung Saddle Hackle Purple
Wing: Wapsi Squirrel Tail

Video Transcription

Hello everybody. This is Dylan here, at the North 40 Fly Shop in Lewiston. I'm going to tie a rendition of the Purple Peril fly.

Step-by-Step Tying Instructions

First I'm going to start by attaching my thread to the hook. I'm using 140 UTC in a red. I'm going to wrap the thread all the way to about where the point of the hook is.

Next I'll be adding a Fish Hunter Saddle Hackle in a purple as the tail. Any section works here. Not a huge tail, roughly half an inch or so. Couple loose wraps, making sure that the tail lines up. Then some securing wraps.

Next I will add some Veevus French Tinsel in a medium. Making sure that's nice and secure. Give yourself some extra tinsel, so you don't run out.

Then I will add STS Trilobal Dub in a purple. Wetting it a bit. That didn't want to sit on there so I'm going to add some wax. Wrapping that forward. Adding more.

Once you're satisfied with that you can wrap your french tinsel forward. Wrapping it about five times to the front of the hook. Whoops. It keeps slipping out of my hands. Evenly spacing it. Well that don't work so we'll do it this way and utilize the rotary of the vice. Cutting that french tinsel off.

Next you can add the saddle hackle as the collar. This is purple again. I'm just going to reuse the saddle hackle that I used for the tail. Next you can wrap it while Palmering. Securing it.

Next you can add some squirrel tail as the hair wing. No need to add much of the hair. Just to ... Position the wing about to just the end of the tail. You can clip the fibers shorter, so you're not having to worry about clipping them in the end and crowding your eye. Wetting them a bit to keep them together. Couple loose wraps and then pulling straight up to get a nice secure ... We'll actually pull these fibers a little bit back.

Once you have that in there you can take your whip finish tool and secure that fly off. Cutting that thread off. Then adding some Super Glue.

There you have it. The Purple Peril.

If you have any further questions on fly tying, please come visit us at any of our retail locations or North40.com.

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