Down and Dirty Flies: the Knotted Egg
I tie a series of “down and dirty flies” whose intent is speed without sacrificing fish-catching ability. Actually my definition of a “Down and Fly” is one that can be tied while sitting in the back seat of a van going 55 mph over a dirt road in Canada with your son driving. This egg is one of those flies.
When I head out for spring steelhead or salmon and browns in the fall, I often end up tying flies the evening before. Let’s say I’ve taken a dozen eggs along but lose 6. Well, I certainly don’t want to head out the next morning with only 6 in the box, so I’ll jerk out the vise, clam it on the table in our small motorhome, and crank out some flies. Down and Dirty is the method of the day. The knotted egg is one of those flies that has spun out of the necessity to tie flies while exhausted after getting up at 5 a.m. and fishing all day.
It’s fast, easy, looks great, and catches fish. The size of the egg can be varied in a couple of ways. (1) By using chenilles of different sizes. Obviously, the larger the chenille, the larger the egg. (2) By tying two knots, one on top of the other. The other secret to tying these flies is flexible head cement (make your own with 1 part Goop and 2 parts toluene). I put a healthy drop on the cut end of the chenille and another on the hook shank and allow it to soak back into the chenille. Basically you end up with an egg that’s as tough as the sole of a tennis shoe.
Tie in a length of chenille that is easy to handle and knot.
Tie an overhand knot in the chenille and loop it over the hook shank.
Pull the knot as tight as possible. Clip the tag end of the chenille tight to the egg. Place a generous drop of flexible head cement on the cut end of the chenille and another on the hood shank, allowing it to run back in the chenille of the egg.