From The Vise

By Brad Berlin

Crystal Meth

HOOK -Mustad C068 Size 12 - 6 Or Scud hook

THREAD - 3/0 color match the braid

WEIGHTED - optional

TAIL - Crystal Flash (optional)

BODY - Diamond Crystal Braid

TYING INSTRUCTIONS

Start thread behind eye, wrap thread back and forth to cover hook ending back at the bend. *Optional tail, tie in 4 strands of Crystal Flash. Cut ¼ to ½" behind bend and tie in the diamond braid at the bend. The size of the hook will depend on the size of the loop. Rule of thumb is, size 12-10 hook, 1/4" - 3/8". Make your loop and tie off on top of hook with 2 wraps of thread. Make another loop and tie off the same way. Continue the loops toward the eye, tie off and you're done. The loops don't need to look perfect and don't have to be on the top, mix it up. Just keep your loops tight to one another.

The Crystal Meth was designed to target steelhead. It soon turned out to not only be a great fly for steelhead but works very well for browns and salmon. It's a simple and quick pattern to tie and very effective this time of year for the steelies and browns looking for that quick snack from the salmon.

Diamond braid comes in a variety of colors, prism, red, peach, salmon and chartreuse. Some braid comes with a string core. It's best to remove the core, just cut the braid to length and pull out the string core. If you want to weight the fly add a bead head. To give your fly a different look, cut the loops at the top and fray the braid. I'm sure every veteran steelheader has used this pattern and has every color available in their box

Fish this pattern dead drift with just enough weight to let it roll and move along the bottom drag free. Moving your weight up or down from the fly helps to achieve this. Or you can fish it off a strike indicator set to the depth the fish are feeding. Tie some up and give them a try. I bet you will keep a couple in your fly box.

 Brad