Streamside Imitations by J Deshefy Jr

Streamside Imitations by J Deshefy Jr A page created to document my adventures in fly fishing and fly tying.

Tonight’s Tie | Olive & Copper Nymph Simple olive and copper nymph tied on a Daiichi 1120, size 8, paired with a 3/16” (...
08/28/2026

Tonight’s Tie | Olive & Copper Nymph

Simple olive and copper nymph tied on a Daiichi 1120, size 8, paired with a 3/16” (4.5mm) Firehole Outdoors Stone in Olive Drab.

The rest is simple:

* UTC 70 — Black
* UTC Vinyl Rib — Olive, Nymph size
* Olive goose biot tail
* Fly Tyer’s Dungeon Private Stash NK Dubbing — Copper Olive

Simple ingredients. Simple fly. One that just produces.

That’s the approach I like for the early run on the Salmon River. As the run progresses and I really start targeting steelhead, that’s when I get a little more particular with my flies. But early on, something like this has definitely earned a place in my box.

I’ve been playing around with three or four new color variations over the last few posts, and changing the bead really changes the game. Firehole Stones offer some great egg-inspired colors like Pumpkin Pie, Autumn, Pink Floyd, and others. Even purple and Royal Blue can be surprisingly effective.

With a 3/16” bead, you can also get a pretty convincing single-egg profile, and when that dubbing gets moving, it really comes alive and undulates in the current.

Simple enough. Quick enough. Effective enough.

That’s exactly what I want in a Salmon River early-run nymph. 🎣

After spending the last week in Georgia with 90-plus-degree temperatures and high humidity, arriving home in the early m...
08/27/2026

After spending the last week in Georgia with 90-plus-degree temperatures and high humidity, arriving home in the early morning hours to those cool Northeast temperatures really got my mind thinking about steelhead.

I decided today was the day I needed to get organized and get back into production mode.

While cleaning up the tying desk, I came across a few random materials, some hot-pink beads, Pink Lady dubbing, and fluorescent pink goose biots and figured I might as well put them to good use. The result was this little steelhead pattern.

The run is fast approaching and with recent reports of a few kings and cohos brought to hand, the time is now to get completely prepared for trips up North.

The boxes need filling, the materials need organizing, and the vise needs to start turning, not to mention show season is also just around the corner!

Production mode: activated. 🎣

This time of year, the tying desk shifts into production mode. Salmon and steelhead season is right around the corner, s...
08/11/2026

This time of year, the tying desk shifts into production mode. Salmon and steelhead season is right around the corner, so the flies going into my boxes need to be durable, tied with purpose, and proven to produce.

I’ve always had a lot of confidence in nymph patterns that incorporate a Firehole Stone in Pumpkin Pie or Autumn. There are days on the Salmon River when the fish absolutely hammer these colors.

Tonight I tied a simple variation, keeping things clean and effective.

The biggest change is the thorax dubbing. Instead of the brighter Ice Dub Pheasant Tail, I went with Fly Tyers Dungeon Private Stash NK Dubbing in Vanilla Copper. It has a really cool blend of copper, bronze, orange, red, and darker fibers. Just enough flash and contrast without being over the top.

The thing I really like about it is the movement. It makes the fly breathe.

I kept this one simple, no rubber legs, just a small Thin Skin wing case—and tied it on a Daiichi 1120 #8 with a 3/16” Firehole Pumpkin Pie tungsten bead. UTC 140 dark brown, UTC 70 brown, brown goose biot, and amber UTC Vinyl Rib complete the foundation.

These are built specifically for the Salmon River, so a little bigger and heavier for those heavier flows. 🎣

A New Addition to the Winter Box There are certain fly patterns that become the foundation for everything else you creat...
08/09/2026

A New Addition to the Winter Box

There are certain fly patterns that become the foundation for everything else you create at the vise. For me, the Copper John, Jumbo John, and Blackjack are three of those patterns.

They’ve proven themselves over the years, and they give you a great starting point to get creative with materials, color, profile, and movement without overcomplicating the fly.

This particular pattern is built with winter steelhead in mind.

Recipe:

* Hook: Daiichi 1120 — #10
* Bead: 1/8” copper
* Weight: Approximately 8 wraps of .020 lead wire
* Thread: UTC 70 — Black
* Tail: Black goose biots
* Rib: UTC Vinyl Rib, Nymph size — Black
* Underbody: Orvis Crystal Flash — Smolt Blue
* Dubbing: Prism Dubbing — Peacock
* Wings: Black goose biots

One of the things I really like about this combination is how the Smolt Blue Crystal Flash works underneath the Peacock Prism Dubbing. The two materials complement each other perfectly, giving the fly just enough flash and color without making it obnoxious.

The black vinyl rib gives it that strong segmentation, while the goose biot tail and wings add a little movement and contrast.

Could you add rubber legs? Absolutely. And I may tie some up that way. But honestly, I don’t think every fly needs to be overcomplicated.

This one already checks the boxes for me:

Profile. Segmentation. A pop of color. Flash. Movement. Weight.

And most importantly, it’s built around a style of fly that has proven itself to me over many years of winter steelhead fishing.

Sometimes the best patterns aren’t the most complicated ones. They’re the ones that give the fish everything they need to make a decision!

Tonight I kept it simple and tied one pattern that has earned a permanent spot in my winter steelhead box.You could call...
08/06/2026

Tonight I kept it simple and tied one pattern that has earned a permanent spot in my winter steelhead box.

You could call it a cross between a Jumbo John and a Prince-style attractor nymph, but its roots come from a Great Lakes steelhead pattern known as the Blackjack.

The Blackjack is a relatively modern Great Lakes pattern that gained popularity among guides and local steelheaders fishing the tributaries of Lakes Erie and Ontario. While it doesn’t appear to trace back to the classic West Coast steelhead flies, it follows the same philosophy, keep it simple, get it deep, and let the fish tell you the rest. Its sparse profile, black body, and bright bead have made it a proven producer on winter steelhead throughout the region.

The original Blackjack is about as simple as it gets: a black thread body, a fluorescent bead (orange, chartreuse, or pink), matching thread ribbing, UV-cured for durability and finished with white goose biot wings.

My version is a little different. I tie what I call a Wired Blackjack because I fish it primarily during the Winter when higher flows are common. On those cold, sunny days when steelhead slide into deeper water to get out of the light, I want a fly that gets down quickly and stays there.

Materials:
• Daiichi 1120 hook
• Firehole 3.5 mm matte black tungsten bead
• UTC 70 Black thread
• UTC Medium Black Ultra Wire
• SF Prism Peacock dubbing
• White goose biot wings
• Black goose biot tails

Like all of my steelhead nymphs, I tie these in three sizes and vary the weight depending on water conditions. When the dam is pushing more water, I simply reach for a heavier version and keep fishing.

Sometimes the simplest flies are the ones that earn a permanent place in your fly box. The Wired Blackjack has certainly done that for me. 🎣

It’s definitely been a minute since I’ve been behind the tying vise. It’s been a busy Summer between my son Parker’s fun...
08/03/2026

It’s definitely been a minute since I’ve been behind the tying vise. It’s been a busy Summer between my son Parker’s fundraiser for Knot Lucky, my daughter getting her permit and spending time teaching her to drive and tackling projects around the house. Fly tying usually gets put on the shelf during July, but August is when I start getting back into it. The salmon run is right around the corner, with steelhead season not far behind.

With that said, it was time to spend a little quality time at the vise this evening.

Tonight’s fly is a variation of a pattern by Al Ritt that imitates a Pale Morning Dun nymph, featured in Fly Tyer Magazine (Winter 2020, page 15). I made a few changes to suit my own style and because I have steelhead on the brain.

Instead of the original hook, I tied it on a Daiichi 1120, size 10, paired with a 1/8-inch copper bead. For the body, I used brown UTC Nymph Vinyl Rib over four strands of root beer Krystal Flash. I wrapped the flash first to create an underbody, then segmented the vinyl rib, leaving just the slightest gap between each wrap so the Krystal Flash could peek through. I finished it off with a simple thorax of Peacock Ice Dub.

I’ve tied similar variations in the past with good success, so I’m looking forward to seeing how this one performs when the salmon and steelhead start pushing into the rivers.

I hope everyone is having a great Summer! It’s flying by and honestly… I’m not complaining. I can’t stand the heat, and I’m more than ready for crisp Fall mornings, cold water, and another season chasing chrome 🎣

One of the most satisfying parts of fly tying isn’t just mastering a pattern, it’s reaching the point where you know it ...
07/12/2026

One of the most satisfying parts of fly tying isn’t just mastering a pattern, it’s reaching the point where you know it works, you have complete confidence in it, and then sharing it with someone else.

There’s something special about opening a text message and seeing photos of beautiful trout brought to hand, along with a message that says they had an absolutely epic morning or an unforgettable day on the river. Those moments never get old.

At this stage of my life, that’s what it’s really about for me.

I think back to being a 13-year-old kid following my grandfather to the river. I didn’t know anything about fly tying or fishing, I was just soaking it all in. Now, nearly 40 years later, I still love catching fish, and I still love sitting at the vise creating flies. But the greatest reward isn’t filling my own net anymore.

It’s knowing that something I tied helped create a memory for someone else.

That’s the real payoff!

“Your small black and gold stones didn’t again for me today. I caught a 22” Brown and 5 18” Browns today. They Hammered the small stones.....looks like they were size 12. What a morning I had!”

25 Miles. One Mission. 🇺🇸Twenty-five miles are in the books.This challenge was never just about the miles. Every mile wa...
07/05/2026

25 Miles. One Mission. 🇺🇸

Twenty-five miles are in the books.

This challenge was never just about the miles. Every mile was dedicated to a veteran, past, present, or actively serving from our family, friends, neighbors, and community. Carrying our nation’s flag across every step was our way of saying, thank you. Their sacrifice is the reason we enjoy the freedoms we often take for granted.

The day didn’t go exactly as planned.

I battled a swollen right knee from early in the morning, managed it with ice and anti-inflammatories between laps, and kept a close eye on the weather after severe storms the night before left downed trees and live power lines along part of my route. For safety reasons due to incoming storms, I changed the plan and finished the final seven miles continuously, crossing the finish line about three hours ahead of schedule.

The schedule changed. The mission never did.

This challenge was for Parker’s Project in support of Knot Lucky, helping raise awareness and support for the incredible work they do for our veterans. But it was also about something deeply personal.

As a father, I wanted my children to see that adversity doesn’t get the final say. Life will test you. It will hurt. It will make you question yourself. But if your purpose is bigger than your pain, you keep moving forward!

I hope that’s what people take away from this, not that I walked 25 miles, but that despite injuries and deficiencies, you are capable of extraordinary things when they refuse to quit.

Thank you to everyone who donated, shared, encouraged, prayed, and followed along. Your support carried me just as much as my legs did!

Never quit. Never stop moving forward. 🇺🇸

I haven’t really dove deep into the whole jig and Euro nymphing game, but every once in a while I like to step outside m...
07/03/2026

I haven’t really dove deep into the whole jig and Euro nymphing game, but every once in a while I like to step outside my comfort zone and tie something a little different. I think that’s one of the things I enjoy most about fly tying, there’s always another technique to learn, another style to experiment with, and another pattern to put your own twist on.

This is just a flashy take on the classic Pheasant Tail. Nothing revolutionary, just a fun variation that was enjoyable to tie and a nice change of pace from what’s usually on my vise.

As fly tyers, it’s easy to get comfortable tying the same confidence patterns over and over again. But every now and then it’s good to challenge yourself, try something outside your wheelhouse, and maybe even pick up a new skill along the way.

Stay cool out there, the heat is definitely on and is heat related illness can happen quick!

🇺🇸 25 MILES.-24 HOURS-ONE MISSION. 🇺🇸This Fourth of July, I’ll be taking on one of the toughest physical challenges I’ve...
06/29/2026

🇺🇸 25 MILES.-24 HOURS-ONE MISSION. 🇺🇸

This Fourth of July, I’ll be taking on one of the toughest physical challenges I’ve attempted since my injuries.

Beginning at 12:00 a.m. on July 4, I’ll walk one mile at the top of every hour for 24 straight hours, then finish with one final mile—for a total of 25 miles honoring 250 years of American independence.

This isn’t about me.

It’s about supporting my son’s fundraiser, Parker’s Project for Knot Lucky, a nonprofit that helps veterans reconnect, heal, and find purpose through offshore fishing.

This challenge is also deeply personal. After my brain injury, I struggled in ways few people knew. During a fishing trip, my friend Jimmy Lee Armel reminded me that even after life-changing injuries, purpose isn’t lost, it just looks different. That conversation gave me hope when I needed it most, and it’s one I’ll never forget.

With ongoing back and left leg issues, plus a heat wave expected to push temperatures into the upper 90s with a heat index over 100°, this won’t be easy. I’ll be taking it one mile at a time and listening to my body throughout the challenge.

I’ll be posting updates throughout the day, honoring family members and friends who have and are currently serving, spanning from WWII to current operations.

If you’d like to support Parker’s mission, please follow along, share this post, and, if you’re able, consider making a donation.

Together, let’s celebrate America’s 250th anniversary by giving back to those who have given so much for our freedom! 🫡🇺🇸

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