Straight From the Fly Bench
Breadcrust
The name or first appearance of this particular fly pattern has little desirability however its brutal effectiveness on steelhead and trout in Trinity waters has broaden our fly selections and put angler’s one step closer to success. The Breadcrust was fashioned long ago, late 80’s after the popular olive wooly worm. Herb wanted something more yet simple suggestive and easy for fish to identify while drifting through the Trinity’s cold winter months. Light to medium olive is a very effective neutral color in cold water. It blends well yet stands out representing color tones of the two most dominate stonefly’s (Calineuria and Pteronarcys) populating local waters. The tinsel core chenille simply turns on when wet and gives steelies something to wink at. The tapered palmer hackle and oversized pheasant spey-like fore hackle blend together to create a buggy lifelike appearance. Breathing-pulsing, always alive regardless how fished.
We tie them in sizes 4-6-8 to cover a broad spectrum of waters. Smaller sizes are effective on half-pounders and adults when low clear flows persist. In most cases surprisingly both Herb and Kit prefer the larger size 4 pattern to get the job done; even in low clear flows. They say fish actually prefer them. In fact the larger sizes also fish extremely well late July-mid-August in both the Trinity River and Lewiston Lake when annual damsel and dragon flies dominate hatches. Trout, of magnum sizes, key in on the larger pulsing nymphs with aggression. Those on top of it score big on bulk. Our Breadcrust is much more than a go to fly and at least a few in all sizes should be readily available in your Trinity selections.
Breadcrust
- Hook - TMC5263 (#4 - 6 - 8)
- Thread - Olive
- Tag - Silver Mylar Tinsel
- Tail - Pheasant Neck fibers
- Body - Olive Tinsel-core Chenille
- Hackle - Brown Palmered hackle
- Fore Hackle - Large olive/green tone Pheasant neck Hackle
***For the river lead’em up with 025-030. No lead required for the lakes.