Purple Peril

The Purple Peril is one of the most famous West Coast steelhead patterns and a fixture on the rivers of British Columbia, Oregon, and Washington. The combination of purple and black has proven irresistible to winter and summer steelhead alike. It excels in off-color, tannic, or green-tinted water where purple tones penetrate and show up well. Fish it on a classic wet-fly downstream swing with a floating line and long leader.

Type

wet fly (Steelhead)

Hook sizes

#2–8

Target species

steelhead

Difficulty

beginner

Best seasons

fall, winter, spring

Materials

• hook: Salmon/steelhead wet fly hook #2–8
• thread: Black 6/0
• tag: Silver flat tinsel
• body: Rear third black floss, front two-thirds purple floss
• ribbing: Flat silver tinsel
• hackle: Purple hen or saddle, collar

Tying steps

1. Mount a size 2–8 salmon or steelhead hook; start black thread.
2. Wind silver flat tinsel for a short tag at the bend.
3. Wind black floss as the rear third of the body; then purple floss for the front two-thirds.
4. Counter-wrap flat silver tinsel in 5 open spirals over the full body.
5. Tie in purple hackle as a collar, making 3–4 turns.
6. Tie in purple or black bear hair or bucktail as the wing, extending to the hook bend.
7. Build a neat head; whip finish and lacquer.
8. Apply two coats of lacquer to the thread head, allowing each coat to dry fully — the finished head should be glossy and smooth, a hallmark of classic salmon fly construction.