Signal Light
The Signal Light is a radiant winter steelhead pattern that uses fluorescent and hot colors to penetrate dark, stained winter water. The fluorescent orange and red combination creates a visual signal that fresh steelhead, wired to strike, respond to aggressively. Fish it on a sink-tip line with a slow, deep swing through pool tailouts. Particularly effective on foggy or overcast days when natural light penetration is low.
- Type
- wet fly (Steelhead)
- Hook sizes
- #4–8
- Target species
- steelhead
- Difficulty
- intermediate
- Best seasons
- fall, winter
Materials
- hook: Steelhead wet fly hook #4–8
- thread: Black or red 6/0
- tail: Hot orange marabou or hackle fibers
- body: Hot orange Antron or floss
- ribbing: Flat gold tinsel
- hackle: Fluorescent red saddle hackle, collar
Tying steps
- Mount a size 4–8 steelhead hook; start black thread.
- Tie in orange marabou or hackle fibers as a short tail.
- Wind flat gold tinsel rib.
- Dub or wind hot orange Antron or floss body to the 2/3 mark.
- Counter-wrap gold tinsel rib in 5 spirals.
- Tie in a fluorescent red hackle collar; make 3–4 turns.
- Add a sparse wing of hot orange bucktail or marabou.
- Build a neat head; whip finish and lacquer.