Wet FlyintermediatePacific Northwest
Hobo Spey
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Regional source directory
Pacific Fly Fishers
Matched on Pacific Northwest, wet flies, steelhead. Pacific Northwest shop with a large online catalog and steelhead/trout regional relevance.
Schultz Outfitters
Matched on wet flies, steelhead, steelhead. Michigan and Great Lakes shop lead for steelhead, trout, and smallmouth patterns.
Fulling Mill Flies
Matched on wet flies, steelhead, broad catalog. Large pattern house with broad freshwater and saltwater fly categories.
Orvis Fly Catalog
Matched on wet flies, steelhead, broad catalog. Broad retail catalog for standard trout, warmwater, salmon/steelhead, and saltwater patterns.
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Aaron Reimer named this the Hobo Spey because it looks like it was tied by someone who found materials in a dumpster and made art. Schlappen, marabou, and a shaggy dubbing loop collar create a fly that is deliberately unkempt, profoundly alive in the water, and absolutely deadly on steelhead. In an era of Instagram-worthy fly tying, the Hobo Spey is a refreshing middle finger to perfectionism. It does not need to be pretty. It needs to be effective. And it is, with a reliability that makes more polished patterns jealous.
Quick Facts
Where to Fish It
Skagit River
WA · Spey River
Hoh River
WA · Coastal Stream
Sandy River
OR · Coastal Stream
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Related Reading
region guide
Pacific Northwest Steelhead: The Complete Guide
Steelhead are the fish of a thousand casts. In the Pacific Northwest's rainforest rivers, anglers swing intricately tied flies through emerald runs for the chance at one explosive take from a chrome-bright sea-run rainbow. This is the complete guide to the pursuit.
species science
Chrome and Current: The Science of Steelhead
Steelhead are rainbow trout that went to sea and came back transformed — chrome-bright, ocean-strong, and wired with a grab reflex that makes them eat flies they have no biological reason to eat. Understanding the science behind the chrome changes how you fish for them.
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