by Rich Johnson SEPTEMBER'S FLY: FRANK'S FLY Steelhead season is upon us once again. September's fly is a popular pattern in most steelhead boxes. Frank Moore of Anchorage developed this variation of the polar shrimp. In streams it is fished on a dead drift along the stream bottom. When fishing at a lake inlet, Frank usually casts the fly across the current, allows it to sink to the bottom, then retrieves it with erratic jerks. It is particularly effective for king and silver salmon, Dolly Varden and steelhead.
	Thread: Danville Plus, orange Hook: UTE Salmon or 2X-3X long, sizes 2-10 Lead: size to match hook Body: Chenille, Flourescent Orange Hackle: Flourescent Orange, palmered over body Wing: Calf Tail, White
	Wrap lead on center 3/4 of hook and secure with thread.
	Tie in chenille first. Tie the body hackle in by the tip on top of the chenille. Hackle fibers should be extra long. (Length of hackle fibers is a matter of personal choice and style.)
	Bring the chenille forward and tie off. Palmer the hackle forward, stroking fibers to the rear. Tie off and half hitch.
	Tie in a wing of white calf tail. The wing should extend past the body, but not much past the hook bend.
	Build a smooth head and whip finish.
	Marabou makes an excellent wing. Clip the stem back to a point where it will not make the wing stiff.
	A marabou wing is much softer than calf tail and fluters in current that may be too slow to move calf tail. Marabou is also popular on smaller sizes of Frank's Fly.
	Modern sythetics like this Lite-Brite are also popular alternative winging material.
Previous Flies August: Sparkle Shrimp July: Flashfly June: Comet May: Everglow April: Battle Creek Special March: Pearl Marabou Smolt February: Crystal Egg Wooly Bugger January: Tangle Lakes Teaser December: Bead-Head Pheasant Tail Soft Hackle
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