The Green Butt Skunk is one of the most popular and proven steelhead patterns. The original Skunk was possibly originated in the 1930's by Wes Drain on the Stillaquamish River in Washington. The original wing was apparently real black and white skunk hair, which makes you wonder just how far fly anglers will go to catch a steelhead. Many years later the  green butt was added and someone wisely changed the winging material from skunk to calf tail, and the Green Butt Skunk found its way into steelheading history and just about every fly box in the Northwest and beyond. Today it is tied in countless variations, and every tier has their own version, but this is a fairly standard Green Butt Skunk recipe. Dan Callaghan is credited with the fly pattern as we know it today.


HOOK SIZES: 1/0, 1,  2, 4, 6 , 8 or 1.5, 3, 5, 7

HOOK OPTIONS: Tiemco 202SP ,  Mustad 36890 , Daiichi 2441 , Alec Jackson Steelhead Irons

THREAD: Black Danville 6/0

TAIL: Scarlet red hackle fibers

BUTT: Fluorescent chartreuse dubbing or medium fluorescent chartreuse chenille .

RIBBING: Oval medium silver tinsel or flat medium silver tinsel .

BODY: Black medium chenille , large for size 2 and larger hooks, or Black Tri-Lobal Dubbing

HACKLE: Black saddle hackle tied as a collar and tied back and down

WING: White calf tail

HEAD FINISH: Loon Hard Head Black Cement