Pass Lake Fly Pattern - Fly Tying Video

The Pass Lake Fly is a very old pattern with roots in the Wisconsin driftless area and was brought to my attention by Matt Sment, a great tenkara angler and tenkara teacher who has been a great part of the tenkara movement in the USA (especially in the Driftless area). I have always heard Matt talk about this great fly from all the years I have known him.

After fishing with Matt Sment last year (2024) I decided to give this fly a try and did very well fishing it last fall. It is an enjoyable tie that I highly recommend you try tying and fishing it. The Pass Lake is not a traditional "Tenkara Fly" but it is one of those flies (like the killer bug) that many American Tenkara Anglers have adopted as one of their tenkara flies.

Fly tied by Brent Auger of DRAGONtail Tenkara.

Fly Tying Recipe Materials List:

• Moonlit ML601 #14 barbless fly tying hook
• Black Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread
• Peacock Herl
• India Hen Back Hackle in Brown Natural Variant color
• Hawg Wing material in the Brooks Range color
• Black Wire 0.2mm
• Golden Pheasant Tippets (preferably dyed red but the orange will work)
• Brush-On Loctite Super Glue
• My favorite Whip Finish tool: Stonfo Whip Finisher

The ML601 #14 hook is a 3x Long hook so it will look more like a size 12 fly. 

This is a simple effective soft hackle fly pattern that should work good especially for trout in mountain creeks & streams, as well as working great in many rivers or even still water. This fly is meant to be fished as a wet fly (sub-surface).

I can't wait to get this fly out on the water more this coming year and we hope to have this fly available for purchase later this summer for those of you who don't want to tie them.

Checkout our other Youtube Fly Tying videos here >>