Sand Lance Minnow

Anadromous fish spawn in fresh water but migrate to salt water to spend most of their lives. Locally, our anadromous fish population includes 5 species of Pacific Salmon. They are Chinook (King), Coho (Silver), Chum (Dog), Pink (Humpy), and Sockeye (Red). They migrate to the ocean because there are zillions upon zillions of baitfish for them to eat and grow big. On the return trip to spawn in their natal stream they still are eating while they move through the Straights, and the Sound. Locally some of those baitfish the Salmon eat include Herring and Sand Lance.

This Minnow Pattern looks the most like a Sand Lance. Tying a bunch of these involves grumbling at the Angel Hair material because it is so wispy, stacking multiple colors of the angel hair on the hook, tacking on eyes, gluing them on, and then spinning them dry. Gluing the eyes on with 5 minute epoxy is as much work as tying. If I haven't tied this fly in awhile (and I hadn't) it takes me a few flies to remember how to get the glue even on the eyes.

I am looking forward to using these flies this coming fall. I fish this fly in the salt water as the Silvers and the Humpies are returning to look for "dates" in their natal streams. This fly has not produced well for me at all in the rivers but has been good to me in the salt.