Rio's Steel Plow

Hooking a steelhead on a skated fly is one of the most rewarding experiences in fly fishing. As we sought out to develop a "top-shelf" steelhead skater we turned to an unlikely source for inspiration - blacksmith John Deere's original walking steel plow. Our #4 short-shanked hook acts as a rudder and helps keep the fly in the surface tension even during violent grabs, while the plow handles act as outriggers, giving the fly balance and the simulation of wings. The flash and hackles catch water and light to give indication of movement and life and an orange sighter helps you track this fly across the early morning slicks.