Umpqua Tungsten Surveyor Fly · 14 · Rainbow

"The Surveyor was added to my arsenal shortly after I realized how deadly the Rainbow Warrior is. Basically, I started playing around with patterns using rainbow sow/scud dubbing to see if I could find another confidence pattern. One of my favorites at the time was a Hares Ear variation, so I took the profile and style of a hares ear and switched the dubbing from hares mask to rainbow sow/scud. Although this fly worked, I wasn't totally sold on it's looks or effectiveness, so I started playing with other materials and variations. During this process I realized how many of our tailwater fish would take this fly as a sow bug and equipped the fly with a silver bead and wire rather than the gold components on a hares ear. This change immediately brought more success. Highlights on the segments from sows and scuds tend to be lighter than the surrounding body so silver was a natural choice. As you know, many of my nymphs use red thread at least near the head for a "hotspot". The translucency of rainbow sow/scud dubbing allows red thread to change the wet coloration of the surveyor. Although I've never seen a sow bug or any other aquatic insect that has a red collar, most of the time I find flies with a hot spot or contrasting color outfish those without. The Surveyor works. Period. It doesn't look like much, but fish it and you'll agree. I know it has helped me outfish friends more than once, and I've won many a competition session where the Surveyor was my go–to pattern."

• Signature Tyer Lance Egan