Thunder Creek Streamer Dressings - Global FlyFisher

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Thunder Creek Streamer Dressings

By Lindsey Grandison
Keith Fulsher created patterns mimicking the most common baitfish. The baitfish and the pattern for it are listed below:
Blacknose Dace
  • Hook Shank Covering: embossed silver tinsel
  • Lateral Stripe: black bucktail
  • Top of Head and Back: brown bucktail
  • Bottom of Head and Belly: white bucktail
  • Eye: Yellow lacquer with black dot
  • Additional Comments: Draw a black line on the head from the hook eye to the rear of the head
Emerald Shiner
  • Hook Shank Covering: flourescent green floss with silver or green tinsel rib
  • Lateral Stripe: none
  • Top of Head and Back: brown bucktail
  • Bottom of Head and Belly: white bucktail
  • Eye: Yellow lacquer with black dot
  • Additional Comments: Fulsher reports using this pattern most often. In recent adaptations he uses pearlescent flashabou for the body.

Golden Shiner

  • Hook Shank Covering: yellow tinsel
  • Lateral Stripe: yellow bucktail
  • Top of Head and Back: brown bucktail or brown part of a green or blue bucktail
  • Bottom of Head and Belly: white bucktail
  • Eye: Yellow lacquer with black dot

Marabou Shiner

  • Hook Shank Covering: embossed silver tinsel
  • Lateral Stripe: none
  • Top of Head and Back: silver pheasant crest feathers (black)
  • Bottom of Head and Belly: white marabou
  • Eye: Yellow lacquer with black dot
  • Additional Comments: This pattern is the only one that does not imitate a specific species of baitfish. Rather it serves to represent the general class of shiners and is a good second pattern for the common shiner. The marabou tip is cut off and the barbs of marabou are trimmed on the head before lacquering.

Rainbow Trout

  • Hook Shank Covering: embossed silver tinsel
  • Lateral Stripe: pink bucktail
  • Top of Head and Back: brown part of bucktail dyed green
  • Bottom of Head and Belly: white bucktail
  • Eye: Yellow lacquer with black dot

Redfin Shiner

  • Hook Shank Covering: pink or red flourescent floss and a silver tinsel rib
  • Lateral Stripe: none
  • Top of Head and Back: brown bucktail
  • Bottom of Head and Belly: white bucktail
  • Eye: Yellow lacquer with black dot
  • Additional Comments: This is the adult male of the common shiner in its spawning colors. This species can grow up to eight inches in length.

Silver Shiner

  • Hook Shank Covering: embossed Silver Tinsel
  • Lateral Stripe: none
  • Top of Head and Back: brown bucktail
  • Bottom of Head and Belly: white bucktail
  • Eye: Yellow lacquer with black dot
  • Additional Comments: This design represents the female and immature common shiner

Smelt

  • Hook Shank Covering: embossed silver tinsel
  • Lateral Stripe: orchid bucktail
  • Top of Head and Back: brown bucktail
  • Bottom of Head and Belly: white bucktail
  • Eye: Yellow lacquer with black dot
  • Additional Comments: Smelt can reach fourteen inches but typically average seven inches in length.

Spottail Shiner

  • Hook Shank Covering: gold tinsel with a black floss caudal spot
  • Lateral Stripe: none
  • Top of Head and Back: brown part of a bucktail dyed green
  • Bottom of Head and Belly: white bucktail
  • Eye: Yellow lacquer with black dot

Strawcolor Shiner

  • Hook Shank Covering: embossed silver tinsel
  • Lateral Stripe: blue bucktail
  • Top of Head and Back: brown bucktail
  • Bottom of Head and Belly: white bucktail
  • Eye: Yellow lacquer with black dot
  • Additional Comments: This is also know as the sand shiner.

A second series of streamers was also developed for less widely distributed baitfish. These patterns are below:

Reddup Shiner

  • Hook Shank Covering: black floss tail black floss with gold tinsel,orange floss fins
  • Lateral Stripe: pale-yellow bucktail
  • Top of Head and Back: black bucktail
  • Bottom of Head and Belly: pale-yellow bucktail
  • Eye: Yellow lacquer with black dot
  • Additional Comments: This baitfish has a limited distribution to Virginia and South Carolina. The top part of the head is mottled with pale green lacquer and the nose is painted a bright red.

Steelcolor Shiner

  • Hook Shank Covering: blue flourescent floss with silver tinsel rib
  • Lateral Stripe: none
  • Top of Head and Back: brown part of bucktail dyed blue
  • Bottom of Head and Belly: pale-yellow bucktail
  • Eye: Yellow lacquer with black dot
  • Additional Comments: This species is restricted to the midwest.

Striped Jumprock

  • Hook Shank Covering: gold tinsel
  • Lateral Stripe: pale-orange bucktail
  • Top of Head and Back: dark brown to black bucktail
  • Bottom of Head and Belly: pale-orange bucktail
  • Eye: Yellow lacquer with black dot
  • Additional Comments: This pattern is tied on a downed eyed hook to better represent the mouth of this member of the sucker family.

Swamp Darter

  • Hook Shank Covering: embossed silver tinsel
  • Lateral Stripe: two grizzly saddle hackles
  • Top of Head and Back: brown bucktail
  • Bottom of Head and Belly: white bucktail
  • Eye: Yellow lacquer with black dot
  • Additional Comments: A very slim appearance is recommended.

Wedgespot Shiner

  • Hook Shank Covering: black floss with silver rib and a black floss caudal spot
  • Lateral Stripe: two strands of brown floss
  • Top of Head and Back: light-brown bucktail
  • Bottom of Head and Belly: white bucktail
  • Eye: Yellow lacquer with black dot
  • Additional Comments: This species is characterized by very large eyes.

Take Me To The Fulsher Article!


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