Submitted by Skip Nault

The white death is a fly pattern designed by Jeff Blood. It is a zonker-style fly that imitates a dead emerald shiner. It is fished in a dead drift like a nymph pattern and is effective when fishing for steelhead in Lake Erie tributaries. It can be tied in colors other than white, such as black or olive and is a good fly on big browns on the Clear Fork River. I have modified the fly by adding stick on eyes and attaching with UV Knot Sense. See Jeff Blood tie the White Death on youtube.

Materials:

hook: 2XL streamer hook, #10-12

thread: black and red or orange

body: mylar tubing

upper body & tail: white rabbit strip

eyes: decal eyes glued on with Knot Sense (optional)

Tying instructions:

Start by taking out thread core of mylar tubing and cut length to match hook shank, and slide on hook. Attach mylar to rear of hook with red or orange thread and then attach rabbit strip to end of shank with same thread, whip finish and cut thread. Wrap black thread behind hook eye and secure mylar at front of hook. Then tie in the rabbit strip at front of hook and build up a fat, black thread head, then whip finish and cut thread. Attack decal eyes, cover with knot sense and cure with UV light.