Lefty Kreh, the internationally known author and respected fly fisherman from Maryland, developed this pattern in the late 1950's originally for striped bass in Chesapeake Bay, VA, USA but it is now an adaptable modern classic suitable for most fish.

Lefty's Deceiver Saltwater Fly Hook size 2/0, 4, 6 - $US each

Fly Fisherman Lefty Kreh wanted to make a fly that would not foul, could be made in different colour combinations to match the local baitfish and one that could be made in different sizes. He succeeded. The Lefty's Deceiver is a style of tying designed to resemble the shape and size of various swimming baitfish but when lifted from the water it can be cast with ease like a sleek missile. The wing is attached at the tail of the hook to prevent fouling in flight. It also helps to animate the fly in the water because of its great swimming action. The collar is extend well beyond the hook shank allowing the wing feathers to undulate and giving the fly the shape of a fish. We use red flash on the beard of the fly to imitate gills. If a predator fish looks up and sees the white silvery underside of a bait fish it knows which way to attack by which end the gills are. If the gills are at the front it will attack from the rear. The wing material gives the illusion of body width without a lot of extra bulk which would make it sink. The inclusion of generous amounts of flash make the fly a more attractive and noticeable target as it glints in the sun. You cannot go wrong with this fly.

Lefty started his fly fishing addiction in 1947 when fishing guide Joe brooks introduced him to the delights of a fly rod and reel whilst fishing on the Potomic River above Washington DC, USA. When flying ants were falling on the water through exhaustion as they tried to cross the large expanse of water and failed,. Bob would cast to the little rings that appeared on the water surface and catch the rising trout. He did that about eight times. Lefty was amazed. The next day Lefty drove back to Bob's home in Baltimore, Maryland and purchased his first set of fly fishing tackle. Bob gave Lefty his first 9 o'clock to 1 o'clock casting lesson. Lefty carried on practicing and started reading up on his new hobby. Jock Scott's Guide to fly fishing was an early favourite read. It was Bob Brooks who introduced Lefty to saltwater fly fishing in 1964 by getting him a job in Miami working for Orvis. He got to met all the local guides and learn from them. He later started to act as a guide and also demonstrate casting techniques, provide fishing lessons and give talks to various groups. This is not a fly just for American waters. If you fly fish in Europe, Australia, New Zealand or South America this is a good fly to use if your target fish feeds on medium sized bait fish. Salmon, steelheads, large trout and pike will attack this beauty.

FLY FISHING IN ALPINE MOUNTAIN LAKES
I know this sounds strange but this summer I used Blue and White Lefty's Deceivers on smaller hooks sizes in the Austrian and German Alpine Lakes with amazing success. My daughter was feeding the ducks with bread and I noticed a feeding frenzy on the surface and underneath the webbed feet of the ducks.  The water is crystal clear and I could see the young juvenile baitfish. They were feeding on the bread that the ducks had missed. Many had blue backs and white tummies. A blue and white Lefty's Deceivers was a spot on imitation. These lakes get deep very quickly and the juveniles defence mechanism was not to swim in the same direction or depth for more than a second. I mimicked their behaviour by retrieving and pausing. On the pause the heavy saltwater hook sent the fly downwards on the pause. It was so easy to mimic the real fish's actions. Lurking near the bottom, eyeing the darting movement of the baitfish near the surface, were the dark shapes of the large predatory trout. Sight fishing like this was a real joy. I let my fly fall towards one of the dark shadowy shapes. Just as it got close I would suddenly retrieve in a jerking motion to imitate a small fish trying to get away from danger. It was a fantastic fly fishing day. The sun was out, The scenery was amazing and the great beer was cheap. What more can a fly fishing enthusiast want?

Lefty Kreh designer of the Lefty's Deceiver saltwater flyfishing streamer fly

LINKEDIN COMMENT
I had a look at your website, great fly selection - I like the deceiver patterns and have also recently come to realize that a lot of the striped bass patterns are actually perfect for salt water salmon! We have a fly fishing program at http://www.queencharlottelodge.com Our jet boat takes anglers up the Naden River Estuary where they enjoy fly fishing for wild sea-run cutthroat trout and sea-run Dolly Varden, which can get much bigger than their southern counterparts in southern BC or Washington/Oregon. Although saltwater fly fishing for salmon would still be considered in the pioneering stages, the past 20 years some of us, including myself, have developed strategies to target Coho and Chinook salmon on the fly. This exciting "new" fishery is one that I have personally taken on as a challenge to promote and develop - if you have interest in a remote fly in adventure to fly fish for these species while enjoying luxurious accommodations and world class fishing - please let me know and I'd be happy to send you some information. - by Mark Kasumovich

FACEBOOK READER'S COMMENT
"I’ve used this pattern (Lefty's Deceiver) many times and have tied variants of it with equal success. The man (Lefty Kreh) is a genius." Brian Kelly - Missouri, USA

FACEBOOK READER'S COMMENT
"This pattern (Lefty's Deceiver) and its variants have accounted for most of my salt water species on the eastern seaboard of Australia and the Territory. A success story many times over. Here's cheers to the man (Lefty Kreh) his wisdom to create such a versatile pattern." Jason Baker - Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Lefty's fishing books

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