The Royal Treatment

The Royal Treatment was conceived on the banks of the Deschutes in 1995, and soon became my go-to pattern for summer steelhead, especially in the early morning or late evening hours of the day. The profile and iridescent properties of the Peacock fibers make this pattern come alive in the water. While the old adage, bright fly-bright day, dark fly-dark day, is a good baseline, the Royal Treatment has proven effective on a dryline in the middle of the day with full sun on the water. If you've never caught a fish on a Royal Treatment, you probably haven't fished one...

Many years ago, I ran into the journalist Tom Brokaw and author Tom McGuane on the Deschutes. They were heading out on an early season float with John Judy, a now-retired guide from Camp Sherman. A few weeks afterward, I received an email from Mr. McGuane thanking me for the flies and reporting that while they didn't find any fish on the Deschutes, the Royal Treatment took a fish of over 19lbs on the Dean River in British Columbia.

Perhaps you should tye up a few...

Material List and directions.

Hook: Daiichi 2151

Tag: Gold French Tinsel (small)
Butt: Purple Floss
Tail: Pheasant crest (dyed teal green)
Second Butt: Peacock herl spun in a dubbing loop

Body: Purple yarn
Rib: Gold French Tinsel (small)
Under hackle: Purple filoplume from pheasant rump spun in a dubbing loop
Hackle: Purple Guinea under with blue Peacock breast feather over
Wing: Peacock Sword
Throat: Peacock Sword

Start your thread near the rear of the hook and tye in a short tag. Move the thread forward and tye in floss for the butt. Wrap to the tag then back. Tye in the tail.

Spin peacock herl in a dubbing loop and wrap for the rear of the body.

Tye in tinsel for rib, then move thread forward and tye in yarn.

Wrap yarn back to the herl, then forward again. Wrap rib.

Tye in filoplume and spin in a dubbing loop. While wrapping, stroke the feather to the rear with your finger and thumb before each turn.

Hackle with purple guinea, then peacock breast feather.

Tye in a short clump of peacock sword for the throat and a longer clump for the wing.

Trim sword butts and whip finish.

The Royal Treatment was born on the banks of the Deschutes in 1995. Since then, many fish and anglers have fallen for its natural beauty. Enjoy!