This is a great steelhead egg pattern originated by Michigan guide, Chuck Hawkins. Called the Estaz egg or Krystal Egg, this fly is a proven producer. This will out-produce standard globug egg patterns just about all the time. With a few strands of krystal flash tied on as a tail, the Estaz egg becomes the "Krystal Egg".

Made popular by commercial tyer Jeff "Bear" Andrews and adopted by professional guides throughout the Great Lakes, this is a easy to tie and popular egg imitation to carry in your fly box. No self respecting steelheader that tosses egg patterns would leave home without it. Especially suited to stained water conditions, steelhead get all the right visual signals as this fly tumbles through the current. Peach is the number one color.

Hook

Daiichi #510 size 8-10-12

Thread

Orange Flat Waxed Danville

Tail

Three (3) strands of krystal flash in matching body color or rainbow

Body

Peach estaz or estaz in the color of your choice

Wing

White egg yarn or mix up the color

Chuck Hawkins shared this fly from his personal fly box. As you can see, this is tied sparse. No need to over do it with material. This egg has plenty of flash and is a killer pattern under stained conditions.You really should not leave home with out this one.

Tying the Krystal and estaz egg is easy. Wrap thread base back to middle of hook. grab your estaz and strip a little material to expose core. Tie in and secure core. Take two to three wraps of Estaz around the hook. Tie in. Add wisp of egg yarn (separate as small amount from the yarn) around top and sides of body. Take a few wraps to secure it in place and whip finish. You should be able to crank these out pretty quickly. I believe the sparser the better for steelhead.

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The Estaz egg is simply missing the krystal flash like the one above. So if your short of flash just use the estaz.

This pattern in light blue is also a hot one down on Elk Creek, PA. when the water is high. Some of my favorite colors are peach and white, peach and cheese, pink and white, lime and white, black and cheese. You can use you imagination. You are only limited to the colors of estaz available. I have personally caught steelhead in many Great Lakes tributaries and streams, using this pattern.