Night Dancer

The Night Dancer is a Pacific Northwest steelhead fly created by Frank Amato, founder of Salmon Trout Steelheader magazine and Amato Books. Designed as a low-water pattern for summer and fall steelhead, its red tail, black body, and purple hackle form a bold silhouette in stained water and during low-light conditions. It can be swung just beneath the surface or fished on top as a waking fly.

Curated by the IdentaFly fly fishing team.

Begin by skating the Night Dancer across the surface. If a steelhead follows, boils, or misses the fly, rest the fish briefly and make the next cast from the same position with the fly riding just beneath the surface. The change in depth often triggers a second, more committed strike.