The Green Butt Skunk

The Green Butt Skunk — A Classic Steelhead Fly

The Green Butt Skunk is one of the classic steelhead flies of the Pacific Northwest, particularly associated with the North Umpqua River in Oregon and the legendary summer steelhead fishery there.

The Green Butt Skunk evolved from an older pattern simply known as the Skunk, which dates back to the 1930s. The exact origins of the original Skunk are somewhat disputed. Some historical accounts credit Wes Drain, a Washington steelheader, while other research attributes its development to Mildred Krogel, an Oregon commercial fly tier. The original pattern featured a black body, red tail, black hackle and a light-colored hair wing.

The Green Butt Skunk emerged later, generally attributed to Dan Callaghan, an Oregon angler, photographer, conservationist and devoted North Umpqua fisherman. During the 1950s, Callaghan modified the traditional Skunk by adding a fluorescent green butt, creating the pattern we recognize today.

That seemingly simple modification became a defining characteristic of one of the most recognizable steelhead flies ever developed.

Traditional Pattern

* Hook: Large salmon/steelhead hook
* Thread: Black
* Tag: Silver tinsel
* Tail: Red hackle fibers
* Butt: Fluorescent green chenille
* Body: Black chenille
* Rib: Silver tinsel
* Hackle: Black
* Wing: White calf tail/bucktail
* Head: Black

As with many classic patterns, there isn’t necessarily one absolute way to tie the Green Butt Skunk. Materials change, availability and cost vary, and individual tiers naturally develop their own preferences.

Modern materials can easily be substituted for many of the traditional components while maintaining the basic character and proportions of the original fly. That’s one of the things I enjoy most about fly tying—learning the traditional recipe while also developing your own interpretation of a proven pattern.

In this video, I’ll be tying the Green Butt Skunk while sharing some of its history and showing you the way I tie it.

Whether you’re tying it exactly as the old-timers did or putting your own spin on it, the important thing is preserving the character of the pattern that has been catching steelhead for generations