Ryan Brennecke / The BulletinWarpath’s Whammy Tomahawk, courtesy Rainy’s Flies.

Warpath’s Whammy Tomahawk is no fly for the faint of heart. This is a big fish pattern, no mistake. It is supposed to imitate a sculpin, which normally makes its home on the bottom in slow water. If it gets into heavy current, it is especially vulnerable to big rainbows and browns.

In shallow water, use a floating line and a short leader. In deeper water, consider using a sink tip or a full-sink line. Cast to the bank, let it fall by throwing a loop toward the splash, then begin to retrieve with long, fast, erratic strips.

Tie this pattern with olive thread on a 60-degree jig hook and a Gamakatsu C14S No. 4. Attach the back hook with steel leader dressed with small steel beads. To the rear hook, tie a tail of olive and grizzly marabou and olive craft fur. On the front hook, tie in an olive Zonker strip and olive Ice Dub on the underbody.

For the overbody, use olive grizzly soft hackle and brown and olive marabou and olive craft fur. Tie in Silli Legs (orange/black and black/red). Top with a short white Zonker strip. Finish the head with 1/4-inch Real Eyes and two-part epoxy.

—Gary Lewis, for The Bulletin