How to Tie The Crystal Meth Fly

Jul 11, 2022 · 2 min read

Learn how to tie the Crystal Meth fly pattern, including step-by-step instructions, a video tutorial, pictures, and much more. Improve your fly-tying skills here.

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A must-have fly anytime you're targeting steelhead and salmon, the Crystal Meth is easy to tie and fish find it irresistible. With an ability to tie it in almost any color with just enough flash, the Crystal Meth does a fine job at imitating roe. Whether you're chasing trout feeding behind spawning suckers or freshly run chrome, this is a fly that should always be in your box.

Recipe

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Step One

Fly-tying vise holding small hook with bright orange Crystal Meth fly body and dangling orange thread

Start the pattern by running the thread below the hook’s eye to the bend to establish a base.

Step Two

Close-up fly tying: hands crafting a blue beaded Crystal Meth fly with pliers and orange thread spool

The Crystal Meth’s body uses Pear Diamond Brain. Before tying on, double over five inches of material, forming a small loop opposite the tag end.

Step Three

Vise holding hook with orange-wrapped shank and red thread, blue sparkly tinsel tail for Crystal Meth fly, fly tying setup

Pinch-wrap the loop on the shank’s rear with the fabric’s loop positioned right beyond the hook’s rear, lift the forward-facing tag-end and make several securing wraps in front of the loop.

Step Four

Fly tying vise holding hook with bright blue glittery Crystal Meth fly material and red thread, fly fishing tutorial

Form a second loop after the first, then clamp the thread down in front of the material. The loop should now point upward.

Step Five

Fly tying vise holding a small hook with orange thread body and bright blue sparkling Crystal Meth fly legs

Position the third loop, you guessed it, in front of the previous one. The loops should have a slight taper, with the smallest one at the bend and the largest in front.

Step Six

Blue sparkly Crystal Meth fly tied on hook in vise with orange thread, glitter tubing material, fly fishing pattern

Tie the final loop on with just enough space between the material and eye to build up a head.

Step Seven

Blue sparkly synthetic foam Crystal Meth fly tied on a small hook with orange thread in vise, fly fishing

Before building the head, snip the excess forward-facing Diamon Braid fabric and secure a half-hitch.

Step Eight

Bright blue sparkly Crystal Meth fly with orange thread body held in a vise for fly tying tutorial

Quickly build a head with the thread, then complete a whip finish. Now it’s time to catch a steelhead!

Written by

Stephen D' Angelo

Stephen D'Angelo is a fly fishing expert with a passion for fly tying, gear, and time on the water. From small-stream trout to saltwater flats fishing, Stephen brings hands-on experience across a wide range of species and scenarios — and he's always happy to help you find the right setup for your next adventure.

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