How to Tie the Rainbow Warrior
Watch the video below for a step-by-step tutorial on tying the Rainbow Warrior.
Use the Right Materials
Materials List: Rainbow Warrior
- Hook: Firehole Sticks 520 (This is a curved jig hook)
- Bead: Firehole Slotted Tungsten (Silver)
- Thread: UTC 70 thread
- Tail: Coq de Leon (dark or medium). Pheasant Tail is the original material
- Body/Wingcase: Hareline Pearl Tinsel (Wide)
- Thorax: Nature’s Spirit Rainbow Dub (Wapsi if you can find it)
The original pattern was tied on a curved or scud hook. Recently, I have been tying them on a jig-style hook and have found them to be equally effective. I’m not sure the shape of the hook is as important as the size. I mostly tie these on size 16 or 18 hooks with either a 2.8 mm or 2.4 mm bead.
Typically, I don’t tell my readers to hyper-focus on the exact materials. But to tie the Rainbow Warrior correctly, it’s important to use Wapsi Sow Scud Rainbow Dubbing and UTC Pearl Tinsel size Large. Hareline’s rainbow dubbing works okay for this pattern, but the Wapsi is finer and easier to work with. Nature’s Spirit is also a good one. The size of the pearl tinsel is probably more important than the brand. Using a large tinsel will increase the durability of the fly because there is no ribbing. Veevus makes a pearl tinsel in a large size that will work great too. The original pattern calls for UTC 70 red thread, but I’ve also had success experimenting with different thread colors. The thread color influences the body color because the UTC Pearl Tinsel is translucent. I tie variations with an orange, purple, or black under body.
How to Fish the Rainbow Warrior
On the Tag
I imagine this pattern would work well tied as a heavier point fly. But because I tie them in smaller sizes, I usually have them as my tag (or dropper) fly. A few seasons back, I discovered the magic of this pattern on a popular and heavily stocked Pennsylvania tailwater. That spring, newly stocked trout abused my size 18 on many days. I almost always had it tied on the tag with a heavier fly at the point. Riding a little higher in the water column than my point fly, stocked trout consistently ate my shiny new discovery. It started to feel like cheating.
Not Just for Stockies
After I first discovered the Rainbow Warrior, I assumed it was a great pattern for stocked fish. I didn’t give it much consideration as an option for the picky wild browns that inhabit my favorite Central Pennsylvania streams. That was until a friend asked me to tie a dozen for him. After a day on the water in Central Pennsylvania, he quickly asked me for another dozen because the wild browns ate them so well. A few weeks later, I had the same success for wild browns on a limestone stream. The rainbow warrior quickly became a go to pattern. It’s one I often reserve for slow days when nothing else in my box seems to work.
As a Dropper off a Dry Fly
One of my favorite ways to fish a rainbow warrior is as part of a dry dropper rig. They pair perfectly as a dropper off any dry fly. I love using the dry dropper method during low conditions when I need to fish at a distance. The small rainbow warriors I tie do not interfere with the drift of the dry fly. I like to fish them just 12-18 inches below my dry, where trout take them as a midge.
Thanks for reading! Spend more time on the water!
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Have a great day!
Jeff Smecker
