I had to put this together for a fly tying publication. I contribute to their online publication from time to time, not the print mag. I put some time into it so I figured I would share it here since I've had some inquires about fly tying. Nut Butter Rear Hook: #6 wide gape bass hook Middle Hook: any long shank, straight eye streamer hook (will be cut at the bend) Front Hook: 2/0 streamer hook Tail: hackle feathers, marabou Body: estaz, UV polar chenille, schlappen, rubber legs Collar: schlappen Head: craft fur dubbing brush Eyes: lead eyes Connection: 20# maxima and 6mm bead I usually tie this fly in the 7" range. It can certainly be tied shorter, or longer, if need be. It can also be tied in a variety of color combinations. It has a nice slinky action with a nose dive at the end. I also tie it without lead eyes for a little different action. While it is a larger fly, it is an easy tie. You are essentially tying the same streamer on three hooks. Tie in 4 hackle feathers. Use 2 per side with the natural curve of the feather facing out from the hook. Tie in a clump of marabou around the hackle feathers, leaving 1"-2" of hackle feather tips exposed. Tie in estaz, UV polar chenille, and a schlappen feather by the tip. Wrap the estaz forward to the eye of the hook, and tie off. Make wide wraps with the UV polar chenille to the eye of the hook, and tie off. Palmer the schlappen feather forward, trying not to trap the fibers of the UV polar chenille. Tie off at the eye of the hook. Tie in rubber legs. For the connection, I like to use a stiff mono like Maxima. I prefer a stiff connection to prevent fouling. I use the tension of the loop around the eye of the hook to get the movement I'm looking for. I also believe mono is less likely to slip compared to wire. Again, use whichever you prefer. Thread the line through the eye of the rear hook, creating a loop. Slide one bead over both tag ends. Lash the mono tightly onto the top of the hook shank. Work your way toward the bend of the hook until you find the desired tension you want. I prefer using this method because you can fine tune the movement. If its too lose, making another wrap toward the bend. If its too tight, unwrap a turn or two until its where you want it to be. I do not use glue, but you can for piece of mind. I wrap tightly over the mono, and then fold it back over itself while making more tight wraps. I have never had a fly come apart. Clump on some marabou to cover the junction and add some bulk. Repeat the same steps as the rear hook. Wrap estaz, UV polar chenille, schlappen, add rubber legs. Add lead eyes to the front and connect the fly.
Repeat the use of estaz, UV polar chenille, and schlappen. I like to palmer another schlappen feather as a collar to help support the head, and add more color depth. I use a dubbing loop to create the craft fur brush because I'm lazy. To be more proactive, use the God Father of craft fur heads, Nick Granato's method of creating craft fur dubbing brushes. You can find that here... http://www.flickr.com/photos/47189298@N02/sets/72157625920687688. Cut approximately 2.5" sections of craft fur. I like to pull out some of the fluff before putting it in the loop, but you can also brush it out later. Apply dubbing wax to the loop before inserting the craft fur clumps. Space it out evenly. It doesn't have to be pretty. Spin the loop and lightly pull out some of the fluff with your fingers. Wrap the brush forward toward the eye of the hook. Leave yourself enough space to tie off the thread. Trim the head to the desired shape. I used a flat, wide sculpin shaped head on this fly. It will fish as is, but why not have some fun? Take permanent markers and color the head to your liking. Sometimes we have to please ourselves as well as the fish. The fish really aren't that smart. And you're done. Go fish. Some other color combinations.
Very cool Matt! I recently pulled all of my fly tying stuff back out after a two year stint of no activity. I will be giving this one a try. How are you usually fishing these? Still water? slow water?
I fish them in rivers for trout, mostly. They work well stripped slow, or fast. Just depends what the fish want that day. I have not tried them still water for trout as we don't have many lakes with trout in Michigan. Both largemouth and smallmouth bass seem to like in lakes, though. Those instructions could not be more clear.
Thats a good question, Matt. I don't keep a clock by my tying desk for a reason. Its my stress free zone. Since I don't tie commercially, I rarely tie the same pattern in succession. Much of the process is slowed down by figuring out what colors I want to use, what materials, how I want it to swim, etc. If I had to tie that exact same fly again, and I knew where all the materials were, I would say about 15 minutes. Faster if I were really in a hurry, but I don't like to be. The original process to "design" that fly probably took 30-45 minutes at the desk.
Thats a great looking fly for everything I think...Crappies would love it for sure. I've got a suggestion on the mono ends - melt them a little bit so they bead up for sure no slip. I tie something similiar for bigger browns up here that mimics a drowning moth with exra long white wet(saddle) hackle tied backwards(underside forward)- body similiar in 2 sections but only one feather per so its not to thick as to interfere with hookups. Gets a lot of pulsing in the hackle in still water even not moving it, but works great in fast whitewater too as I think the fish percieve it as a large minnow trying to escape.
A 7" fly is good for crappies? Dang, I guess I'll have to break out the 9wt this spring and hit them on their beds.
Very cool Matt. May look into flyfishing some day, though I need another hobby like I need another hole in my head
Did I ever tell you guys about the time that I walked in on Vito and he was wrappin' his schlappen with chenille?? AWKWARD!!!
He did say 'usually' ties it 7" not all the time the ones I tie similiar are 4-6"...but yeah 6 floating rapala(take off the middle hook and make it easier on yourself and the fish) twitched on surface just at and after dark for walleyes and big crappie(13-16") in the reeds...spotlight the eyes and flip it over there and just like surface bass. Oh yeah the bed part - I have never seen a crappie bed before...where would you find one of those?
