This pattern is best fished on an intermediate or hover line during the winter months for stillwater trout. Fished slowly, it represents milt covered eggs. Fished fast, it represents a small fry, with its yolk sac. I first came across this fly in the early 2000's whilst working for The Flyfisherman in Hilton, KZN.
Materials used:
Hook: #10 Grub hook
Thread: 8/0 Red thread
Tail: White zonker
Body: Orange marabou
Flash: Crystal Flash or Flouro fibre
The zonker is tied in behind the eye only; this increases movement. The grub hook helps in preventing hook wrap, as the tail is suspended above the horizontal of the hook shank.
1. Start by securing thread to the hook and create and even wrap base, stopping in line of the barb, or where the barb would be.
2. Farm a marabou plume from the Hank, then preen about an inch worth of fibres in preparation for the bull clamp.
3. Secure the tips of the preened marabou fibres into the clamp and set down.
4. Split the thread, or create a dubbing loop, and insert the marabou fibres into the loop. Tighten the loop and spin the bobbin in a clockwise direction, if looking from above. This will create a bushy dubbing brush.
5. Wind this dubbing brush forwards in touching turns, making sure to leave space behind the hook eye to tie in the zonker strip. Brush the fibres backwards as best you can whilst wrapping forward.
6. Whip finish - adds strength and durability.
7. Using a dubbing brush or velcro, brush the marabou fibres out.
8. Preen the brushed fibres back and break off in-line with the back off the hook bend.
Never cut marabou.
9. Tie in a length of zonker strip, about 1.5 x the hook length, behind the hook eye.
Make sure it is properly tied in and secured.
10. Add two strands of flash, one either side of the zonker strip. Make a neat head and whip finish. Apply UV resin.
Then tie on and fish.
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