Let me start of by saying this is not my design! I was looking for something new to try in our local salt waters and found the tying instructions for this fly from a video the ” The Fly Project”. I have been fishing it for just over a year now in the surf and the estuaries with some really good results. With a couple of changes the fly can be adapted to target from reef species to the pelagic fish we all wish for. My favourite colours for the fly have been tan, white and olive.
The following is needed for the fly:
Materials.
Ahrex SA 210 #4.
Thread. I used Danville’s waxed Flymaster plus Hareline Laser dub in tan and dark tan.
Rubber legs.
Midge flash.
Orange zonker but this is not essential.
Dyed Mallard flank feathers in tan.
Dumbell eyes of your choice.
With your hook firmly in your vice secure the dumbbell eyes opposite the hook point and add some UV glue, letting it sink in really well before you put the light to it. Make a short dubbing loop with the dark tan laser dub, just enough to go around the shank about three times. This should only stick past the bend of the hook about 10-15 mm. Wind the dubbing on tightly against each other for a small bump.
Get your rubber legs tied in on the bottom but to the side and the same with the midge flash on top. Your rubber legs should just be a bit longer with the dark tan dubbing and the midge flash a bit longer than the rubber legs.
You can than add the orange zonker if you want. This is not a must as I have landed many fish without adding the zonker. You don’t need a lot. I cut about 6mm from the leather strip and only tie about a third of the length of hair onto the fly. Now make up another dubbing loop with the tan dubbing and try to get this tapered. Longer fibres tied on first and as you get to the back (hook eye) fibres should be shorter. Get your first couple of wraps tight against one another and as you progress towards the back open the wraps so that it’s not too dense. Leave enough space at the eye of the hook so that you can secure the Mallard feather.
Before securing the feather tease out all the dubbing and trim the dubbing at an angle. I put the scissors on the hook eye and trim towards the hook point. Do this right around the whole fly.
Lastly you can tie in the Mallard feather and do only two wraps around the shank.
Do a whip finish and secure with some UV glue.
Always do the darker colour first with lighter colour to the back. Keep the fibres short past the bend of the hook. I must add that when I am tying white coloured flies, I will have the fibres sticking out a bit longer to the back. Sometimes I add white hackle either side to get a bit more movement from the fly.
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