Paul's February 2025 Fly of the Month

 Grass Monkey

Hook:  Mustad 34007 Size #1.

Thread:  Black 8/0.

Eyes:  Medium Bead Chain or Nickle Dumbbell eyes.

Body:  Regular Size Estaz Tan Chenille.

Wing:  Olive Green or Tan Craft fur with stripes marked with a Permanent  Marker.

Flash:  Two strands of Gold Krystal Flash on each side of the wing.

Top Wing/Head:  Deer Hair with spun Head.

Why post this fly for the Fly of the Month since it was originally created for warm water species, like redfish, in southern waters?  I’ve posted it because it’s a great ‘Cross Over’ fly that works well for stripers.  It’s very similar to ‘kwan’ flies in that it can imitate a shrimp, a crab, or even a bait fish.  I’ve caught stripers on it.  Given it to friends that have fished Florida & Puerto Rico, and they caught a wide variety of species on it. 

To tie this fly, debarb your hook and place it in your vice.  You are going to mount your bead chain or dumbbell eyes approximately 1/3 down the hook shank.  Use

‘cris cross’ and figure 8 wraps to secure it to the hook.  I like to place a drop or two of UV Resin on my wraps to secure it firmly to the hook shank.  Next, bring your thread all the way back to the bend.  Tie in your Estaz Tan Chenille.  Palmer the Estaz forward with touching wraps, stroking the fibers backwards as you go.  Tie it off behind the eyes and cut off the excess. 

Now invert your fly in the vice.  Prepare a pencil size clump of Craft Fur for your wing.  Tie it in front of the eyes with securing wraps.  Smooth out the base taking into account tying in some Deer Hair for the top wing.  Using a magic marker, bar the Craft Fur wing.  Next, on each side of the Craft Fur Wing, tie in 2 pieces of Crystal Flash.  They should extend at least to the tip of the wing.  Prepare a chunk of Deer Hair fibers for your Top Wing.  Clip it from the hide and strip out the guard hairs and short fibers.  The Top Deer Hair wing should extend at least to the hook point.  Hold it in place on top of the Craft Hair wing.  Take 2 loose wraps and then tightly pull down to flair the butt end of the Deer Hair.  Wrap through your butts a few times with your thread.  Pull all the butts rearward and make some securing wraps in front of the deer hair.  Whip finish the fly.  While holding your Deer tips down, Trim down the butt ends of the Deer Hair to create a small circular head.  I add a drop of head cement to my Deer Hair head for extra durability. 

Trident Fly Fishing has a great video on how to tie this fly below:

If you have any questions about this fly or would like to submit a Fly of The Month I can be reached at pdinice@frontier.com .

Paul's January 2025 Bonus Fly of the Month

 Isonychia Wet Fly

Hook:  Fulling Mill 5085 Nymph Hook, Size #12.

Thread:  UTC Brown or Wood Duck 70 denier.

Rib:  Small Gold Ultra Wire.

Tail:  6-8 Pheasant Tail Fibers.

Dorsal Stripe:  White UTC 140 Denier Thread or White Floss.

Abdomen:  Isonychia-colored Dubbing.

Thorax:  Peacock herl 3-4 strands.

Collar:  Hen Feather, mottled brown.

If you’re a fly-fisherman here in CT, you should carry a ‘life cycle’ of Iso patterns in your fly box.  Why?  Because it’s a big fly and can be found on the water from late spring to mid fall.  How big is this fly?  Usually around a size #12 to #14.  I’ve previously featured Iso flies by Preston Jennings as the ‘Fly of the Month’.  This pattern is a variation of his flies. 

To tie this fly, debarb your hook and place it in the vice.  Start your thread with securing wraps a ‘hook eye’s length’ behind the hook eye.  Cut off the butt end of your thread.  Tie in your Gold Wire Rib and make touching wraps rearward.  Wrap down to the bend of the hook.  Next, advance your thread to the original ‘tie in’ point of your thread.  Prepare a half dozen or so Pheasant Tail Fibers for your tail.  The tips should be evenly aligned.  Tie them in for your tail.  They should be approximately a hook gap in length.   Bind them down on top of the hook shank wrapping rearward.  Once secured bring your thread up to the mid-point of the hook shank. 

Tie in your White Thread Dorsal Stripe.  Wrap your rearward to secure it, making sure you keep it on top of the hook shank.  Next, dub a slim Dubbing Noodle of your Iso Dubbing.  Dub the body up the hook shank to your initial tie in point.  Next, pull your white thread over the top of the body and secure it with a few wraps.  Cut off the excess thread.  Next, make open spiral wraps up the body with your Wire Ribbing to create a segmented body.  Tie it down and ‘helicopter’ off the wire.

Next, tie in 3-4 strands of peacock herl for your thorax.  Take 3-4 turns around the hook shank.  Remember to leave room for your Collar/Hen Hackle.  Secure it with a couple wraps of thread and cut off the excess.  Next, prepare your mottled brown hen hackle for your Collar.  Ideally, the fibers on the hen feather should be approximately a hook shank in length.  Strip off the lower fibers on the feather stem.  Holding the tip of the feather in 1 hand, strip the lower fibers rearward.  Snip off the tip of the feather and then tie it in right behind the eye of the hook.  Take 2 wraps of your hackle and secure it behind the eye.  Anchor the stem behind the eye.  Snip off the excess stem.  Make a few more wraps to preen back any forward pointing fibers.  Whip finish your fly.  Apply some head cement if you desire.   

Tightlinevideo has a great instructional video below: 

 If you have any questions about this fly or would like to submit a Fly of The Month I can be reached at pdinice@frontier.com .