Paul's October 2016 Fly of the Month

Barr's Bouface Streamer

Hook:  TMC 200R Size #4-#12. 

Tying thread:   6/0 (color to match the streamer color).

Bead:  Black tungsten or brass bead.

Wing/Tail:  Pine squirrel zonker strip.

Flash:  Two strips of pearl Flashabou on each side of streamer.

Collar:  Marabou.

Head:  Spiky Squirrel Dubbing.

This is the second time that I have posted a Jim Barr streamer as the Fly of the Month.  The first was his “slumpbuster”, but this spring I’ve really started to fall in love with this pattern.  My friend and HFFA member Will Stone turned me on to it. 

I tie this fly in black, olive, brown, and orange.  So far I’ve had the most success with olive on the Hous and smaller streams.  Some tyers use rabbit zonker strips instead of squirrel.  I’m sure rabbit works fine, but this is a smaller trout streamer and using the smaller condensed squirrel zonkers just seem to be a better fit.

Begin by placing your black bead on the hook.  To get down deeper you can use a tungsten bead instead of a brass one.    Take 6-7 wraps of .015 lead behind the bead.  Push it up tight behind the bead and give it a coat with ‘hard as nails’.  Next start your thread behind the bead and make tight wraps to down to the bend in the hook (leave it even with the hook barb).  You will be tying in your wing at the bend of the hook.  Cut a pine squirrel zonker strip to mount on the hook shank.  The length should extend from just behind the bead to approximately 2-3 hook gaps length beyond the bend of the hook.  Separate the wing fibers with your fingers and lash the back end of the wing onto the hook shank between the separated squirrel fibers.  Apply a drop of glue to the wraps.  Lift the wing and wrap your thread forward to the front tie in point (a hook eye length behind the bead).  I usually strip the squirrel hairs/fibers off the very tip of the zonker strip to ensure that the thread really binds down the wing.  Secure the front part of the wing with numerous thread wraps.  Apply another drop of head cement to them.  Next, tie in two (2) pieces of pearl flash-a-bou on each side of the fly.  They should extend from the front wing tie in point to the end of the zonker strip.  Next, tie in a marabou feather on each side of the fly at the same tie in point.  The tip of the feather should extend to the hook barb.   Trim the butt ends of the marabou feathers leaving enough room for a dubbed head.  Finally, dub a head with spiky squirrel dubbing (or if you want a little flash use laser or ice dubbing).  Whip finish the fly and apply a drop of head cement to the final wraps.

My favorite way to fish this streamer is to cast it across stream and let it drift down below me.  Keep it in the run below you and let it freely dangle in the current.  You’ll be amazed at the results of this fishing technique. 

Ryan Keyes of RK Fly design has a great video on how to tie this fly below:

You can click on any of the pictures on this site to enlarge them.

If you have any questions about this fly or would like to submit a Fly of the Month, I can be reached at 203 305-3850 or e-mail me at pdinice@frontier.com .