I originally dedicated this blog to Fly Fishing, Fly Tying, & Friends. More often than not, I post about Fly Tying. As I've gotten older and traveled down the path of a 'fly fishing life', what has become most important to me is the time spent fishing with friends. I treasure all the moments I can spend fly fishing with them. "Many Tides, Many Memories". I've even developed a presentation called 'The Six Stages of Fly Fishing - A Life's Experience'. It is a very different program. Instead of being about catching more fish, or a fly fishing destination, the primary focus is on the fly fisherman. What is it that drives us to be so passionate about the 'Quiet Sport'. "Who are we?" The program examines the various 'stages' in a fly fisherman's life, including the initial discovery of the sport, the need to learn and educate ourselves about it, it's addictive powers, the friendships it has helped us form, the spirituality it has given us, and how it has provided us with a better understanding of where we fit in the world and universe. I think the video below captures some of that. At the very least, and most importantly, it shows some of the many friendships I've formed through the sport. That's most important to me at this time in my life. For those who have never fished the salt, you might also get an idea of what 'fishing the salt in New England' is like.
Hook: Tiemco 600SP size #2 to #4/0, or salt water
hook of preference.
Thread: White flymaster+ or color matching upper wing color.
Tail: 6 White saddle hackle tied in deceiver style.
Body: Pearl body
braid (wrapped over the hook shank after the tail is applied).
Lower wing: White buck tail -- two bunches of buck tail
are tied in on each side, slightly angled down toward the hook point, extending
almost to the tips of your saddle hackle.
Topped with pearlescent Flash-a-bou, or Polar Flash, or flash material
of choice.
Upper Wing: Chartreuse, or olive, or pink, or color of choice buck tail. Topped
with pearlescent Flash-a-bou, or Polar Flash, or flash material of choice, then
topped with peacock or green flash-a-bou. Fish Skull: To match hook size.
This Fly originally appeared on my blog 9 years ago. Why repeat it? Well it's just that good. The skull head is heavier than most dumb bell eyes on a clouser, getting it down deeper and increasing the 'jigging' action of fly. I
caught a ton of fish using this pattern. It's one fly I always include to tie in my HFFA salt water fly tying class. Similar to a clouser minnow, the weighted
“head” of the fly gives it a jigging action.
What’s great about the “fish heads” is that they can be applied to the
hook so that the fly fishes hook point down or inverted like a clouser.
The key to tying this fly
is to make sure you leave enough room to apply the “fish skull” at the end of
the tying process. Begin by advancing your
thread from the hook eye to the bend of the hook. Next, tie in your 6 saddle hackle on top of
the hook shank “deceiver” style. The
feathers should extend anywhere from 1 ½ to 2 ½ times the length of the hook shank.
Next, tie in your pearl body braid near the bend of the hook. Palmer it forward and tie off leaving
approximately ¼ of the hook shank to the eye.
I then coat it with ‘tough as nails’ for added durability. You can also take time to test that your “fish
skull” will fit properly over the eye of the hook. I usually do this a couple times during the
tying process. Next tie in two bunches of white buck tail on each side of the
hook shank. They should be a little
shorter than the tail, and slightly angled down. Top the lower wing/tail with pearlescent
Flash-a-bou or Polar Flash. It should
extend to the tip of the tail. Next, tie
in your upper wing (chartreuse, olive, or color of choice). It should also extend to the tip of the
tail. Top with more pearlescent
Flash-a-bou. Finally top it with peacock
or dark green Flash-a-bou. You’re now
ready to apply your “fish skull”. Tie
off your thread. Before applying the
“fish skull” to the hook shank, coat the contact area with head cement or
adhesive of choice. Follow the “fish
skull” directions. Depending upon how
you affix it to the hook shank, the fly
will either fish with the hook point down, as any traditional fly would, or you
can apply it to the hook shank so your fly will fish inverted just as a traditional
clouser would. If you tied the fly properly, the eye of the
hook will extend just beyond the fish skull.
Re-apply and make a number of wraps with your thread just before the
hook eye, then tie it off again. Apply
head cement. This is to further ensure
that the “fish skull” will stay permanently affixed to the hook. (I’ve never had one loosen up on me yet, but
this is the manufacturer’s recommended tying method.) I don’t know if this fly out fishes clousers,
but they sure work. Only drawback is
they aren’t cheap. Below is a great video of friend Mike Shannon landing a Cape Cod Striper on the 'Skull Head'.
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 .
