Paul's January 2021 Fly of the Month

 Canal Candy

Hook:  Mustad 34007 Size # 1/0 or preferred hook. 

Thread:  White Uni-thread 3/0, Flat Waxed Nylon, or Fly Master Plus.

Eyes:  5.5 mm dumbbell eyes (gold with red eyes or silver with red eyes).

Tail/Fly top:  Chartreuse Rabbit Zonker Strip, barred with a permanent black marker.

Belly:  Pearl White Flash Dubbing Brush.

Head/Gills:  Chartreuse or Olive Flash Dubbing Brush. 

This fly was originally designed for Peacock Bass.  I’ve adapted it here to target New England Stripers.  It’s really just a variation of a ‘bunny fly’.  You can change the colors and size to match bait.  What you want to make sure you do when tying it, is that the Belly of the fly is lighter in color than the Tail/Fly top (zonker strip).  The Head/Gills will be formed with a darker contrasting dubbing brush.   With the dumbbell eyes this fly fishes inverted.  You can use larger eyes to get it deeper and bounce it off the bottom if that’s how you want to fish it.   

To tie this fly, you must first prepare your Rabbit Zonker Strip. It should be approximately 2 to 2 ½ the length of the hook shank.  It’s best to err on the side of having your rabbit strip too long rather than too short.  You can always trim it later if you need to.  Cut your Zonker to length with a ‘V’ cut on the trailing end of the Zonker.  With your hook in the vice, push the hook through the hide side of the rabbit strip, right at middle of the rabbit strip.  Remember, this fly is going to ride inverted.  Place your hook back in the vice in an inverted position.  Start your thread right at the bend of the hook.  At this tie in point, you are going to bind down your rabbit strip with multiple thread wraps.  When doing this, first separate & part the rabbit fur at the tie in point.  This way you won’t bind down any rabbit fur.  Next, move your rabbit strip backward and create a thread dam in front of it.  Now, tie in your dumbbell eyes an eye length behind your hook eye.  Use figure 8 wraps and apply an adhesive ‘of choice’ to the wraps.  Lately, I’ve been using and loving Solarez Bone Dry Resin.  Return your thread to your zonker strip at the bend of the hook.  Tie in your Pearl White dubbing brush of flash material.  You can make your own dubbing brush, or if you are like me, I purchased some made by H2O called Dubbing Flash Brush 1”. 

Bring your thread up back behind the dumbbell eyes.  Next, with touching wraps, bring your dubbing brush forward.  Tie it off behind the dumbbell eyes.  With a tooth brush, stroke the dubbing brush fibers rearward.  Now, pull your Zonker Strip down over the Brush body and tie it down in back of the eyes.  At that same spot tie in your contrasting second Flash Dubbing Brush.  Make a couple wraps behind the eyes, then bring it forward with a figure 8 around the eyes.  Next, make a couple wraps in front of the eyes. Tie it down and cut off the tag end.  Again, brush the fibers rearward with a toothbrush.  Apply cement/adhesive to your thread wraps and you are done. 

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

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

Paul's December Bonus 2020 Fly of the Month

 The Conover

Hook:  Fine Wire Dry Fly Hook, Size #10 to #20.

Tying thread:   White.

Tail:  Barbs of stiff, cream colored hackle.  (or use Golden Badger Hackle Fibers.)

Body:  Blend of Muskrat fur and red wool.  Seal and red wool will work too.   

Hackle:  Golden Badger. 

The ‘Conover’ is an iconic Catskill Fly.  It was developed by the Dettes Fly Shop in Roscoe NY.  The Dettes first tied this fly back in 1934 for a client named Scotty Conover.  It has been one of my ‘go’ to flies for years.  Although most tie and fish it in a size #14, I’ve had great success fishing it in a size #20.  When I first started fly tying, I tied this pattern, not because I knew it was effective, but because it had no wings and was easier to tie.  

To tie this fly begin by starting your thread at the mid-point of the hook shank.  Wrap back to the bend of the hook.  For a Size #14 fly, tie in 5-6 fibers of Golden Badger Hackle.  Next, dub a thin noodle for your body.  You are going to create a tapered body extending from the tie in point of your tail, up the hook shank.  You want to end the body approximately 1/3 of the hook shank behind the eye.  Where your body ends, tie in your Golden Badger Hackle.  Oversizing the hackle slightly is how most tie this fly.  This may take 2 hackles for larger sized ‘Conovers’, or just 1 for smaller sizes.  Wrap your hackle forward and tie it off behind the eye.  Whip finish your fly and your done. 

There is a great instructional video by Down by the River below:

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 at pdinice@frontier.com .