February 2022 Fly of the Month

 Fish Mask Murdich Minnow

Hook:  Kona USS Size #1/0. 

Thread:  12/0 White Waxed.

Tail:  Faux Bucktail White approximately 2 hook shank lengths.  Topped with  – Mirage Opal Polar Flash, slightly longer than the Faux Bucktail. Topped with Silver Flash-a-bou.  When you tie in the Flash-a-bou, tie it in at the mid-point of the fibers.  Do not cut off the tag end

Back Body:  2 Clumps of White EP fibers tied on each side of the hook.  The tag end of the Flash-a-boo is then folded over the body rear word and trimmed to the same length as the EP Fibers.

Front Body:  Medium White Palmer Chenille, 10-14 Wraps.  

Head:  Wing consisting of a clumps of Grey Frankendub. (I use Senyo lazer Dub). A clump of White Frankendub for the Belly.  Stroke and comb all fibers rearward.

Fish Mask/Head:  Fish Mask #6.

Eyes:  6 mm eyes.

 

Originally developed as a streamer for small mouth bass, this is a killer pattern for stripers.  To tie this fly begin by ‘crushing’ your barb and placing the hook in your vice.  Cover the hook shank with your thread and cut off the tag end.  Leave the thread near the bend of the hook.  Next, tie in your Faux Bucktail for the tail.  When you do this do not trim off the butt end.  Lay the material on the hook shank so that the tail is approximately 2 times the hook shank.  Wrap your thread forward on top of the hook shank to create a uniform body.  Trim off the butt end behind the eye.  Return your thread to the bend of the hook.  Tie in a good sized clump of Mirage Opal Polar Flash.  Tie it in at the mid-point of the fibers, then bend back the butt ends to create a denser tail.  It should extend slightly longer than your bucktail.  Now tie in a clump of Silver Flash-a-bou.  When you do leave the butt ends forward and do not trim them. 

 

To begin the body, tie in 2 Clumps of White EP fibers tied on each side of the hook.  They should extend approximately a hook gap length behind the bend of the hook.  Once the EP fibers are bound down, trim the butt ends.  Now, fold back the Silver Flash-a-bou and trim it even with the EP Fibers.  Tie in your White Palmer Chenille in front of the EP Fibers. Make touching wraps forward with the Chenille and tie it off an eye length behind the eye of the hook.  Take a clump of the Grey Frankendub (for the wing/head), affixing it to the top of the hook shank at the mid-way point (do not trim the butt end).  Now do the same to create the belly with your White Frankendub.  You can substitute Senyo Lazer Dub for the Frankendub.

Sweep rearward the butt ends and ‘dam’ them back with your thread.  ‘Comb’ all the fibers back.  Whip finish the fly. 

 

After dabbing the front of the fly with some super glue, affix your Fish Mask to the front of the hook shank.  Place it deep enough for additional thread wraps in front of it.  Reattach your thread in front of the Mask.  Whip finish and apply your favorite adhesive to the wraps.  Glue your Eyes onto the Fish mask.  Cover the eyes with your favorite UV Resin for durability.

 

The Flymen Fishing Company 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 2022 Bonus Fly of the Month

 The Poacher

Hook:  Preferred Hook Hanak H230BL Size #12 & #14, or Mustad 3366, or wet fly hook of choice. 

Thread:  Red 6/0 Thread.

Tail:  Natural or Dyed Orange Golden Pheasant Breast Fibers.

Rib:  Small Copper Wire.

Body:  Orange Floss and Peacock Herl.

Hackle:  Brown Hen Hackle Fibers.

 

This is a great wet fly pattern used a lot by European Fly Fishermen.   I can’t tell you why it’s not all that popular in the US.  It sure is a fish catcher though.  I’ve used it during sulphur and caddis hatches (even though it was originally developed to represent a sunken beetle).  It’s got a ‘built in’ hot spot’ and Peacock herl.  How can it not catch fish.  You need to carry this fly in your box!

One thing about wet flies.  You rarely see any fly shops carrying them.  If they do, you’re not going to see this pattern. 

 

I love tying my wet flies on a Hanak H230BL Hook.  It has a large gap that I like on my wet flies.  I usually tie this on a Size #12 hook but down scale the size of the fly so that it results in a Size #16.  To tie this fly, place your hook in the vice and start your thread behind the eye.  Stop it just before the bend and cut off the tag end.  You are now going to strip 5-6 fibers of the Breast Feather of a Golden Pheasant.  These fibers will be used as your tail.  You can use natural colors of a dyed orange breast feather.  The tail should be 1 hook shank length.  Trim the butt ends of your tail.  Next, tie in your Small Copper Wire for your rib at the start of the tail.  Now tie in 2 strands of Orange Floss.  Wrap the Orange Floss approximately 1/3 up the hook shank.  Cut the butt end of the floss.  Next, tie in 2 strands of Peacock Herl.  Cut the butt ends and wrap it forward, leaving space behind the eye for your hackle.  After tying off and cutting the butt ends of your Peacock Herl, counter wrap your Copper Wire down the body.  Tie and helicopter off the butt end of the wire.  Select a brown Hen Hackle feather.  Tie it in behind the eye.  After stroking the feather fibers rearward, take 2 to 3 wraps with the feather.  Cut off the excess feather and form a uniform head for the fly.  Whip finish and add a drop of head cement or desired finish.   

A great instructional video by Davie McPhail can be found 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 .