Paul's March 2022 Fly of the Month

 LBW Striper Fly

Hook:  Gamakatsu SC15  Size #3/0 

Thread:  12/0 White Waxed.

Tail:  Pearl Flash-a-bou twice the length of the hook Shank.  On each side of the hook shank is tied in two (2) 5” to 7” Saddle hackles.   

Back Body:  A pencil thick clump of White Deer hair extending ¾ length of the tail.

Front Body:  A pencil thick clump of White Deer hair, pressed with your finger nail to surround the hook shank.  Repeat the Deer hair application 2-3 more times to create a tapered body.

Gill Plate:  3 turns of a Red 2.5” EP Dubbing Brush.

Head: 3 turns of a Chartreuse 3” EP Foxy Brush.

Eyes:  (Optional)  Dome or Living eyes.

 

This fly has a really nice ‘big’ profile.  Flies like this ‘catch’ big stripers.  It’s really a variation of a ‘Lefty’s Deceiver’, just tied with a few more modern materials and a couple of different tying techniques.  Don’t be afraid to change the colors of this fly to suit your need.  Also there are a variety of products out there that you can substitute for those I’ve listed. 

 

To tie this fly, begin by crushing your barb and placing the hook in the vice.  Start your thread behind the eye and wrap back to the bend of the hook.  Tie in a hefty clump of Pearl Flash-a-bou.  It should be approximately 2 times the length of the hook shank.  When you tie it in, do so at the mid-point of the material, then bend back your butt ends rearward to double your flash tail.  Prepare two (2) saddle hackles by stripping the ‘fluff’ portion of the feather off the stem.  Affix one feather on each side of the hook shank.  They should extend back along your tail of Flash-a-bou.   Once bound down, clip off the stems of your feathers. 

 

Next, take a pencil thick clump of White Deer hair.  It should extend approximately ¾ of the length of the tail.  Measure it on the hook shank and trim off any excess material on the ‘butt’ end.  When you tie it in, make two loose wraps, then use your finger nail to surround the hook shank with the Bucktail.  After you do that bind it down with tighter wraps.  Use your thread to ‘clean’ up the butt sections of the Bucktail.  Advance your thread forward and repeat the process with another clump of Bucktail.  Repeat this process a third time.  You want to leave a ‘eye’ length space behind the hook eye.  Now tie in your red EP Dubbing Brush.  Take 3 turns around the hook shank, stroking all the fibers back as you do so.  Tie it off and clip off the butt end.  Tie in your Chartreuse 3” EP Foxy Brush.  Take approximately 3 turns around the hook shank.  Tie it off and clip off the butt end.   Whip finish your fly and apply your preferred adhesive to the wraps.  Finally, if so desired, glue eyes onto your fly.  I glue them on with Zap-a-gap Gel, then cover them with epoxy for extra durability.

 

Lost Coast Outfitters 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 e-mail me at pdinice@frontier.com .

Paul's February 2022 Bonus Fly of the Month

 Soft Hackle Streamer

(A Fly by Jack Gartside)

Hook:  Mustad 34007 Size #1 or #2 depending on the length of your Marabou Fibers. 

Thread:  Fluorescent/Fire Orange Uni-Thread.

Body:  Two Fluorescent Chartreuse or White Marabou Plumes, stems stripped and prepared.

Lateral Line:  2-3 strands of Pearl Flash-a-bou or Lateral Scale tied in on each side of the fly.

Hackle/Head:  Teal Flank Feather.

 

The origin of this fly comes from New England’s well known tyer & fisherman Jack Gartside.  It has a ton of movement in the water and only takes 3 materials to tie it.  I tie it in White & Chartreuse.  I’ve had a lot of luck landing stripers on it.  

 

The key to tying this fly is to continually stroke back the Marabou and Teal fibers as you’re wrapping them around the hook shank.  To tie this fly begin by placing your hook in the vice.  As noted above, size the hook to the length of the Marabou fibers you’re using.  Start your thread behind the eye and take enough wraps to position your thread about 1/3 down the hook shank.  Cut off the tag end of your thread.  You are now going to prepare two (2) Chartreuse Marabou Plumes.  Begin by stripping some of the fibers from the lower stem of the feathers.  Once the stem is exposed examine the feathers.  With the convex side facing you, preen down the feather fibers rearward.  Leave a small portion of the tip of the feather exposed.  Clip the tip off.  

While holding the fibers rearward, tie 1 feather onto the hook shank.  Grab the stem with hackle pliers and hold the feather up to vertical.  Fold and stroke the fibers rearward.  Make touching wraps with the feather while at the same time continuing to stroke the feathers back (usually 6-7 wraps).  Tie it off and clip off the butt end.  Repeat the same process with your second Marabou Feather.  Next, tie in 2-3 strands of Pearl Flash-a-bou or Lateral Scale on each side of the fly.  It should be the same length as the very tip of your Marabou.  Next, prepare your Teal Flank Feather just as you did the Marabou.  Once it’s tied in take 2-3 wraps while stroking back the fibers.  Tie it off, clip off the butt end, and form a symmetrical head on the fly with your Orange thread.  Whip finish, clip it off, and finish with your head cement or resin of choice.

 

Postfly 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 The Month, e-mail me at pdinice@frontier.com .