Paul's October 2024 Fly of the Month

 Classic Rabbit Zonker

Hook:  3x or 4x Long Streamer hook Size #2 & #6.

Thread:  140 Denier or 6/0, Black (for head) & Red (for rear tie in point).

Weight:  .020 or .025 Lead Wire or Lead Free Wire. 

Body:  Medium Silver or Pearl Mylar Tubing with cotton core.    

Back & Tail:  Rabbit Zonker Strip in color of choice.

Saddle Hackle/Collar:  Red Saddle Hackle or color of choice.

Head:  Black Thread.

Adhesive: Head Cement or UV Cure Resin.

Zonkers are a staple in my fly box.  You can tie them in any color.  Some Fly Tyers  use different body materials.  I’ve chosen to tie my Zonker here in a ‘Classic’ style with Mylar Tubing for the body.  Been doing them that way for years.

To tie this fly, place your hook in the vice.  Take your Wire and take 8-15 wraps on the hook shank.  ‘Helicopter’ off the butt ends.  Position the lead at ‘mid-shank’ on the hook.  Start your red thread on the hook and wrap over the lead securing it in place.  Bring your thread down to near the bend of the hook over the barb.  Noe prepare your Mylar Tubing with cotton core.  Cut it to a length a hook shank and a half in length.  Pull out the cotton core.  Now slide it onto the hook shank and let it extend beyond the bend by letting the end of it fray.  You can help it fray with a bodkin or the points of your scissors.  The frayed end should extend about a hook gap length beyond the bend.  Pinch the end with your left hand and secure the tubing to the hook shank with 6-8 tight wraps of your thread.  Now half hitch it and apply a drop or two of head cement or UV resin to lock it down. 

Align your Rabbit strip on top of the hook shank.  Again, it should be approximately a hook shank and a half in length.  I usually tie mine to extend a little further than the frayed end of the Mylar Tubing.  Preen the Rabbit strip hairs apart to create a tie in point.   Take 8-10 securing wraps with your thread.  Lift the rabbit strip and take some securing wraps in front of the tie in point.  To lock it in place you can half hitch your thread over the Zonker and hook shank or apply a drop of UV resin.  I do both.  Cut off the butt end of your Red Thread.  Sweep the excess Rabbit strip reward.

Next, squeeze and push the Mylar Tubing up over the eye.  Trim it even with the eye.  Pull your Tubing back a little bit and start your black thread behind the eye of the hook.  Once secure cut off the butt end.  Push the Tubing forward and secure it with wraps of thread behind the eye.  Trim the excess Mylar strands with your scissors and create an even & flat thread base for your hackle and head.  Take your saddle hackle and strip off the webby fibers.  The hackle fibers should be just under a hook shank in length.  Tie it on to the body head with the shiny side of the feather facing you.  Cut off the butt end and place your thread in the middle of the head.  Sweep he hackle fibers rearward and take 3-4 wraps around the hook shank.  Secure the hackle with 3 wraps of your thread and snipe off the excess.  Take a few more thread wraps to sweep your Collar back. 

Bring your Rabbit strip forward.  Like you did at the rear, part the hair fibers to create a tie in point at the head.  Now take wraps to secure your Rabbit strip to the hook shank.  Cut the excess Rabbit strip off at an angle in line with the hook eye. Cover the butt end with thread wraps creating a tapered head.  Whip finish the fly, cut off the butt end of your thread, and apply Head Cement or UV Resin. 

Tightlinevideo 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, I can be reached at pdinice@frontier.com .