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Posts tagged "instructions"

Rabbit Strip Leech Fly Pattern

Posted by Ted Kraimer - September 9, 2013
Swing Leech - Rabbit Strip Leech

Rabbit Strip Leech. Sometimes called a String Leech.

Swinging flies for steelhead is becoming more popular with anglers using two-handed switch and spey rods. While the classic wets and “spey” style flies catch fish, patterns that are closer to streamers have proved effective. These larger patterns can bring a little more attention to themselves as they swim through an expansive run or in dirty or stained water. A rabbit strip leech or swing leech is about as basic as it gets for a pattern of this nature offering a good profile, action/moment and a proven track record.

Swing Leech - Steelhead Fly Pattern

Anglers that swing or strip streamers often complain that fish nip at the tail, missing the hook. This pattern places the hook near the end of the tail by using a loop of Berkley Fireline. This has three distinct advantages: 1. allows you to replace the hook in the event that it dulls or becomes bent further extending the life of the fly; 2. places the hook at the back of the fly where “nipping” fish will find it; and 3. eliminates the fouling of the long tail around the hook bend. This method/design works well with a number of streamers – try incorporating a loop in your fly patterns.

This pattern is only an example of one of the potential color schemes you can try. Try different color rabbit strips (browns, olive, white or black), ice dubs, collars, etc. to meet your needs and desires and fully make your fly box versatile by using various sized eyes for different conditions – from lead eyes to bead chain.

Top 5 Steelhead Flies - Leech Pattern - Miles Davis

The “Miles Davis” is a slight variation.

Recipe

Shank:                  Mustad 3366 2/0
Rear Hook:           Gamakatsu Octopus or Drop Shot
Thread:                 Fly Master Plus – Black
Tail:                      Black Rabbit Strip
Tube:                   Black Tube
Body:                   Black Rabbit Strip
Collar:                 Black Schlappen
Wing:                  Flashabou – Black Holographic
Dub:                    Ice Dub – Peacock

Tying Instructions

Swing Leech - Step 1

Step 1. Insert hook in vise jaws and add a base layer of thread from behind hook eye to above barb.

Swing Leech - Step 2

Step 2. Cut a section of 20# Fireline – approximately 7 inches and fold in half. The loop end should extend off the back of the hook at a distance that meets your fly size needs – this example will extend two inches.

Swing Leech - Step 3

Swing Leech - Step 3.5

 

Step 3. Wrap the Fireline on top of the hook shank with tying thread. Place cut ends
of Fireline down through the hook eye and along the underside and wrap some
more. Whip finish and tie off. Apply a coat of Zap-A-Gap to secure and allow to dry.

Swing Leech - Step 4

Swing Leech - Step 4.5

 

Step 4. Using a tube fly vise or adapter, tie a  1/4 inch section of tube to the end part of your rabbit strip.
Be careful you don’t wrap over the rabbit hair but only over the pelt itself. Tie off.

Swing Leech - Step 5

Step 5. Start thread behind hook eye and wrap back to where previous wraps are.
Tie in Rabbit strip so the Fire Line loop goes through the tube and extends where
the pelt of the rabbit strip extends to the end of the loop. Do not trim Rabbit.

Swing Leech - Step 6

Step 6. Take remaining rabbit and wrap along hook shank towards hook eye,
sweeping rabbit hair backwards. Stop about 1/2″ behind hook eye.

Swing Leech - Step 7

Step 7. Figure-8 the eyes on the bottom of the shank so that the rabbit fur strip remains up.

Swing Leech - Step 8Step 8. Tie in Flashabou wing with staggered ends without any strands extending beyond the rabbit.

Swing Leech - Step 9Step 9. Wrap the schlappen forming a shoulder on the fly.

Swing Leech - Step 10

Swing Leech - Step 10.5

 

Step 10. Take a clump of ice dub and place it on top of the hook extending
backwards a little bit. Dub the rest of the head loosely and pick out.

Swing Leech - Step 11
Step 11.
Whip finish and cut line. Using side cutters, cut the bend off  the hook.
Thread the Fireline loop through the piece of tubing attached to the rabbit and attach
a hook by pushing the loop through the hook eye and over the hook then drawing tight.

Swing Leech - Rabbit Strip Leech
Finished Rabbit Strip Swing Leech

Notes:  Tie up a few shanks with Fireline loops during one session to speed up the process.

how to tie a rabbit strip leech, instructions, loop leech, loop streamer, rabbit strip leech, spey, string leech, strip leech fly pattern, swinging flies, two-handed rods

Flashtail Whistler – Fire Tiger

Posted by Jeanne Kraimer - March 12, 2012
Whistler Fly Pattern - Fire Tiger

Fire Tiger Whistler

Originally this pattern was designed by Dan Blanton for saltwater use, but over the years it has been adopted by freshwater anglers for its versatility and effectiveness. This pattern is one of the must-have flies that will work in various colors for various species – if it is a predator, it will eat the Whistler.

Beyond pike and musky, I have found various sizes and colors to work well for trout, bass and salmon. The color choices are endless and this particular scheme is a favorite of salmon when they first are in the river. Anglers using lures for these fresh salmon have an affinity for Storm Thunderstick lures in Fire Tiger and it’s effectiveness has led me to tying this fly pattern in a similar color scheme. Make sure your fly box is filled with yellow/red, white/red, chart./olive, olive/yellow, orange/olive, and gray/white to be
equipped and ready for various species in various situations.

Whistler - Blanton's - Assorted Colors

Assortment of Colors for an Assortment of Species

Like the name suggests, there is a liberal amount of flash tied into the tail that not only provides flash, but also action.

The bead-chain eyes “whistle” as you cast the fly through the air. The physical weight of this pattern makes it easy to cast and it retains little water helping to keep it light weight. The thin profile of this pattern causes it to sink slowly which is ideal for shallow water and floating lines while it allows for decent penetration of the water column when fished with sink-tips. Further, you can mitigate the bead chain eyes with other, heavy sinking eyes if you are looking to get the fly even deeper.

Recipe:

Hook:        Gamakatsu B10S, TMC 811S, 600SP; Size: 3/0 – 6
Thread:      Fly Master + or Uni 3/0 – Chartreuse
Tail:           Flashabou – A mix of Kelly Green, Green Glow-in-the-dark, and Chartreuse
Body:         Bucktail – Flo. Orange, Kelly Green and Black
Wing:         Chartruese Grizzly Saddle hackle. Krystal Flash – Chartreuse
Throat:      Red Dubbing (I like Pseudo Seal, Angora Goat or Simi-Seal) or Red Chenille
Collar:       Highlander Green Schlappen
Eyes:          X-Large Bead Chain – Stainless Steel

Tying Instructions

Whistler - Step 1Step 1. Wrap a thread base to above the hook point and take thread back to
behind the hook and tie in bead-chain eyes on the underside of the hook.

Whistler - Step 2Step 2. Tie in Flashabou tail – 3 times hook shank length. [The pictured fly’s
tail is a little shorter which was done for photographing reasons]

Whistler - Step 3Step 3. Invert hook and tie in orange bucktail so tips extend one hook shank length behind the bend
of the hook. Trim excess and wrap in between butts to get a good purchase and secure.

Whistler - Step 4Step 4. Return hook to normal position. Tie in top bucktail to same length as
bottom section, but slightly denser to ensure the fly swims right side up. Majority
of the top color is Kelly Green with some black on top to match the color scheme.
Trim excess and secure. Tie in a few strands of Krystal Flash on each side.

Whistler - Step 5Whistler - Step 5.5

 

Step 5. Prepare saddle hackle by trimming some of the fibers, but leaving the butts to
allow for a secure mount. Pinch the stem of the feather flat with smooth faced hemostats or
pliers to keep the feather from rotating when mounted. Mount on each side of the fly with
natural feather curves bending in. The tips should be the same length as the bucktail. Tie in
additional Krystal Flash over the hackle wings extending aprox. the same length as the hackle.

Whistler - Step 6Step 6. Loosely dub over the thread wraps with some red dubbing. This not only helps to protect the
materials, but also gives an appearance of gills. The original pattern was tied with red chenille, but I
prefer the low profile of dubbing which also makes for a textured surface to tie in the schlappen feathers.

Whistler - Step 7Step 7. Tie in 2 or 3 large Schlappen feathers by their tips between the dubbing and eyes. Be sure
to tie schlappen in where fibers are long enough (aprox. just larger than a hook gape).

Whistler - Step 8Step 8. Wind all the feathers together forward to just behind the eyes and tie down. Whip finish and tie off.

Whistler With Action DiscOptional: When fishing, try using a Wiggle Fin Action Disc on the line in front of the fly. This plastic
dish creates a unique wobble and imparts a lot of action when pulled slowly. The resulting wiggle/motion
of the fly and the flashabou tail is seductive. Click here for the Wiggle Fin website.

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bass, dan blantons flashtail whistler pattern, effective and verstile streamer pattern, firetiger, how to tie, instructions, salmon, steelhead, streamer, trout, whistler recipe, wiggle fin action disc
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