Discussion: This fly gets down quickly, rides with the hook point up, has a crazy amount of movement in the water, and is extremely easy to tie. So far I have caught large-mouth bass, small-mouth bass, saugeye, white crappie, and large bluegill on it out of a local lake.Recipe:
Hook: Size 8 nymph hook
Thread: Size “A” rod wrapping, color to match the hackle
Eyes: Painted lead 1/8”
Over-body: Barred olive zonker strip
Body: Olive grizzly hackle
Glue: Flexible cement of your choice ( I use “booger glue”)
I make a batch run of tying on eyes, and will tie a dozen or two on the hooks, letting them sit overnight before actually tying flies.
Stab the zonker strip with the hook and leave it to the rear of the hook. Start the thread at the front of the hook,
Tie in an over-sized hackle feather, one with the barbs about twice the gap of the hook.
Palmer the hackle all the way to the eye. Try to get the entire feather used, leaving the soft parts of the feather towards the front.
Lay the zonker strip over the top of the palmered hackle and tie off. Trim the zonker strip on both ends, whip finish and glue.
Olive sculpin, finished fly
That is one ugly fly 🙂
Thanks for continuing to share tying innovations and catching successes while you’re in Colorado.