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OLD FLY OF THE MONTH
PATTERNS
This section of the web
site will be dedicated to the Fly of the Month. Each month, we
will take a local fly that has been doing well on fish, and give you
step-by-step instructions on how to tie it. Many of these
flies will be submitted by local guides. Each fly will contain
a materials list, as well as a guide on how to fish it.
August Fly of the Month
The Enrico Puglisi-Style
Baitfish (submitted
by Captain John Tarr)
This
pattern is tied to be similar to the Enrico Puglisi baitfish
patterns. The fly is tied using all synthetic, EP Fibers.
These fibers are available in a huge selection of colors, making it
easy to imitate any baitfish in the world. The flies are very
light, making them a dream to cast. Since they are synthetic,
will not absorb water, meaning that they do not get heavier as the
day progresses. The materials are extremely durable, making
multiple fish on a single fly possible; my record to date is eight
redfish on a single fly, before it was retired to the showcase.
These flies have been proven effective on redfish, trout, snook,
tarpon, jacks, ladyfish, flounder, cobia, dolphin, tuna, sailfish,
and a host of other predators.
The secret
to tying this pattern is to use a very sparse section of material.
If you use too much material in the clumps, the fly becomes very
bulky and the tie-ins become much more noticeable. Although it
is hard to tell in these photos, the fly almost has a transparent
quality to it throughout. The flies can be tied bulkier to
imitate bulkier baitfish, so feel free to experiment to achieve the
look you are wanting.
Materials:
EP Fibers: Mutton
Snapper (Top), 3-D Baitfish Belly (Bottom), Sky Blue (Side)
Hook: Gamakatsu SC-15
#1/0 (These hooks have a relatively short shank, which is another
secret to the fly. They also have a wide gap, making hook-ups
easier). Owner Mosquito Hooks also work well, but must be
straightened prior to tying.
Flash Material: Although
I didn't use any in this pattern, EP Flash can be tied in (sparse
amounts), with each clump. I favor using a color similar to
that I am tying with. However, the EP Sparkle in blue, has
proven to be a great accent in the very front.
Eyes: Post-Style eyes
Glue: Zap-A-Gap and Goop
(for eyes)
Thread: Clear Mono
Thread
Tying Directions:
Prior to starting, I get my strips of
EP Fibers prepared. When you open a package, I would urge that
you use a zip strip or other style device to tie one end of the
fibers together; they come loose and will tangle easily if you
don't. You will need two strips of materials that you use for
the top and bottom of the pattern (i.e. mutton snapper and baitfish
belly here) and one strip of the side material (sky blue here).
The top and bottom strips should be about the size of a matchstick.
The side strip should be about half of that size. This will
give the fly its transparent quality.
Step 1: Place the hook in the vice,
point down and attach the clear mono thread. Move the thread
to the rear of the hook, just prior to the bend in the shank.
Cut a length of the baitfish belly material about 4 inches long.
Tie in this clump to the bottom of the hook, at the mid-point of the
material. (One piece of the material will be facing the rear,
the other facing forward). Use two wraps of thread to secure
the midpoint. Fold the material that is facing forward back
and use two more wraps to secure it. Thread control is very
important for this fly.
Step 2: Do not move the thread
forward. Place a 4 inch long strip of mutton snapper material
on the top of the hook. Use two wraps of thread to secure the
midpoint (photo 2a). Again, one portion of the material faces
the rear and one portion the hook eye. Fold the forward facing
portion back and secure with two more wraps (photo 2b). Apply
a drop of Zap-A-Gap to the area and allow to dry.
Step 3: Repeat the above
process for the belly and topside of the fly. The length of
the material can be reduced as it is tied forward, creating a
tapered look. It can also be left the same length and trimmed
with scissors at the end. These clumps should be tied in
directly in front of the clumps of step 2. Before applying the
glue, cut a clump of sky blue material about 4 inches long (I make
sure that this strip is long enough to reach from the tie in point
to the end of the fly; remember to make it twice as long as one
side, as it will be folded over to run down both sides!) Tie
in the sky blue fibers along one side of the hook, using two wraps
of thread, securing it at the midpoint of the fibers. Fold the
other half of the materials to the opposite side and secure with two
more thread wraps. The sky blue material should now be
positioned down both sides, creating a lateral line style look.
Place a drop of glue over the thread and allow to dry.
Step 4: Repeat the above
process until you have filled the shank of the hook. I average
a minimum of 5-6 clumps for each color; the more sparse the
clumps are, the more it will take and the more transparent the fly
will appear. I also leave about 1/8th of an inch of hook
between the last clump and the eye of the hook. Whip finish
the thread and coat with Zap-A-Gap.
Step 5: Remove the fly from the
vice and lay on the table. Take a toothbrush or comb and brush
the materials from front to back. This will blend the
materials together and give a much more natural look. Turn the
fly over and repeat the process.
Step 6: Using a pair of
scissors, trim the fly to the desired shape. If you feel that
you have tied in too much material, you can use a pair of thinning
sheers (like barbers use) and thin-out some of the areas; a word of
caution, be sure to cut with the thinning shears and then brush the
fly, which will remove the fibers that have been trimmed out.
Failure to brush the fly after each thinning cut will result in too
much material being removed. Once you have the desired shape,
take a burning tool (we use the Power Zap Tool) and make a hole for
the eye, towards the front, right on top of the hook shank. By
burning the hole, you create a recessed area for the eye to drop in.
Cut the majority of the post off an eye (I leave about 1/16" of the
post). Place some Goop into the hole and press the eye in
place. Repeat for the other side, being sure to match up the
location of the eyes.
Step 7: Remove the fly from the
vice and add bars or other accents with permanent markers.
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