Hobby Sports

Hook: Gamakatsu SL11-3H Size 6
Eye: Cross-eyed Conehead
Thread: Danville Flat Nylon White, Red
Tail: Chartruese Marabou
Body: Estaz
Underbody: 3MM Foam (Optional)
Connector: Heavy Mono
Color: Waterproof Marker Dark Olive

I came up with this fly from my articulated fly phase. At that time I was trying to fool bedding bass at our local city park lakes. I wanted to create a fly with alot of action and one that mimics the action of a crankbait. That is a fly that has its head pointing downward and the butt upward while wiggling as it moves. When I first tried this fly at Barrett Lake on Saturday I saw how irresistible this fly really is, I remarked to my friend Ed, "look how sexy that fly moves." And hence the name.

I dremel of the barbs of the hooks as Barrett has very strict barbless policy. Also doing so makes it possible to use the conehead. Although I created this fly for bass, Ill be using them in the bay this year when the water begins to warm up.

Tailer hook. Tie marabou tail with the white danville flat nylon.

Next cut a piece of foam making sure it is shorter than the shank of the hook. Tie the one end first and tie estaz. (*EDIT* actually leave the foam out, I find the action much better without it)

Wrap thread forward under the foam, do not wrapped the middle section of the foam. If you do so the foam will lose its buoyancy properties. Tie down the front section of the foam.

Wrap the estaz forward. Wrap finish the head and cement. Remove from vice.

Place the conehead to the lead hook and lay down a base thread with the red Danville Floss.

Tie down the heavy mono.

Place the trailing hook in the mono making sure that the hook stands true. Tie the mono down.

Tie on estaz and wrap forward.

Tie down the estaz with a lot of wraps. You want to build enough so that the conehead will not move so the eyes stay in place. Wrap finish and cement.

Last step is to use a waterproof color marker on the the top half of the each section of the fly.

Saturday I stopped by Marriotts to pick up some leaders for our outing on Sunday. I was cruising down the aisles and noticed these Fish Skull articulated shanks. Since last summer Ive been on abit of an articulated fly craze so I decided to pick up a couple. One in 20mm and one in 35mm. They had one size larger but I decided to try these ones first before I go bigger.

I was playing around with them and tied three flies. One using the 20mm and two using the 35mm. For the smaller of the two I tied a small trout baitfish pattern. I didnt quite like how the 20mm came out and will have to rework it but I did like how the 35mm came out. One is a squid pattern and the other is a leech pattern. Ive always liked my buddy, Kyung Kims squid pattern but its just too big, too heavy when wet, and too complicated to tie. I wanted something easier. Well see if mine is anywhere close to as successful as Kyungs.

Hook: TMC 777SP #6
Head: Pearl estaz
Legs: Handful of white saddle hackle with white polar fibers in the middle
Eyes: 3D Stick on eyes
2nd section
Fish Skull Shank 35mm
Body: Palmer chenile med pearl
Collar: Wrapped White marabou

Hook: TMC 777SP #6
Tail: Artic Fox
Body: Mohair yarn
Hackle: Saddle hackle
2nd section
Fish Skull Shank 35mm
Collar: Bunny strip
Eyes: Dumbell

Im not quite sure how I feel about these shanks. It might be easier to just use two hooks attached by heavy mono. Tying with the shank is somewhat problematic as it does not have a bend that the vice can grab hold of easily. Im still working out all the kinks, so well see if I decide to continue using them after the pack runs out.