Bodkin / Patterns

Bonefish Scampi Lead Eye

Shrimp · Bonefish · Redfish · Permit · Sea Trout · Advanced · 1 version

Consensus of Deneki and The Confluence Fly Shop

  • Hook Daiichi 2546 or Tiemco 811S, 2-4
  • Thread Fluorescent fire orange 140 denier UTC

Materials

  • Eyes Lead eyes (silver mini lead per Deneki; large lead on camera at Confluence)
  • Tail Pearl mylar tubing
  • Body Pearl flat diamond braid
  • Wing Tan rabbit zonker strip
  • Over wing Craft fur (cream per Deneki, tan per Confluence)
  • Flash Pearl Krystal Flash (Deneki), root beer Krystal Flash (Confluence)

How to tie it

  1. Secure the thread and tie in the lead eyes at about the 1/3 position of the shank with figure-eight wraps; build a small thread bump behind them so they seat without twisting.
  2. Catch in a length of pearl mylar tubing as a tail (about a third to half a shank long), pick the fibres out so they move freely, and advance the thread back to just behind the eyes, covering the shank in touching turns.
  3. Catch in a length of pearl flat diamond braid just behind the eyes.
  4. Wrap the braid down the shank in touching turns toward the hook point, stopping just short of the tail to leave a band of orange thread at the butt; add a touch of super glue and reverse the braid back over the first layer all the way to the eyes.
  5. Cover the eyes with the braid in an X pattern and tie off in front of the eyes.
  6. Remove the fly from the vise and push the hook point through the leather of a tan rabbit zonker strip so about 1/4 inch of leather sticks out the back.
  7. Slide the zonker down the bend so the leather lies flat on the shank, pull it tight enough to lie flat, tie it off at the head and trim the excess.
  8. Catch in a small clump of craft fur as an over wing (optionally bar it with a permanent marker).
  9. Double a single strand of Krystal Flash and tie a strand in on each side of the craft fur, slightly longer than the wing.
  10. Form a clean tapered head, whip finish, add cement or glue, and coat the body and thread wraps for durability.

Tying videos

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