Bodkin / Patterns

Lite Brite Zonker

Streamer · Trout · Smallmouth Bass · Largemouth Bass · Pike · Intermediate · 1 version

Reference Recipe

  • Hook 4XL streamer hook, 4-8
  • Thread Black 6/0 (140 denier)

Materials

  • Lead-free wire Natural lead wire (12-15 turns)
  • Mylar tubing or Lite Brite dubbing (body) Pearl / rainbow (1 body length)
  • Rabbit zonker strip Olive, black, or natural rabbit zonker strip (1 strip)
  • Bead-chain or dumbbell eyes (optional) Silver bead chain eyes medium (1 pair)
  • Krystal Flash (optional gills) Red holographic tinsel (few strands)

How to tie it

  1. Lay a thread base and wrap 12-15 turns of lead-free wire over the middle of the shank; bind it down flat.
  2. Build the body: slide mylar tubing over the shank and bind both ends, or dub a fat shiny Lite Brite body from bend to just short of the eye.
  3. Bind the front of a rabbit zonker strip down at the eye, then stretch it back over the top and part the fur to find the hide.
  4. Anchor the strip at the tail with 3-4 tight thread wraps through the parted fur so it lies flat along the back, leaving a tail one gap-width long past the bend.
  5. Add a few strands of red Krystal Flash at the throat for gills if desired.
  6. Whip finish at the head and saturate the tie-down wraps with cement so the strip cannot pull free.

Tying videos

← All fly patterns