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1. Begin behind the hook eye and wrap the thread
along the first one-quarter inch of the hook shank and tie in a sparse
bunch of marabou strands along the bottom of the shank.
2. Tie in a bunch of tan (or other color) Marabou
along the top of the hook shank followed by four to six strands of silver
Angel Hair placed along both sides of the hook shank.
3. Tie in two strands of black Flashabou along
both sides of the fly at the color separation and whip finish the head.
This imitation lateral line can be important when finicky gamefish are
feeding on anchovies.
4. Apply the 2mm stick-on eyes and add throat color
with a red pen. Put a drop of a super-glue between the eyes to hold things
in place while you're applying the epoxy.
5. Mix the epoxy and apply it to the materials
along the hook shank, working front to back. Rotate the pattern while
the epoxy sets and allow it to cure overnight before introducing it to
the water.
Size can often be critically important when gamefish
are feeding on "rainbait." Tying the pattern on hooks as small as a Size
6 or even 8 isn't unheard of, and might even spell the difference between
a make or break outing. But don't let the small size of these patterns
trick you into dropping down to a lightweight fly rod. As the old saying
goes, "Elephants eat peanuts," and a big bass can inhale one of these
tiny baitfish with as much gusto as a larger one.
Scott Copeland is a physical therapist and fly
rodder from Bridgeport, Connecticut. "Every chance that I get from April
through November is spent fly fishing the Sound," he says, "particularly
the area between Fairfield and Norwalk. I have been a life-long saltwater
angler, but have been fly fishing the salt for only four years. Part of
the appeal of fly fishing for me is to tie limitless patterns and experiment
with different designs of my own creation."
Scott can be reached via e-mail to
skcope@mindspring.com/.
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