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Super
Bunker
by
Jaiem Fleischmann
Bunker (a.k.a. Mossbunker, Menhaden, Pogies, etc.)
are the "potato chips" of the baitfish community. Just about all inshore
and near-shore gamefish feed on bunker, including striped bass, bluefish,
weakfish, drum, cobia, snook, and tarpon.
This pattern effectively imitates the small "peanut
bunker" bait that has been especially common in our local waters for several
seasons. The translucent qualities of Super Hair add a very life-like
appearance to this pattern.
An Owner hook is used to ensure strength and sharpness,
but a Gamakatsu, Trey Combs, or similar hook can be substituted.
Replace the olive Super Hair with blue and you
have a good herring simulation pattern, too.
Materials
- Hook
-- Size 2/0 or 3/0 Owner Aki (or equivalent)
- Lower
Wing -- Super Hair, white
- Upper
Wing -- Super Hair, white, pink, olive, black or brown
- Throat
-- Krystal Flash -- red
- Flash
-- Gliss `N Glow, Comes Alive or similar in pearl white
and silver
- Thread
-- Danville Flat, white
- Eye
-- 3D Stick-On, size #6 (3/8")
- Misc.
-- Head cement, Goop
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Steps
1. Form the lower wing by tying
a medium section of white Super Hair, 3 inches long, on the under
side of the hook, extending back past the bend.
2. Add six to eight strands of
red Krystal Flash, approximately one-quarter of an inch long, on top
of the lower wing to simulate gills.
3. On top of the hook, start by
tying on another medium section of white Super Hair, 3 inches long.
4. On top of that, add a thin
section of pink Super Hair, 3 inches long.
5. Next, tie in a thin section
of olive Super Hair, 3 inches long.
6. Finally, top it off with a
thin section of black or brown Super Hair, 3 inches long.
7. Tie three strands of pearl
and three strands of silver Gliss `N Glow, Comes Alive, Flashabou,
or similar material along both sides of the fly. Trim the flash to
the same length as the Super Hair.
8. Whip finish the head and coat
well with head cement.
9. Place a drop of Goop on the
back of each 3D eye and press it onto the pattern behind the head.
Press both eyes firmly together, causing the Super Hair to spread
out, forming a broad side profile.
10. Allow to dry thoroughly.
Jaiem Fleischmann is a
professional tier whose patterns are available through his unique
fly rodders' Internet website -- www.artsnflies.com
-- that also includes original angling art and books.
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