Featured Fly - Foam Headed Musky Thing

So, I will start by saying "I'm Sorry", this post is going to be really long. As I was saving photos I realized the last number was 27, 27 photos to tie this thing. Anyway, now I'll tell you about it, this is not my pattern for say, but I did design the heads to go on them. This fly is basically a Brad Bohen fly, revers tied deer hair, some flash and feather. Basically, I want to make as much noise under water as possible, I designed this guy to move all over the place, and the foam wants to head to the surface, I fish it with a deep sinking line, giving it awesome action in the water. SO here we go...

Materials:

Hook: Partridge Predator Hook - 6/0 &8/0

Feathers:  Any Saddle Hackle you can Find

Flash: Holo Fly Fiber -  Black 

Bucktail: White for the rear 

Bucktail: Purple and Black for Head 

Step 1: Tie in a small clump of deer hair straight back. Then tie in some flash making the guide to how long you want the fly.

Step 2: Tie in 2 feathers as the tail. One on Each side.

Step 3: This step is the bulk of the fly. Reverse tie a clump of deer hair. Spinning it around the hook shank.

Step 4: Bring your thread forward, warp back over the deer hair, making it fold backwards. keep wrapping until the hair is folded back to where you want it.

Step 5: Repeat step 3 and 4.

Step 6: Add a few more strands of flash.

Step 7: Tie in two more feathers, you can change the color, to accent the fly.

Step 8: Repeat step 3 and 4.

Step 9: Repeat step 3 and 4.

Step 10: Add a bit more flash.

Step 11: One more set of feathers. Whip Finish, Cut off, and coat with head cement.

Step 12: Take 50-80 lb wire, and join the back hook to the front. Beads are optional. Coat with Super Glue.

Step 13: Repeat step 3 and 4.

Step 14: Repeat step 3 and 4.

STEP 15: Add two more feathers. I like to shorten them up for the front half.

Step 16: Repeat step 3 and 4.

Step 17: Repeat step 3 and 4.

Step18: Add 2 more feathers.

Step 19: Add a bit more flash. But not too much.

Step 20: Repeat step 3 and 4.

Step 21: Repeat step 3 and 4.

Step 22:  Repeat step 3 and 4.

Step 23: Add two more feathers, changing the colors again.

Step 24: Tie in the accent color of deer hair, only on the top half, and this time tie it back.

Step 25: Tie in the second accent color on the bottom, blending them together on the sides.

Step 26: Repeat steps 24 and 25.

Step 27: Take your pre-made head, coat the inside with super glue, then slide onto the fly. Make sure the head is centered on the hook eye. After the super clue cures, take a UV curing glue, and fill in the front gap, securing it to the hook, and adding a bit of weight.

The finished Fly.

Musky Flies

I think Brad Bohen said it best, "Open your musky fly box around women and they will giggle. Do that with your nymph box, see what happens."

I love that quote, Musky flies are in a class of their own, big, ridiculous, and unnecessary. Gobs of flash, feathers, and hair, make up these creations of art, that are supposed to get the apex predator to loose his mind and strike relentlessly. Musky fishing is a lot of casting, watching your fly swim in the water, and reminiscing about that last fish; so are these flies super ridiculous to get the fishes attention or to keep ours? Hard to say, but I will say tomorrow is the 1 year mark from my last and first musky to hand, what's kept me going? I think the flies have a lot to do with it, the way they move, the way they look, and of course they are fun to tie. Nothing gets you going like warping as much material as you can onto a hook, and somehow it still comes out looking like something. Something is a relative term here for sure, some say they look like a small bird, cast like a wet sock, and move water like an open cup being popped under the water. Either way tying them is just as much fun as fishing them.

It's Musky season and I've started tying like crazy. Today was the first time this year I saw a musky sunning in the shallows, if thats not enough to get you into the musky hunt, I sure don't know what else could. Here are a few patterns and color combos that I have ready for this season.

Hang Time variation, Musky Fly 

White and Fl. Chart. Musky Fly 

I love the big articulated Musky Flies  

This one should move some water