Superhair rattler

 

This is a good alternative to the zonker rattler particularly for estuary species. It lends itself to fishing on a fast sink line and a jerky active retrieve with plenty of stops. It's also a good idea to count the fly down so that you can identify what depth fish are holding at.

Materials

Hook Thread for eyes Eyes Thread Body Tail
Size 2 long shank stainless steel White cotton 3/16 painted dumbbell lead eyes Clear monofilament Mylar or plastic tubing with glass rattle inside Zonker strip or super hair

Process

A
  1. Starting at the 95% position wind the white cotton 1/3 of the way along the hook shank in touching turns.
  2. Secure the Dumb Bell eyes on top of the hook shank at the 1/4 point using figure 8 wraps. To tighten the connection wrap the thread around the base of the eyes on top of the hook shank.
  3. Take a couple of tight half hitches of the white cotton in front of the eyes.
  4. Tie the clear monofilament in on top of the white cotton and then trim away the excess cotton.
  5. Secure the eyes in place with couple of drops of super glue.
  6. Positioning of the eyes at the 1/4 point is important because you need to leave enough room in front of the eyes to tie in the dressings and to form a nice shaped head. Using cotton and super glue will ensure that the eyes don't move.

B
  1. Tie in the Mylar tubing in front of the eyes and whilst holding the Mylar tubing forward wind the thread to the bend of the hook.
  2. Push a rattle chamber up the Mylar tubing all the way to the eyes and then lay the Mylar tubing along the top of the hook shank with the rattle inside.

C
  1. Tie the Mylar tubing off behind the eyes and above the point of the hook with the tag end extending of the tubing extending a distance equal to about 2/3 the length of the hook as a tail.
  2. Whip finish the thread above the point of the hook and trim the thread.

D
  1. Mix a little 5 minute epoxy and apply a thin coat over the body of the fly taking care not to put any epoxy in front of the eyes or beyond the tie in position above the point of the hook.
  2. Rotate the fly whilst the epoxy goes off to ensure a uniform finish.

E
  1. Put the fly back in the vice and attach the thread in front of the eyes.
  2. Tie a length of super hair in directly in front of the eyes but on the bottom of the hook shank.
  3. The fibres should partly camouflage the bend of the hook and finish directly under the tail of the fly.
  4. Trim the excesssuperhair and build up a neat cone head.
  5. Whip finish the head, trim the thread and varnish the finished head of the fly.



Last Updated: June 8, 2011
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Categories: Bass, EP's, perch and saratoga flies, Flies, Saltwater - estuary, Streamers & pulling flies
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