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Red and White Bead Chain Whistler

by Elaine Cook --- fly tying chairman

This pattern can be used for stripers, pike, salmon, steelhead or ocean fish depending on size. These directions are approite for stripers. Use a fast sinking line and rapid long strips. The overall length of this fly should be about 3 1/2 “. This fly will turn upside down when fished.

Hook: Mustad 34007 size 1    1.Crimp Barb.

Thread: White very strong, ie: flat waxed nylon or monocord    1.Attach behind eye.  2.Touching wraps to mid shank then forward to one and half eye lengths behind eye.

Eyes: Lg. bead chain, cut in sets of 2     1.Attach to top of shank with many figure eight and circular wraps.  2.Apply Zap-A-Gap or similar glue.  3.Thread wraps to mid shank.

Upper Body: Red Bucktail    1.Cut clump from hide about size of wooden matchstick.   2.Pull out long fibers from tips and line up with others.   3. Cut butt ends at an angle 3 1/8 ” from tips.   4.Attach to top of shank behind barbells wrapping back to mid shank.   5.Repeat with a second clump.  6.Apply glue.

Mid Body: Mega Baitfish Emulator-pearl    1.Cut about 1/8″ of binding.  2.Attach strands behind barbells to top of shank tips at rear of fly.

Lateral Line: Neck grizzly hackle    1.Select 2 feathers, barbs equal to hook gap.   2.Cut stem 3″ from tip.  3.Cut about 10 barbs short on each side of butt end of stem forming a “crew cut”.   Tie one “crew cut” in on each side of shank behind barbells.

Lower Body: white Bucktail     1.Repeat like upper body but only use 1 clump.

Thorax: red chenille-lg.     1.Strip fuzz off exposing threads.   2.Tie in threads.   3.Advance thread to barbells.   4.Wrap chenille forward.    5.Tie off, cut excess.

Hackle: Very webby Grizzly hackle with very playable barbs.     1.Select feather, barbs equal to 1 1/2 hook gap.   2.Cut off fuzzy end and prepare “crew cut”.   3.With dark side up, tip to rear, tie in “crew cut between barbells on top of chenille.    4.Stroke barbs to rear while wrapping hackle 3 times behind barbells.   5.Tie off, cut excess.   6.Moisten fingers, hold barbs back, make a couple thread wraps to hold them toward rear.

Head: Tying Thread     1.Make a number figure 8 wraps around barbells.   2. Form a small tapered nose infront of eyes.   3. Whip finish, cut thread.    4.Apply glue to nose and thread between barbells.