Flashtail Minnow SBS

June’s fly of the month is one that I had some success with for trout in Georgia back in April, it should also be a killer bass and redfish fly though as it’s one of the most realistic looking flies I’ve seen in the water. Blake tied this up and provides his instructions below:

Materials:

– Flashabou

– Zonker strip

– Flash chenille

– Wool roving

– Doll eyes

Step 1. Use your bodkin to punch a hole at the end of the zonker strip. Use your bobbin threader to pull a few pieces of flash through the hole.

Step 2. Mount a needle in the vice and start the thread on the end with only a few wraps.

Step 3. Tie the flash together behind the zonker keeping it from falling out. I’m sure I could have just tied it in to the shank of the hook, but I just wanted a little flash at the back of the fly, so I did it this way.

Step 4. Whip finish, pull the whole thing off the needle, use your choice of cement on the threads.

Step 5. Mount hook in vice and lay down a thread base to the bend of the hook.

Step 6. Add whatever amount of lead that you want along the hook shank and cover with thread.

Step 7. Tie in zonker with a couple wraps at the start of the hook bend.

Step 8. Tie in the flash chenille and palmer up the fly leaving enough room for the zonker tie in and the head.

Step 9. Do your best to part the flash on the top of the hook, pull over the strip, and tie it in.

Step 10. Use whatever material you like to make the head. I used some wool roving that I got from Joann fabric. It’s a lot of material. I don’t remember the cost, but since it isn’t made for fly tying, I’m sure its cheap. I skipped some steps here by accident. I tied one clump of white on the bottom, then one clump of green on the top. Pull back and make a couple wraps on the shank to secure, and then repeat behind the hook eye. I only used 2 separate tie ins, but if you use less material, you may need more. You end up with something like this.

Step 11. Whip finish behind the hook eye and trim the fly to the desired shape. I like to go pretty tall on the top and bottom, and pretty short on the sides.

Step 12. Cut the extra plastic off the back of a doll eye and glue on. I like to use household goop. It doesn’t run, gets in the fibers well, and holds the eyes on well. A little more trimming after the eyes are on and I’m left with a finished fly.

Enjoy, and as always, a little proof of concept: