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Brian Gent is a regular customer and he has kindly taken the time to share a couple of secrets. Brian tied a Dozen of these flies for a Bespoke tying a few months ago. I kept a couple back as they were rather nice, so nice that I imagine they may never see action and remain in my own personal collection of Saltwaterflies. This pattern is perfect for a number of species from Pike to GT.
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Hooks - S/Shank size 2 -4/0 (I use Gamakatsu SC15's or UK salt V cut hooks )
Tying Thread 8/0 - This is most important, in order to avoid bulk at tying in points
Marterials EP Fibres in whatever colour comination suits, and a small amount of Pearl DNA Chromosone Flash. (In the flies illustrated, I used White, Baitfish Belly, Grey, Menehaden, and Red E/P Fibres, but that's 'cos I am fussy, and I am sure the fish don't give a hoot for such refinements!
Step 1
Take a length of White EP fibres and tie in at the rear of the hook, as illustrated. Fold the length of fibres facing towards the eye of the hook back over your tie in point, to lay level with the material facing away from the hook.
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Step 2
Take 2 more lengths of White EP fibres, and tie them in on each side of the shank, more or less under the hook, making sure that they are slightly shorter than the fibres previously tied. (see picture in step 5 if you need to see this tying sequence)
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Step 3
Repeat step 1 with a length of Baitfish Belly EP fibres, making sure that these fibres when swept back are slightly shorter than the length of those used in step 1. When secured, get a small brush or comb, and brush until all three tyings blend together, and you will see the profile beginning to develop. This brushing/combing blending process should now be carried out at every remaining step of the tying procedur
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Step 4.
Repeat step 3, again making sure that the fibres finish up slightly shorter than those tied in step 3. At this point, in order to ultimately gain the correct profile, when tying in you should attempt to build up a base wall infront of the fibres, (As per Bob Pop's Hollow Fleye Tying Technique) and only tie over the actual fibre base with the absolute minimum of turns.
Add a smear of head cement, or super glue gel to the thread wall to secure, and then add a sparse amount (4 or 5 strands) of pearl chromosone flash, which should be tied in exactly the same way as the EP fibres, but spread around the body, rather than allowed to just remain on top of the tying.
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Adding DNA Chromosone flash, tied in by the same method as the EP high ties.
Step 5.
You will have to judge this one for yourself as the profile of the fly develops, and much depends upon how much material you are actually using in the tying process, but it is quite likely that you will now need another low tie in order to maintain the correct overall proportions. This is achieved by repeating step 2 at a point immediately infront of where you have just secured the flash. (There is no need to secure the low ties by the wall of thread method) |
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Step 6
Having completed step 5 you will probably now need to fill out the side of the fly, but again this depends on the amount of materials used in each tie. However, presuming this to be the case, take two sparse lengths of baitfish belly EP fibres and tie in one each side of the hook so as they lay parrellel to the hook shank, and the ends reach back almost as far as the points of your very first tying. Keep these lengths sparse, (just enough to cover any gaps in the tyings that may have developed along the side of the hookshank) otherwise, rather than finishing up with a 3d effect, you will finish up with a "fat boy fly" resembling a blown up puffer fish...minus the spikes of course!!
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Step 7 Mid Ties as described in Step 6 above Repeat the above sequence until within 1/4" of the hook eye, working on the basis of filling with high ties of Baitfish Belly EP fibres until just past the half way point along the hook shank then swapping over to Gray for a couple of ties, and then Menehaden for the final tie. At the same time you should be adding low ties of White EP fibres where appropriate.
Having tied in all of the materials to within 1/4" of the hook eye, try and ensure that the high ties and low ties are even, and that there is around 1/4" of the hook shank still left bare, both at the top and bottom of the hook. (You may also wish to add a little more flash before reaching this final tie point)
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Step 8
Now make one more high tie of Menahaden EP fibres, and a mid tie each side of the hook of Gray EP fibres. This mid tie should be very sparse and the fibres should reach back to around the end of the hookshank, but not past the bend. Blend it all together buy the brush and comb method.
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Step 9 Tie in Red EP or Unique Hair
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Step 10 Finished fly should look something like this....But Don't worry we have the technology!!! |
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Step 11
Take your finished fly, lay it on a flat surface, and thoroughly brush it through on both sides until all the fibres are blended , and it really does now look nothing like, that which it is ultimately supposed to. |
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Step12
Now we need trim the fly to shape, and having sprayed the tying with hair spray until the whole fly is as stiff as a board, it really is very easy to achieve your desired shape. For the fibres are easier to cut and shape than paper..
It is better to carry out the trimming procedure with the fly held in one hand, whilst trimming with your scissors in the other.
I like to work with a couple of cuts on the top followed by a couple underneath, until I am satisfied the overall profile is that which I am aiming to achieve, and the entire trimming process should take less than a couple of minutes. |
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The first picture in the sequence shows the fly after I have made just one cut with a sharp pair of long blade scissors on the top of the fly and one on the bottom, which took around 10 seconds, and already you will see the shape of the fly beginning to emerge. I would not have normally made such a harsh or long cut, but did so just to show how easy it is with the hair spray technique to trim the fibres Step 13
Having trimmed your fly to the desired profile and size, all that now remains is to add the eyes, and here the choice is yours. You can either use flat stick on eyes, or raised dolls eyes, as is my preference,
If you prefer the former, all you need to do is to spread a bit of goop in the area you wish to place your eyes (On both sides of course!) stick your eyes on top of the goop, and if desired give the head, from the hook eye, up to just beyond the eyes, a coat of 5 minute epoxy.
Should you wish to use the dolls eyes, which i think is a neater way of finishing off, you will need the dolls eyes of the appropriate size that come with stalks attaching to the rear.�
Cut the stalks off of a pair of eyes, almost, but not quite flush to the back of the eye. Now take your fly, and at the desired point where you wish to place your eyes, and with the aid of a fine pointed soldering iron, or better still a Cauterizer, carefully burn a small hole through the fibres until you can see the hookshank within. Fill the hole you have just made with super glue gel (Please do not try this with ordinary super glue as you will get into a right mess, and probably ruin the fly) and carefully place the dolls eye, with the little stub left at the back, within the hole. Gently press this down against the hook shank, where it will bond. Repeat the process on the other side of the fly, add a black dot with a Marker Pen and you are done.
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Tools and equipment required to secure eyes...If you look closely at the fly you can see the hole I have burned through the fibres |
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Done!
I am sorry if this step by step sequence seems to suggest that the bunker is a difficult and time consuming fly to dress, for whilst the explanation of the tying sequence was certainly just that (well to me it was!!!) I can assure you that the actual tying process is anything but, and with just a little practise, the whole sequence from the bare hook to the ready to fish finished article will take around 7 or 8 minutes. (A bit longer if you go down the epoxy route)
This tying tequnique works with most deep bodied bait fish imitations, through a wide range of hook sizes and body lengths, and is particularly useful for tying very small baby bunker (and the like0 imitations, down to about 1.5" in length. |
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