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Virtual
Minnow
Text an photos by Barry Ord Clarke
The
original zonker pattern was tied by the American
Dan Byford and was quickly recognised the
world over as a big fish fly and extremely
realistic bait fish imitation. This original
pattern used a lead or tin sheet that was
folded over the hook shank and then cut to
shape to make the underbody. The melt glue
body gives the zonker a new life. If viewed
by a fish in reflected light, the shine and
flashing of the maylar mixed with the animation
of the rabbit, makes a first class bait fish
attractor. But when viewed by a fish in a
back-lit situation in silhouette) this pattern
really comes to life, with the light penetrating
through the transparent melt glue / maylar
body and rabbit fur guard hairs.
I
was first shown this melt glue body technique
in 1993 by the innovative Danish fly tier
Dennis Jensen who developed it for saltwater
sea trout. He used a home made mould constructed
from plastic padding. He would insert the
hook and then inject melt glue into the mold.
The result was a perfect and identical minnow
body every time. Dennis also made very subtle
body colour changes by wrapping the hook
shank first with tying thread in fluorescent
orange, green or blue. Orange when he was
imitating sticklebacks, green for other small
fish and eels and blue when fishing in deep
water.
This
technique shown here takes a few seconds
longer but still produces the same effect. .
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The
dressing |
| Hook: |
Partridge
Bucktail streamer # 6 |
| Thread: |
Red
/ Orange Nylon 8/0 |
| Under body: |
Melt glue |
| Over body: |
Clear pearlescent Mylar tubing |
| Wing/tail: |
Rabbit fur zonker strip |
| Eyes: |
Prisma tape eyes |
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THE
TYING TECHNIQUE: |
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Step
1:
After
securing the streamer hook in the vice
run a small amount of clear melt glue along
the top of the hook shank as shown.
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Step
2:
When
the glue is dry (use 10 second melt glue)
turn the hook over in the vice and carefully
form the under belly of the minnow, If your
glue is too runny you can shape the body
with a wet finger and thumb. This also quickens
the drying process. |
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Step
3:
Place
the hook the correct way in the vice and
then if you are not satisfied with your
minnow body shape, warm up the glue with
a lighter (taking care not too burn it)
and re-model again with wet finger and
thumb. You can even shape it first with
scissors and then take off the sharp edges
with the lighter.
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Step
4:
Tie
in your tying thread right behind the melt
glue body. Cut a 5-6 cm length of the mylar
tubing and remove the string core. Now place
the sleeve over the minnow body, tie this
in, fraying lcm to form the tail. |
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Step
5:
Select
a strip of rabbit zonker fur and prepare
the tail end by cutting it to a point. Taking
care not to damage the fur. |
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Step
6:
Part
the fur with the help of a dubbing needle
and moist fingers at the desired position,
and then tie it in over the same wrappings
used to secure the maylar as shown. Finish
with 2 or 3 half hitches. Apply a drop of
cement to the tail whippings. |
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Step
7:
Place
the zonker strip back over the tail of the
fly, and secure in a material clip, this
will keep the fibres out of your way and
make the next step easier. Make a couple
of loose turns around the maylar sleeve so
as to catch it just in the right position
for the head. Now before you tighten these,
pull the access maylar through the tying
thread so as to tighten the sleeve around
the body, and then pull down on your bobbin
holder so as to tighten the tying thread
and secure it in place. |
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Step
8:
Once
you have trimmed off the access maylar use
your lighter again to burn off the rest.
This is the advantage of using Nylon tying
thread,it has a much higher burning point
than plastic, so this should remain intact. |
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Step
9:
Pull
the zonker strip over the body and while
holding it tight, separate the fur at the
required position and tie in, but only with
a couple of tight turns, tight in too the
melt glue body. |
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Step
10:
Carefully
trim off the zonker strip and bum the head
once again with the lighter. If done correctly
you will see the remaining head of tanned
rabbit hide, shrink and disappear under the
tying thread,(giving a small neat finished
head) whip finish. |
Step
11:
Stick
on your chosen colour and size of Prisma
tape eye and then varnish both tail and
head whippings. |
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Step
12:
Solid
maylars can also be used to great effect
with the melt glue body for making traditional
zonker patterns. |
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All content ©
Copyright 2006. Partridge of Redditch Limited.
Use of material only in agreement with Partridge of Redditch Limited.
Partridge
of Redditch Limited
Telephone: +44 (0) 8707 602 130
email:hooks@partridge-of-redditch.com
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