Fly Of The Month

March 2000
John's Bunker Fly

This fly is a basic high tie with the addition of some of the newer materials available on the market. When peanut bunker are present, I find this pattern will out fish all others, including some bunker patterns I have relied on for years. Making this fly is a bit time consuming with all the steps involved, however, I think most will find it productive enough to maintain a supply in your arsenal.

Materials

Hook-Tiemco 800s or Eagle Claw 254ss2/0to 4/0

Thread – Monocord

White bucktail

Olive bucktail

White Polafibre

White Fluorofibre

Hot pink Fluorofibre

Chartreuse Fluorofibre

Flash – Come’s Alive in mother of pearl or pink. Sparkleflash in Artic Pearl, UV Pink Pearl, or UV Yellow Pearl.

Eyes – 3-D Molded

Epoxy

Black Magic Marker

Tying Steps

1.- Wrap hook shank with monocord from hook eye to bend.

2.- Loosely tie in 1/8" clump of white Polafibre at the bend of the hook. The material should extend one hook length past the bend. Work the material to both sides of the shank and secure.

3.- On top of this, tie in a hank of white Fluorofibre about the thickness of the lead of a pencil. This material should extend beyond the Polafibre about ¼". As an option I tie in about 8 to 10 strands of flash above the fluorofibre. 4.- On top of this, tie in another 1/8" hank of white Polafibre.

5.- Tie in a hank of white bucktail on the top of the shank extending the length of the Polafibre. You may make the bucktail as thick as you desire to accommodate the effect you wish to get. 6.- Starting immediately forward of the previous tie, but on the bottom of the shank, tie in a hank of white bucktail extending the length of the Polafibre. Separate the hairs to pass on either side of the hook bend. You may choose to tie in two clumps instead, one on each side of the shank.

7.- Tie in another hank of white bucktail about ¼" forward of the first top bunch. Work the bucktail around the hook shank before locking down.

8.- Measuring from directly forward of the last tie, to about half the distance from the hook bend to the end of our rearmost bucktail, cut a pencil lead thickness of pink Fluorofibre, and secure to the side of the hook shank on both the near and far side. 9.- Move forwards and secure a hank of white bucktail to the top of the hook shank. Again, work the bucktail around the hook shank before securing.

10.- As in step 8, tie in chartreuse Fluorofibre on both near and far side, allowing the material to sit slightly above the pink Fluorofibre.

11.- Tie in a clump of white bucktail on the bottom of the hook shank as in step 6

12.- Move forward and tie in one more clump of white bucktail on top of the hook.

13.- Complete by tying in a clump of olive bucktail on top of the hook at the hook eye, and whip finish.

14.- Add stick on eyes and apply epoxy from the hook eye to slightly aft of the stick on eyes. Allow to dry.

15.- Add black dot on each side slightly aft and above eyes with black magic marker.