GreenDemon
Good Afternoon All:
I call this fly 'Green Demon' and is a variation of the other 'Collie Dog' and Sunray dressings that was from an idea for Aldelcio Chavez.
I have made 10 other color variations of this same style fly. The idea of using EZ-Body for the body and attaching the hook in this style is from Adelcio Chavez. Adelcio is an avid 2 hand caster and steelhead fisher and, like me, is always looking at materials and ways to incorporate them into fishing flies.
The process of making this fly is somewhat involved but has produced results already. One of this style of fly was given to Keith Collins to fish in the UK and he reports that there where no salmon in the river but he took a large sea trout on this dressing. So this style of fly has merit!
The fly is constructed by placing a #2 Mustad 36890 in the vise and attach a length of Berkeley Fireline to the hook shank. Fireline is a Kevlar based fishing line popular with Bass fishermen. This particular line has the diameter of 8 pound test but is rated at 30 pound test. The line is wrapped, then glued with CA glue, folded over itself and wrapped 3 more times to form a loop equal to the about 1.5 times the length of the hook shank. This length is required so the EZ-Body material can slide up the Fireline to the hook can be changed. The hook to Fireline is a loop connection. Then a layer of CA glue is put over the completed wraps. The length can be whatever you wish because the body material is sold in 1 meter lengths. I use, as most of you know, 70 denier Ultra Thread for tying salmon flies. It is a lightly waxed nylon that lies perfectly flat and is perfect for this application. Round threads, such as Uni 8/0, has only 1 point of tangency whereas a flat thread is tangent at al
oints giving superior
holding power.
I tried to pull the Fireline out by placing a junk hook in a shop vise and with 50 pound leader material tied to the loop eye I tried to pull the Fireline off the hook shank. I could not pull it off! In time, perhaps, these wraps that secure the Fireline to the hook may deteriorate. But, the fly will be either lost or replaced long before that happens.
After the Fireline is secured I tied a sub body on the hook shank of green holographic tinsel (which is not visible in the photo). I used black thread to secure the Fireline and it was clearly visible through the EZ-Body material. Any contracting color could be used if you wish.
The hook bend is cut off with a pair of sidecutters and now secured in the vise with a tube fly adapter so the rest of the fly can be completed. I learned this after I fished this fly on the Gaspe that the body material will stretch. So before you cut a length of the EZ-Body material from the main piece pre stretch the last 3 inches (or so) before it is tied on.
The tail of the EZ-Body material is wrapped to prevent fraying. Or if you wish the wrap could be closer to the eye of the fly and picked out with a dubbing needle to it frays. I used fluorescent green 70 denier Ultra Thread to secure the rear of the body. The front of the body is secured as usual.
The hook is a Gamakatsu Octopus that can be purchased in sizes 5/0 - 8 in either nickel silver (as pictured a #4), red, green, bronze or chartreuse. So basically all hook sizes and colors to complement the fly color can be purchased.
The advantages to this style of streamer fly are as follows:
1. if the hook is damaged it can be easily replaced
2. there is no leverage from a long hook shank
3. the hook size and color can be changed to suit the fishing situation
4. a small hook can be used for a large fly which will stick and hold better then a larger one
5. the fly can be easily switch to saltwater with the changing of the hook to stainless steel
The EZ-Body material is available in many sizes (from mini to extra large) and in many colors including ones that have a lateral line which gives a very lifelike look.
The only drawback that I experience was the fly is somewhat buoyant. If the fly could have a small conehead it would work better. But, as most of you know, no additional weight can be added to the fly while fishing anadromous Atlantic Salmon in Quebec, So I am thinking about how I can make the fly heavier without adding weight. I am thinking of a making this into a tube fly using a copper or brass tube.
From experience this fly fishes best with an intermediate to slow sinking head with a short leader to get the fly down in the water column.
Green Demon
Hook Eye: #2 Mustad 36890
Hook: Gamakatsu Octopus #4 (as pictured) - attached with 30# Fireline (see text above)
Sub-Body: green holographic mylar tinsel
Body: EZ-Body chartreuse in size mini (note the greenish tone of the Fireline gives a lateral line appearance)
Wing: Green hair of your choosing (about 4" long.); 3 pieces of micro pearl krystal flash
Cheeks: Jungle Cock
Collar: Bright yellow Whiting hen tied full
Head: Red 70 denier Ultra Thread; double whip finish and 3 coats of Cellire varnish
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Date: 04/20/2012
Owner: Quebec Sporting
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