LEECH: Bunny, Extended

[John Pierce]

FLY: Leech - Bunny, Extended

Submitted by Dave Robinson

HISTORY
2020-05-16 Demo'd by Dave Robinson at GRR Weekly Fly Tying.

COMMENTS

• Extended (also called articulated) as fly has two segments connected by mono fishing line.
• Large rabbit strip fly with a stinger hook.
• The point and bend of the streamer hook is cut off.
• The orange hackle is a tribute to the Pumpkin Head.
• Hook helps to avoid short strikes as trailing hook, also flexible end helps to keep fish on hook (vs very long shank hook).

MATERIAL

• Hooks: #6 Streamer 2XL (cut hook off, or use Steelhead Shank which has no hook) + #6 2XL Stinger (salt water hook), Nymph hook also good.
• Thread: 6/0 Black.
• Mono: 15 lb Mono (braided line is too floppy, no energy transfer, if using use superglue to lock). Mono could be #10, needs to be small enough that doesn't block from hook's eye.
• Body: Barred Rabbit Strip, ie light/dark Tan or light/dark Olive (note cross cut is better for wrapping, not for straight down shank).
• Hackle: Orange Saddle.

METHOD

• Back hook onto vice.
• Tie on thread behind eye, wrap back to end shank, trim off thread end.
• End of rabbit strip with nap to back, wet and fold back fur such that small amount extended past shank, place on hook and tie on.
• Measure rabbit strip right behind eye, fold back fur to expose leather, tie on over leather and in front, whip finish, trim off excess rabbit strip.
• Put mono through eye, tie on with Uni-Knot/Duncan Loop (has fare bit of loose wiggle vs tighter clinch knot), trim off mono end.
• Remove hook from vice, install sacrificial hook in vice.
• Tie on thread behind eye, wrap to back, cut off thread tab.
• Attach trailer hook by threading mono through top of eye, space ~1/2 inch from end of shank to eye of main hook.
• Wrap thread over mono along shank, wrap mono underneath shank, wrap thread back down shank. Cut off excess mono.
• Measure rabbit strip to just past eye of back fly, expose leather and tie on,
• Wrap thread forward to 1/8" back from eye, wrap rabbit strip around shank, stroking fur to back, do not overlap, at thread, pull loose fur to front to expose leather and tie on, trim off excess rabbit strip. Warp from of wrap with thread to hold down well.
• Bare stem on hackle, tie on behind eye, cut off excess hackle, using hackle pliers, wrap hackle behind eye 3-4 wraps while stroking hackle to back. tie off hackle with thread, cut off excess hackle.
• Make thread head with multiple wraps to make cone head and force hackle back.
• Whip finish cut off excess thread, head cement.
• Remove hook from vice, and with pliers cut off end and hook at end of shank
• With velcro tool shape fur to back.