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TYING THE BUNNY FLY (page 1) - SALTWATERFLIES.COM

THE BUNNY FLY

Photographs And Instructions By Chris Windram

Welcome to the seventh edition of the SaltwaterFlies.Com Fly Tying Theatre! In these pages we hope to bring you tying instructions for some of our favorite saltwater flies. Here are my instructions for making the Bunny Fly..

Recipe:

Hook: Mustad 34007; #2.
Thread: Danville Flymaster; White.
Tail: White rabbit strip over white bucktail.
Flash: Polarflash; Pearl or Silver color (or pearl Flashabou).
Body: White rabbit fur strip wrapped as a hair collar.
Head: E-Z Shape Sparkle Body; Pearl.
Eyes: E-Z Shape Sparkle Body; Pure Fluorescent Yellow and Pure Black.
Color Variations: Chartreuse, Black, Red/White, Red/Yellow, Red/Black.


STEP 1
Firmly fasten the hook in the vise. Tie in sparse clump of white bucktail. The bucktail that extends behind the hook should be approx 1 1/2" long for this size fly. The butt ends of bucktail should extend only to the center of the hook shank. Lash the butt ends down neatly.



STEP 2
Tie in a loop of heavy monofilament on top of the bucktail. This will help keep the rabbit strip tail from fouling during the cast.



STEP 3
Here's a detail (top view) of a monofilament loop tied in without the bucktail for clarification. You may wish to omit the bucktail altogether - this is perfectly acceptable, but the fly looks nicer from a strictly aesthetic point of view with both the bucktail and the mono loop. I use Mason hard monofilament: 20# test.



STEP 4
Cut off a two-and-a-half inch long piece of rabbit fur strip to use as a tail. Here I've trimmed the end of the strip on a 45 degree angle. This will ensure that the tail tapers neatly during fishing. Be careful to cut only the leather strip when trimming the end of the tail - it's easy to cut the hair as well, but I like to avoid doing so if possible.



STEP 5
Tie the fur strip in on top of the bucktail and mono loop. Be sure that you lash the butt end of the fur strip down neatly, and make sure that the butt end of the tail strip extends no farther than the center of the hook shank.





[Finishing Steps]

Remember to print out this page to take with you to your vise.


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