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The Fair Fly

A zonker that has been responsible for many sea trout and brown trout catches


An oldie pattern from GFF

By Martin Joergensen

This fly is a larger and more imitative variation of the Squirrel Zonker. The addition of the eyes and the heavy hair hackle makes the fly more fishlike and the Fair Fly is a good imitation of a sculpin. The fly is tied with fur from nutria, which has a dense curly underfur and shiny, spiky guard hairs. the fur could easily be 'substituted' with mink. With ladies furs it actually works the other way round.
Look in the Gallery for a color picture of the fly.

Hook Long shank down eye streamer size 4-2
Thread Grey or tan
Tail Tip of zonker strip
Body Silver tinsel
Rib Oval silver tinsel
Wing Zonker strip cut from nutria (or mink)
Hackle Hair hackle from nutria
Eyes bead chain eyes
Head Heavy dubbing over and in front of eyes

  1. Tie the body and zonker wing like mentioned under the Squirrel Zonker
  2. Leave at least two eye widths for the head.
  3. Make a dubbing loop and put aside.
  4. Tie in the eyes one eye width behind hook eye.
  5. Catch a tuft of nutria underfur and guard hair in the dubbing loop, spin and cover space behind the eyes with the hackle.
  6. Dub the thread with nutria and cover the base of the eyes with dubbing.
  7. Finish the fly and stroke hairs over eyes with velcro to mix with the hackle. The nutria can easily be substituted with mink. Squirrel will do fine for smaller flies and rabbit for larger ones.

User comments
From: Ivan Zhukov · spey·at·ya.ru
Submitted February 23rd 2009

Thanks Martin,
We will experiment with flies farther. Yesterday was the grip on Zonker, white with red head.
Ivan

GFF staff comment
From: Martin Joergensen · martin·at·globalflyfisher.com
Submitted February 21st 2009

Ivan,

This fly would easily work in the winter. Traditionally brighter colors are used for sea trout when the water is, but personally I tend to fish with my usual flies. But of course you can give it some color - the Mango is in many ways the "disco version" of this fly. It might be worth a try when the water is cold.

Martin

From: Ivan Zhukov · spey·at·ya.ru
Submitted February 20th 2009

Tell me please, this fly will work in cold water in winter? What color best flies to use in such circumstances, catching sea trout?


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