#205 - The Thief

#205 The Thief - Tony Smith

Tied by: Tony Smith
Originated by: Dan Gapen
Source: Streamer Fly Tying and Fishing (Joseph D. Bates, Jr., 1966) Pg. 347

Hook: 4xl Sproat #2-#14
Thread: Black
Tail: 2 sections of red duck or goose as long as hook gap
Body: flat silver tinsel
Wing: small bunch of grey squirrel tail hairs reaching to end of tail. Over this fairly wide sections of oak mottled turkey wing just as long.
Head: several turns of black wool, slightly built up*
*Original called for black chenille head.

Notes: Bates describes this pattern as a darker version of a muddler minnow that was originated by Dan Gapen of the Gapen Fly Company located in Anoka, Minnesota. the pattern was designed as a minnow imitation with the intention of fooling crappies into biting. The fly proved to be a winner when it came to large black crappies and success followed on several other species including rainbow trout.