Published Nov 26. 2011 - 12 years ago
Updated or edited Jun 17. 2021

HKA Sunray/Bismo

This fly is without doubt one of the best catching flies on the bigger rivers in Iceland! It was originated by Danish Henrik Kassow Andersen. Salmon guide Nils Folmer Jørgensen from Iceland shows you how to tie it.

At work - The HKA Sunray at work
At work
Niels Folmer Jørgensen

This fly is without doubt one of the best catching flies on the bigger rivers in Iceland!

My friend and the inventor of the fly, Henrik Kassow Andersen and I fished this fly a lot since 2004 and the results have been amazing. It was so effective that one stubborn guide made an identical copy of the HKA Sunray and gave it a new name, the Bismo, back in 2009.

...one of the best catching flies on the bigger rivers in Iceland!

If you look in the log books from the Rangá rivers in Iceland, you will find most of the fish are registered under Bismo now since Henrik Kassow Andersen and I don't fish or guide much there anymore. But the fly is the HKA Sunray! Henrik even made a pink version, which the stubborn guide, who won't admit that he copied the fly in the first place, also has made as his own.

The fly is pretty easy to tie but otherwise, the "right one" can be found in the shop Veiðihornið in Reykjavik or online on www.flugan.is.
Here I will tie it on the Pro Tube System, which means no gluing of tubes. Easy! The original fly has no weight but I'm going to add a little weight. The HKA Sunray can also be made with goat or monkey, but this is the classic version, just tied on the Pro Tube System.

The landing phase - An Icelandic salmon is about ready to be landed
Landing gff
Niels Jorgensen
HKA Sunray - Bismo
Pattern type: 
Tube fly
Originator: 
Henrik Kassow Andersen
Materials: 
Tube
Pro Tube Flexi Tube 40/40. Black
Body weight
Pro Tube Flexi weight
Thread
Clear nylon
Body
Size M Mylar tube in pearl
Underwing
Light gray Arctic fox
Overwing
Black Arctic fox
Topping
Crystal Flash in pearl and Peacock herls
Head
3D eyes and epoxy glue
Skill level/difficulty: 
Easy
Instruction: 

Step 1 - tube

Step 2 - weight

STep 3 - mylar tube

STep 4 - underwing

Step 5 - flash

Step 6 - upper wing

Step 7 - herl

Step 8 - eyes and head

Step 9 - done

Niels Jorgensen
HKA Sunray - The finished fly, obviously inspired by the original Sunray Shadow, but with a few touches
Done!
Niels Jorgensen
Preparing - Looking for fish and possible holding spots
HKA Sunray water - The Icelandic river Hafralonsá
The downstream swing - The fly is working somewhere out there
Icelandic waters
Niels Jorgensen
A handful - A fly responsible for many Icelandic salmon catches
A handful
Niels Jorgensen
Salmon with a tint - When the fish have been in the river for a while they loose their brightness and start taking color
The perfect meter - The author with a 100 centimeter or about 40 inches of Icelandic salmon
Nice size - Salmon in Iceland tend to be smallish, but this one is absolytely decent
Bright and fresh - Both Nils and the fish are shining
The author
Niels Jorgensen

See also

The old war wound - A salmon \"bite\" obtained while removing the fly before a release
The old war wound
Niels Jorgensen

Comments

Very nice and easy, ...

Very nice and easy, I'll try this fly on Norwegian salmon in a couple of months!!!

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