Latest fly tying for next trip

Still no boat. Waiting on $350+ worth of parts including an idle switch. Why is it that in Darwin it always takes a week, if not several weeks to get parts! When I can order other stuff from the USA and get it in 4 days?

Still on bright side.......
Been tying up some flies for a trip this weekend - heading out with a group of guys who mostly baitfish but hope to show them what the fly rod and some feathers can do!

Here are some flies I have tied up today while looking after my little daughter. - it wasn't easy!

I have done simple synthetic white clousers - it has been the go to fly for me since moving up here to Darwin for trevs and queenies. It amazes me how good this fly is at times!

The big bulky fluffy fly, so contrasting to the clousers, is my version of a local gun Swoffer's fly - called a Rodgy Dogie fly. I call it 'Kathies Flats Baitfish' fly after his wife who is an awesome Swoffer too.

Due to its pulse, profile and glass rattle in under all that fluff, the fly is great for dirty water applications. I have caught all sorts of estuary species with it but mostly jacks and barra. Once in crystal clear water, I had this huge estuary cod come from over 10m, to aggressively hammer the fly. It's basically a whistler pattern with more webby fluffy hackle palmered along shank.

Recipe is
Hook:           3/0 at least, style personal choice
Rattle:           Glass 4mm, I tie it to a U shaped piece of mono with thread, epoxy it and tie mono tips to hook shank like an extended mayfly body
Tail:              8x red/black 'chook fur' feathers or schapplen, I also have a gigantic black rooster at home whom I sometimes take a few feathers from. Feathers must have heaps of fluff and web. I also add several strands of red and black flash. This is all tied as far back on hook shank as possible
Eyes:              beadchain or dumbbell, tie in right behind hook eye
Weed guard:  20lb nylon coated wire
Body:             The type of feather sold as 'chook fur' is very webby and wispy, feather tips pointed with more web then hackle
                      use this or similar feather to make the body like you would a collar but full length of hook shank, right to back of eyes.

while I mostly use this red/black version, I also tie and use it in hot pink/black and chartreuse/white

Also tied a few gurglers with burnt whipper snipper cord eyes, and a few other clousers, I fish fairly light leaders and no shock tippet so lose plenty of these clousers each time on the water!