Ashes - UAFBF - fly tying

So while I type up this fly tying blog entry - I am watching the Ashes on the small TV monitor the wife got me for Xmas. She hates the cricket, so I get the perfect excuse to isolate myself in the study and watch cricket!

To ensure TV set up right, I ensure my tying gear is within reach and the TV positioned just right.

So what better way to test the 'Feng Shui' of it all,  then watch the Boxing Day Ashes in Melbourne on my new TV monitor and tying flies for a future trip to East Alligator River a recent dinner guest, Andrew, during the festive season mentioned I could tag along to. (– You rippa!).

His talk as of a secret little creek he fishes every year during the run off with fish a cast opportunities, has had me dreaming of me doing the same ever since. His description of the soft plastics he used the most was melding into a reasonable sort of fly – in my head anyway!

The materials were what I had on hand but I am sure the pattern will work well. I had images in my head of Borski’s slider with its barred tail and deer hair spun head. I have also done heaps of reading on a guide favourite on the east coast of Australia for Barra the double bunny with its two side by side rabbit fur strips. Better still I can use the Fuchsia/purple micro zonker strips I recently had bought off eBay to test a new tying materials supplier out, for the tail material. Also just the right colour for Andrew’s favourite coloured soft plastic.  

So in between digging out a tree (that’s in the way of my workshop and its two sea containers), 'build up' seasonal rain storms, and watching Australia’s first innings on Boxing Day – I tied a few of these flies for a test cast over next couple of day that regular SWOFFING partner Peter and I have planned for the next two days.

Materials needed were the tail material in the form of barred rabbit zonker. 

Large plated dumbbell eyes, 

The brown part of a bucktail (always have the brown part left don’t you! Here’s a use) and instead of wool or deer hair for the spun head, I used shortish faux fur – this in a beige foxie colouring with black tips.

After laying down a bed of thread along the shank, the first step is the tail material. For this I tie in two narrow strips of zonker one either side of top of hook shank (in front of hook bend)

To then ensure zonker strips don’t continually wrap around hook bend while casting or retrieving – I tie in a collar of bucktail fibres around the tie in point of the zonker strips – using the rarely used brown part of the bucktail fur patch.

I then tie in dumbbell eyes (and weed guard if desired)

Then you tie in successive bunches of faux fur material. Points to rear, the bunch tied in middle of bunch with same amount of length either side of tie in point. I then fold back all fibres towards tail material, add a few wraps of thread in front before repeating till hook shank is full.

Tie off thread and grab your best pair of scissors – mine are all crap – hence the ugliness of these particular flies. Hence the name I christened them with – ASHES UAFBF 

(UAFBF as in ugly as F##k barra fly).

Whatever you call it, it is a fly with good “push” through the water with the spun head and plenty of “eat me” movement of the tail material – it is sure to be a winner – that is if I can get it in front of willing barra or other such target species

Go on tie some while watching the cricket (or other sport)

Then get them wet!!!!

Enjoy!