Mad River Outfitters: Fly Tying- "The Peacock Punisher"

"The Peacock Punisher"

Over the years I have played around and fished with countless different fly designs for Peacock Bass. I have settled on this and only a few others. There are a few characteristics that I look for in a Peacock Bass fly. First and foremost it has to be durable. Flies that cannot hold up simply don’t have a place in my box...if you run out flies in the jungle you can’t take a ride to the local fly shop and buy more. Secondly a fly needs to be easily cast all day. You can count on putting in ten hour days on these trips and if your fly casts like a waterlogged chicken you simply will not be on your A game throughout the course of the day. Last but certainly not least is it has to have mojo. The more stimulating your fly is the more confident and engaged you will be on each and every cast. It is a lot harder to space out while fishing in one of the most humid climates on earth if you think your fly looks amazing, often times I catch myself talking out loud to the fly while fishing.

Brian Flechsig is heading up our January trip to the Amazon. The group leaves tomorrow, January 11th, for what will most definitely be an awesome week of fishing. I am looking forward to the pictures and stories that will follow upon the group’s return!

Pat Kelly- January 2018

“Peacock Punisher”- Recipe

Thread: 100 Denier GSP- Click Here

First Shank: Flymen Fishing Co. Articulated Fish Spine 25mm- Click Here

Second Shank: Flymen Fishing Co. Articulated Shank 20mm- Click Here

Hook: Gamakatsu SL12S 4/0- Click Here

Flash: Mirage Flashabou- Fl. Yellow- Click Here

Flash: Holographic Flashabou- Red- Click Here

Flash: UV Pearl Polar Chenille- Click Here

Eyes: Flymen Fishing Co. Living Eyes 10mm (color of choice)- Click Here

Articulation Point: Flymen Fishing Co. Articulated Shank 35mm- Click Here

Tail: Strung Rooster Saddles- Yellow- Click Here

Body: Yellow Bucktail, Red Bucktail- Click Here

Cement: Brushable Zap-A-Gap- Click Here

Epoxy: Loon UV Resin Thick- Click Here

1. Secure 25mm Fish Spine in vise and lay a foundation of thread from the eye all the way back to the bend.

2. Tie in UV Polar Chenille- Pearl and wrap to the mid-way point of the shank.

3. Select four Rooster Saddles approximately 5inches in length and tie in on the near and far side then top and bottom of the shank. By tying these feathers in the round you should have 360 degree coverage of the shank. This will give you a nice round and full profile.
*You may be asking yourself what the purpose of UV Polar Chenille is if your just going to cover it all up with the saddles…this material serves as a prop for the feathers, giving you a nice 3D shape. It also ensures maximum movement out of the feathers because they can not mat together when being stripped through the water.

4. At this stage of the fly we will introduce our first hollow tie of Yellow Bucktail. Try and aim for about a 45 degree angle in your bucktail before completing this step.

5. Cut full length piece of Mirage Flashabou- Fl. Yellow. Before tying in you will want to pull a few strands so that the fibers vary in length. Tie in your flashabou so that approximately 60 percent of the total length is extending back toward the fly and the remaining 40 percent is extending out in front of the eye. Once that is in place fold the remaining 40 percent back over itself and secure. This will allow you to begin introducing taper and shape to your fly.

6. Connect both shanks and secure into the vice. Just as in steps 1 and 2 secure UV Polar Chenille and wrap to the mid-way point and tie off.

7. Tie in a bundle of Yellow Bucktail that is slightly more dense than the one on our first station on the previous shank. When executing this hollow tie you want the angle of the bucktail to be a little taller than on the first. Again by doing this we are forming taper and shape to the fly. When finished whip finish and cut thread. *Always be aware and thinking about the taper and shape of your fly throughout the entire tying process this will make for a fly that looks and swims more naturally.

8. Secure hook in vise and lay a foundation of thread from the eye back to just into the bend of the hook. Take the 35mm Articulated Shank and with a pair of side cutters remove the equivalent of about three eye widths from the shank. You want the shank to be roughly the same length as the shank of the Gamakatsu SL12S 4/0. Now once you are finished thread the back two sections onto the 35mm Articulated Shank and lay it along the side of the hook shank. Begin at the back of the hook with very tight side by side wraps all the way up to the eye. At this point I like to apply a coating of UV Resin along the shank. Once cured lay down a coat of Hard as Hull head cement. These two steps ensure that the articulation point cannot be ripped out or compromised in any way by the fish.

9. Tie in UV Polar Chenille- pearl and wrap a 1/3 of the way up the hook shank and secure.

10. Now you are ready for the last hollow tie of yellow bucktail. This time slightly more hair than the last. Next you will hollow tie two cones of red bucktail. Each cone consisting of slightly more hair and a slightly steeper angle than the previous tie. *You will notice that throughout the course of tying this pattern I have increased the amount or density of bucktail in each hollow tie as I move toward the front of the fly. By doing this I have constructed a fly that progressively becomes more dense toward the head. This is a very over looked and often not mentioned detail. By tying a fly that is significantly denser at the head it will create a greater diversion of water, one of the keys for getting a fly to dart and kick side to side or jack knifing on the pause.

11. To finish the fly we will fold a bundle of Holographic Flashabou- Red around your thread and secure on top of the hook shank. Take your thumb and distribute these fibers around the hook and secure.

12. This step is completely optional. I like to finish the fly off with yellow tying thread for no other reason than to accent the yellow body of the fly. (Without this step fish will not eat your fly).

13. Take a pair of Flymen Fishing Co. Living eyes in 10mm and attach to each side of the head. Fill in the gaps between the eyes on top and bottom with a thick UV Resin. Finish by laying a nice even coat of the same UV resin all around the eyes ensuring they are completely covered up and protected. To remove the tacky finish left behind by the UV resin wipe down with some rubbing alcohol and then coat with Hard as Hull head cement.

So there you have it! If you find yourself chasing after Peacock Bass, this is a fly you NEED to have!

Watch the video!