Bling

Here is the fly pattern sheet for the Bling.

Directions

1. Debarb the hook and slide on a gold bead.
2. If using lead, place 8 wraps of 0.015 lead (or lead substitute) on the hook shank and slide the lead forward locking the gold bead in place.
3. Attach the thread behind the lead and place a layer of thread on the lead locking it in place. Build up a taper between the lead and hook shank.
4. Place the wing on the fly by attaching a 2-inch piece of Flashabou on the hook just behind the bead with at least one inch of the Flashabou facing forward. Attach Flashabou at a 45-degree angle on the side of the hook nearest the tier. Wrap the thread back for a few turns then back to the back of the bead. Fold the Flashabou facing toward the bend of the hook forward and attach with the thread. This piece should be attached such that it is at a 45-degree angle on the side of the hook away from the tyer. When finished, the two pieces should form a V, facing somewhat forward. After tying the tail and body, the wing will be folded back towards tail.
5. Advance the thread to the end of shank, just above the barb. Attach 3 – 6 strands of root bear Krystal Flash for the tail. The length of the tail should be equal to the length of the shank or a little shorter.
6. Attach a rib of gold wire.
7. Dub a body using Ice Dub black peacock. Counter wrap the wire and rib the dubbed body.
8. Finish the wing by pulling the Flashabou on the side closest to the tier and fold it back so that it lies along the side of the dubbed body. Hold it down with a few wraps of thread. Pull the remaining piece of Flashabou back such that it lies along the body of the fly and hold it down with a few wraps of thread. The folded wings should form a V shape.
9. Place a neat head on the folded wings between the wings and bead and whip finish.
10. Clip the pieces of wing so that they are even with the end of the dubbed body. Cut the tips of tinsel to make them look pointed (somewhat like a goose biot used for a Prince Nymph.

“To paraphrase one of the young, hotshot guides/tiers I met in Albany, this fly “hunts.” Early this winter, John Anderson had great success catching Crooked River whitefish with a fly he purchased called “The Fly formerly called the Prince.” John feels that whitefish think it’s a cased caddis, a common macroinvertebrate in the Crooked River. Whatever the fish think it is, they love the fly. I think this fly will also do well in lakes. John, Dave Semich and I also found that the size of the fly does matter. Often, fishing together in the same stretch of water at the same time, a size 18 would catch fish and a size 16 would not. The size 18 fly was our “go to” fly all winter. We usually fish the nymph along the stream bottom using an indicator or straight-line methods. On a two-nymph rig, it should be the bottom fly.

The fly, however, was not very durable; it wasn’t designed to catch 50-plus fish. I redesigned the fly to a “guide fly” (quick and easy to tie and one with which clients can catch lots of fish) and changed the name to reflect the reflective synthetic materials used. The fly sparkles like jewels in the sunlight. I changed the materials from natural (goose biots, peacock hurl, and brown hackle) to synthetic (Krystal Flash, Ice Dub and holographic Flashabou) and eliminated the hackle.

I normally use black thread; however, I will tie some patterns using red, purple, or chartreuse thread. The colored thread provides a “hot spot” collar between the wing and bead. I do not use any brown hackle; it takes too much time and does not add to the fly’s appeal. If I had to tie one size it would be size 18. Sizes 16 and 14 would be good choices for lakes.” – Bill Seitz