The Collaborator Fishing Fly
The collaborator was created in a joint effort by Steve Hanson and Phil
Rowley. The 2-tone effect was created to mimic the chironomids found in
one of the lakes they were fishing and by examining the stomach contents
of fish caught the previous day. I have made a couple minor changes to the
original, and it has been a get fly for still waters.
- Scud hook size 10 - 14
- Gold or Black bead
- White ostrich herl
- Fine copper wire
- Peacock herl
- 8/0 Red fly tying thread
- 8/0 Brown fly tying thread
Pinch down the barb of the hook, and place on the bead. Put the hook into the vice.
Push the bead to the back of the hook, and attach your red tying thread. Take 4-5 ostrich herls, and tie them onto the hook near the eye. You only need a small amount of the herl to form the gills. You can always trim off a longer gill.
Whip finish behind the eye, and cut the red thread. Trim off the excess herl, and slide the bead over top of the herl to the eye of the hook. restart your red tying thread behind the bead, and begin wrapping towards the back of the hook.
Tie in a piece of fine copper wire. When you are tying in the wire, hold it straight behind the fly, slightly raised. Continue to add close even wraps of thread, making sure the keep tension on the wire so that it lays flat on top of the hook shank. Once you get the the middle of the bend, start winding back to the front of the fly.
Add a whip finish with the red thread, and cut it off. Now attach the brown thread, and start to create a slight taper towards the eye of the hook. Be sure to leave a small section of the red thread exposed at the bottom of the hook.
Wind the copper wire to the back of the bead. Tie off the wire, and trim the excess wire.
Find 2 nice peacock herls, and trim the tips. Tie in the herls just
behind the bead. Wrap the herls around the tying thread, and then wrap
the herl around the hook behind the bead. Tie off the herl, and trim
the excess herl. Add a whip finish, and cement the head.