FF Fly List

In 1995, Tom Broderidge of Havana, Florida, wrote the first book on fly fishing the Gulf Coast, appropriately titled “Fly Fishing the Gulf Coast”. Tom was a very popular tier and presenter at the FFF conclaves because he often left “conventional” at the door. The Flasher Fly is an example.

The Flasher has a gold braid body and a two-tone wing of bucktail or ultra hair. What makes it unconventional is a small spinner blade attached at the bend of the hook using a monofilament loop. The eyes were originally painted on using varying diameter sizes of dowels, but stick-on eyes are much easier. The eyes are important… like Tom did, I believe predatory fish key on eyes, especially in clear water.

When retrieving the Flasher, I use fast, small strips that allow the blade to rotate freely and away from the hook. However, a friend has caught a variety of species — mostly bass — by stripping in a Flasher and letting it flutter down for a few seconds.

Try both techniques and see which one works best.

Hook: Mustad 34007 sizes 2 thru 1/0. This is a stainless hook that allows for fresh or saltwater use.
Body: Gold braid material
Wing: Ultra hair in white/olive, white/blue, or white/purple
Blade: size 2 Colorado blade

1. Wrap a thread base down to above the barb of the hook.
2. Cut 5-6 inches of 20-30 pound mono. Bend in half.
3. Slide the blade down to the bend.
4. Lay the folded mono along the hook, about 1/8 inch back of the hook eye. Check where the blade is. It should be about 1/4 inch past the end of the hook. Trim the folded front end, as needed, until the blade is in the right position.
5. Wrap thread and secure the mono.
6. Tie in a section of gold braid back to above the barb of the hook.
7. Wrap the braid around the hook, slightly overlapping, to an eye length behind the hook eye.
8. At this point, to help keep the braid from “sliding”, add Hard As Nails or a thin coat of 2-Ton Epoxy or UV Epoxy along the body.
9. Tie in the lighter color of Ultra Hair at least twice as long as the hook length.
10. Tie in the darker color of Ultra Hair above the lighter color, also 2X the length of the hook length.
11. Build up the eye area with thread. Finish off with whip finish or other knot.
12. Attach stick-on eyes. Use Hard As Nails, 2-Ton Epoxy, UV Epoxy over head area to secure eyes.