Epoxy Baitfish

This is one of my newest patterns. I was in a bait shop getting hooks and some other things to incorporate in flies. I seem to find the best stuff in conventional bait shops. Anyways I saw one of the rapala jerk bait hard plastics that look like baitfish and dive and wiggle when reeled in and I decided to tie a fly like it. It works really well. It is heavy enough that on its own it sinks really slow. It twirls, dives and looks just like a injured baitfish. I like the color of the tubing, but you can paint the tubing or expoxy any color you want. Enjoy

Hook: Can be tied on any size, you will just have to change the size of the mylar tubing. This one is tied on a 4/0 orvis muskie hook

Thread: Black Ultra Thread

Materials: Mylar tubing, marabou, worm rattles, rattle eyes, epoxy, and a piece of plastic for the scoop

Tools: Scissors, Vise, Bobbin, Whip finish tool.

Step 1: Make a thread base

Step 2: tie in marabou as a tail. I used stiff fibers because of the length of this tail

Step 3: tie in flash on each side. Tie in peacock earl on top of the fly.

Step 4: Cut a tear drop shape out of the piece of plastic. Tie in the end to the underside of the fly so it makes a scoop.

Step 5: Slide the mylar tubing overtop the scoop and tie in the end of the tube down. Wrap the thread until it secures the tubing all the way up to behind the hook eye.

Step 6: Pull tubing toward the rear of the fly. When it gets to this point, put two metal worm rattles inside the tubing. Wrap the thread to the rear of the fly

Step 7: Tie down the end of the tubing at the rear of the fly. 5 raps should secure it.

Step 8: Whip finish. Apply epoxy to the sides of the fly and glue a rattle eye to each side of the fly. Cut a small hole in the eye but make sure it is still smaller than the rattle piece. It will make it a louder rattle

Finished flies in other sizes