Baitfish pattern ID needed

[Mudfish620 0]

I’m interested in tying this pattern, but I don’t know what it’s called. Can anyone please tell me the name of this fly? It has a rabbit strip spine and a white marabou throat, if that helps. Picked up a few in the dollar bin at a fly shop out of state. I’ve had enough luck catching bass that I want to stock the box and tie some for a swap. Any help is much appreciated.
 

Thanks in advance.

AG

[flytire 0]

looks like a zonker to me

zonker fly - Google Search

 

[niveker 0]

Like Norm says, rabbit strip zonker. 

Pretty simply: hook, thread, zonker strip, looks like some type of crystal or estaz chenille for the body, marabou, and looks like stick on eyes.  

Sub any of those materials/colors to your heart's content and you could tie different baitfish patterns for weeks.  Add dumbell eyes, rubber legs, regular chenille body, dubbed body, body braid body, tinsel body, soft hackled collar in front, etc, etc. Could even skip the stick on  eyes, probably not necessary, but looks good in the fly bins.  

Tie one up and post a photo.  

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

That might be one of Dave Whitlock's patterns...

[Mudfish620 0]

1 hour ago, Capt Bob LeMay said:

That might be one of Dave Whitlock's patterns...

Like a sheep’s minnow? I think the materials were different when I looked up the pattern. I’ll keep digging.

Thanks for the info!

[Mudfish620 0]

4 hours ago, flytire said:

looks like a zonker to me

zonker fly - Google Search

 

Thanks. After checking that link, it seems like this would fit in that family.  

So now I have another question. I thought “zonker” was the name given to the rabbit strip material (zonker strips). But it’s also the name of a fly pattern? Or maybe the name zonker strips is because that’s mostly what they’re used for, like Klinkhamer hooks for that fly style, maybe?

I guess that’s two questions….

Thanks!

AG

[flytire 0]

Zonkers are streamer flies on hooks sized 4 to 12, characterized by having a strip of fur (rabbit, squirrel or mink) tied on as the wing, with a shiny body and prominent eyes.  The fur strip will pulsate with the current mimicking the action of fins, with shiny sides representing the reflective sides of a baitfish.

A Guide to Zonker Flies (Fishing, Tying and Tips) - Guide Recommended

Zonker (flyfishingthesierra.com)

[robow7 0]

Many years ago, Zonker patterns were all the rage for smallmouth bass fishing.  They were a HOT item but then fly pattern fads can be fickle and now you rarely hear about them, but of course they can still be very effective.

[Philly 0]

6 hours ago, Mudfish620 said:

So now I have another question. I thought “zonker” was the name given to the rabbit strip material (zonker strips). But it’s also the name of a fly pattern? Or maybe the name zonker strips is because that’s mostly what they’re used for, like Klinkhamer hooks for that fly style, maybe?

I guess that’s two questions….

There's a good article on tying Zonkers on the Global Flyfisher https://globalflyfisher.com/tie-better/zonker-tying .  It gives the history of the fly along with ways to tie it.  In the fly catalogs I get it's listed as "rabbit fur strips".  They come in various widths, usually 1/8" or 1/4".  You can get squirrel fur strips and I would imagine you could cut your own strips out of other furs, beaver or mink come to mind, if you had them.

I use them for the claws on my crayfish patterns.

 

 

or as a tail on this bass pattern

I'm not sure if it was on this board or not, but someone on a board I frequent tied a fly using a "zonker" strip as a tail and wrapped the rest of it on the shank as a body.    The strip has many uses.  I have a fly box of Zonkers that I use for bass, largemouth and smallmouth.

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

I do a lot of rabbit strip flies for tarpon.... Here's a pic or two of the Swamp Rabbit... 

 

Hooks:    Owner Aki , 2/0 up to 4/0

Thread:   Danville's flat waxed nylon

Under tail:  very sparse bucktail in same color as rabbit strip around the hook shank just forward of the bend

Flash:  a few strands of pearl Flashabou (or Flashabou Accent)

Tail:  Rabbit strip on top of "under tail"         Note *  I cut my own rabbit strips from full skins and prefer skins with thicker leather hide... at least 1/8"wide...

Body:  Rabbit strip palmered forward from hook bend to w/in a bit more than 1/8" o hook eye

Nose:  Single wide, webby dyed saddle, color of choice tied in front of body by the butt end of the saddle (with as much of the fluff left on that saddle as possible) then palmered forward almost to hook eye , then tied off and a generous head is built up of tying thread

Wire weedguard - optional

Eyes:  painted on after tying and thread is sealed with super glue (Krazy Glue) - optional - but desirable.. 

[Mudfish620 0]

First pass at a zonked variant.  The next one will have a more uniform belly. Not sure what other specifics I should change.

Please weight in.  

[cphubert 0]

19 hours ago, Mudfish620 said:

Please weight in

I like it -if I was going to change anything it would be the tail length (longer)

[Philly 0]

Nice job.  Never thought about using sparkle chenille or Estaz for the body.  I'll second what cphubert said.  I usually tie them with longer tails.  I usually make the skin portion where its tied in at the back the length of the hook shank. Here's a couple of examples.  The first one is unweighted.  The second one is weighted

 

If you do decide to do a longer tail, you'll need a piece of stiff material which extends past the hook bend.  It will prevent the tail from wrapping around the hook bend when your casting.

[WWKimba 0]

A loop of 35# mono is what I usually use to prevent the tail from fouling the hook.

Kim

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

If you check the tying schedule I posted about the Swamp Rabbit you’ll note an “under tail” listed. It’s only there to provide support for that rabbit strip tail - instead of the mono loop most have read about… and it really works. Not only for rabbit, but any soft material like maribou for instance… Preventing the tail from fouling (wrapping around the hook when wet) is a high priority among most tarpon anglers - and the shops that support them…

 

Done properly the sparse bucktail support blends in with the rabbit or other soft material so well that most don’t notice it…. Unlike that mono loop.