Zonker

[Noggin10 0]

Ok, so I picked up materials the other day and am tying Zonkers. They'll be fished hook point up. Does the zonker strip ride upright or downward? In order for it to be upright I have to pierce the strip with the hook but in none of the videos I've watched are they tied like that. Thanks for any answers.

[grey brook 0]

the rabbit strip wont be enough to flip it, try some dumbbells like a clouser. Look up how to tie double bunnies, just need two strips and they look better imo

[Bryon Anderson 0]

I agree with Grey Brook about the Double Bunny being a juicier-looking offering than the venerable Zonker, and also about them being much easier to tie. If you decide to try a Double Bunny, I would offer you my alternate method for tying them, explained here: http://truenorthtrout.com/2009/07/the-improved-double-bunny/

 

In answer to your question, I believe the Zonker was originally tied so that the hook would ride point-down, which is why you don't see the rabbit strip being pierced in instructional videos. However, the Zonker can be tied "inverted", in which case, yes, you will have to pierce the rabbit strip with the hook. My Improved Double Bunny uses that method also. Also, seconding what Grey Brook said, if you want your Zonkers to ride hook point up, you will have to attach enough weight to what is normally the top side of the hook shank (i.e., the side of the shank opposite the point) that it will "flip" the hook underwater. You can do this by attaching weighted eyes just behind the hook eye, or by weighting the front half of the hook shank with lead or lead-subsitute wire. The lead tape that is used by some to weight Zonkers isn't heavy enough to do it, in my experience.

 

You're definitely on the right track tying streamers with rabbit strips -- you can't beat them for action and profile in the water. I tie very few streamers that don't incorporate them. You can make a fly that will catch any fish that eats other fish with nothing but a rabbit strip and a hook and thread--use a cross-cut strip, leave a hook-shank length tail, and palmer the body with the remainder of the strip. Weight as needed/desired. Takes a couple minutes to tie, catches the bejeezus out of fish, and is nearly indestructible.