Zero Muddler

tied by Jimmy Aw
Fly Type: Deer Hair,
Target Species: General Bluewater,
Recommended Region: Other,
Imitation: General Baitfish,
Material List: Hook : Daiichi Stainless Steel size 4.
Body Covering : Pearl crystal flash or something Equivalent.
Tail : White calf tail or 02 Hackle(invert out) .
Head, Body & Wing : Red & White Deer hair.
Underwing : White Marabou feathers
Thread : Danville 6/0 White.

Tying Instructions: 1) Tie a base of thread from the hook eye down to about 2/3 of the shank of the hook.
2) Pinch on and tie a small bunch of Pearl Crystal flash.
3) Pinch and tie on a small bunch of white calf tail about where we end with base of thread and wrap thread forward over calf tail.
4) Tie a layer of White Marabou feathers for extra action in the water.
5) Place a moderate amount of white deer hair on top of shank at this point. (Same position where you tie in your calf tail, pinch the deer hair firmly down with your finger, hair parallel to the shank.) Wrap once on the deer hair and whip finish. (It works firmly and nice if you wrap a couple of rounds around the hook shank before moving on with the next patch of hair)
6) As you pull firmly and tighten on the hair, both ends of deer hair flare out.
7) Next spin three to four bunches of deer hair. The second last or last patch is usually the red deer hair.
When you reach the hook eye tie off and cement thread. (Superglue will do a nice job.)
9) Trim the deer hair head to a conical shape, which blends into the tail.

Presentation Tips: The first Zero muddler was designed to pass off as a froggie (White froggie ). It was short and fat, just nice to induce strikes from the freshwater peacocks and it was great to able to see Peacocks whacking and swallow the whole fly time after time due to its high visibility in the water.

When I applied it into the saltwater arena, I changed the profile of my muddlers to a bit more slimmer and longer version. I took it to heart that it would imitate a mullet....therefore, tried it out on tarpons, Giant Herrings...and the latest...Mangrove jack...all whack this vesatile pattern without rejects. It has been great since to use my very first self designed pattern and it has been in my flybox ever since.

Target species include Peacock Bass, Indo-Pacific Tarpons and any predatory fish hunting along the surface which don't mind a "submerging" popper... This is an attractor pattern, could be taken for a injured baitfish or frog skipping along the surface.

Muddlers are floaters. Great for surface hunting
species. And it does serves as a popper too. But after a series of pulls...it starts to submerges when water cloaked into the deer hair.....That's where I like this fly.

It's easily for me to set hook a fish than using a floating popper. I purposely use slow intermediate line to combine with them for good consistent results.

Current Species For This Pattern
Chain Pickerel (1 votes)
Largemouth Bass (2 votes)
Smallmouth Bass (1 votes)
Striped Bass (1 votes)
Trout (1 votes)