As I get ready for the upcoming season, it’s time to finish tying the flies I will need for the next four months. I had started a series showcasing my top six bonefishing flies when I got completely hijacked by the superb salmon fishing off the beaches around home. But I’m back and picking up where I left off……….sort of. The last fly I had posted was Charlie Craven’s Bonefish Junk. The feedback on that fly was overwhelming, except the general consensus was you wanted to know more about the Bonefish Junk (light) which is a quicker pattern to tie and almost exclusively what I use rather than the standard Bonefish Junk tie. To be fair I still think the original Bonefish Junk works better on large expansive flats, off a boat, landed several feet away for big fish. The guides of Turks & Caicos love the Bonefish Junk size #2. I just don’t do much of that fishing. Most of my casts are close in, on small flats or inside creek systems, to fish that see more than their fair share of flies. That environment calls for less flash, quieter presentations and a smaller profile and size. I typically use #4 – #6 and try to keep the “wow” factor a little subdued. Recipe: Hook: #4 – #6 standard saltwater Thread: Orange Weight: Silver bead chain Tail: Fluorescent orange rabbit Eyes: Green epoxy eyes Legs: Shrimp pink or bonefish tan super floss or Silly Legs Body: Pearl diamond braid Underwing: Four strands of bonefish tan crystal flash Overwing: Pink or tan Polar Fibre or Craft Fur marked with permanent market Here is how I tie the Bonefish Junk (light). I first make the eyes, using five-minute epoxy and fabric dye. I cut eight pieces of thirty pound mono to length and secure them in duct tape. Burn the ends of the mono then dip them in the dyed epoxy. Let dry and dip again if you need larger eyes. Once the bead chain is secured, tie in the rabbit tail, four legs and two green eyes in that order. Add the pearl braid and wrap 1/3 way up the hook and add four more legs then continue forward with braid and tie off. ( The pattern shown here is a size #4, I use a fewer number of legs as the fly gets smaller). Turn the fly over and add a couple strands of crystal flash, then overwing with Polar Fibre (or Craft Fur) and color with permanent marker. Glue the head and your done. Takes me about 4 – 5 minutes to tie one of these, so I can live with that. Good luck
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