The Conehead Bunny Leech offers many of the attributes anglers look for in a streamer: it sinks well (once you get it wet), it moves a lot of water, and it has a lifelike action when you use a strip-and-pause retrieve. When the fly stops, it sinks, breathes, and undulates. You can tie this pattern in any color or combination of colors you like. I always carry black, olive, and bright yellow. I have caught plenty of pickerel on a yellow version in my local pond.
In this week’s video from Tightline Productions, Tim Flagler walks you through the process of tying this versatile pattern. Although it may look complicated and involve a lot of different tools (see the list below), the actual tying steps are quite simple–especially with Tim’s time- and frustration-saving tips. The use of the chips clips to manage the bunny strip is especially ingenious.
Conehead Bunny Leech
Hook: 2X-long streamer/nymph hook (here, a Lightning Strike SN1), sizes 2-10.
Head: Gold cone, small.
Weight: Lead-free round wire, .020.
Adhesive #1: Superglue or Fly Tyers Z-Ment.
Thread: Black, 6/0 or 140-denier.
Tail: Rabbit-fur Zonker strip.
Body: Rabbit-fur dubbing, in a noodle.
Adhesive #2: Head cement.
Tools:
• 2 chip clips
• long-blade scissors
• dubbing wax
• dubbing whirl
• plunger-style hackle pliers
• bodkin
• toothbrush.
I have had remarkably poor success with soft furs and dubbing loops. I find it much easier and faster to tie in the end of the Zonker strip for the tail, and then palmer the remaining Zonker up the hook shank to the back of the brass bead. Tie off and you’re done.
Definitely easier to do it that way Steve. I like the dubbing loop better even though it is more involved. All the thick rabbit hide wrapped around the hook soaks up a ton of water and makes the fly more difficult to cast. The hide also takes forever to dry and if not dried completely leads to rust in fly box. I think it comes down to personal preference more than anything. Thanks for watching.
I just knew you’d have at least two very solid reasons for dong it the way you did it! I see your point, and yes they are definitely heavier tied my way. I’ll have to work on my dubbing technique. Thanks for all the videos, I enjoy (and learn!) all of them.
Wow, simple tie, looks great. Genius.