Shock and Awe

The first time I saw this fly, I knew it would produce. It was love at first sight. I ran across it on Andy Partlo’s website for his fly shop in Grayling (www.oldausable.com). It’s listed in the “River Report” section, but probably won’t stay there long.

If you’re looking for a streamer baitfish pattern that does NOT Shock and Awe Victimrepresent a sculpin, this is the one. It’s essentially a re-make of the old favorite “double bunny”, but easier to tie, and (IMHO) more effective. I think the body and profile present a more “chunky” appearance than the double bunny. But, more importantly, the horizontal demarcation of contrasting colors between the top and belly of the fly is definitely more natural in appearance.

Mix the color combinations to represent the baitfish of your choice, keeping the darker color on top . . . or, go crazy with bright colors, rubber legs and flash to give it some real “shock and awe” when the water is high and discolored. Using dumb bell eyes, instead of bead chain or mono, will get the fly deep, if you need that.

Here’s the tie:

Hook: TMC 300 size 4
Thread: 3/0 olive (color to match zonker)
Eyes: Large bead chain (or dumb bells for weight)
Tail/Overwing: Olive Variant rabbit zonker
Body: Cross-cut rabbit, Chinchilla (lighter in color than Overwing)
Legs/Flash: Crazy-Legs and/or holographic Flashabou

SNA11. Tie in your eyes of choice. Dumb bells for weight, or bead chain for unweighted. Move the thread to the rear.

SNA22. Divide the rabbit zonker fur at a point about one hook shank length from the end of the zonker strip. This is your tie-in point on the zonker. Tie it it about even with the point of the hook. Temporarily for now, pull all the zonker back out of the way.

SNA33. Tie in the lighter colored cross-cut rabbit, so the fur lays to the rear. Move the thread forward, about one-eighth inch behind the eyes.
Tie in your flashabou and/or rubber legs. Move the thread forward to the eyes.

SNA44. Palmer the cross-cut forward, wrapping up to the legs/flashabou, then in front of the legs/flashabou. Tie off immediately at the eyes. Trim excess. Move thread in front of the eyes.

SNA55. Casually divide the cross-cut fur that’s on top of the hook. Some to the left, some to the right. Bring the zonker strip over the top and tie off in front of the eyes. Wrap securely. Whip finish. Done.

Click images to enlarge.