 |
June 2002
by Rich Johnson
Fly of the Month: Fat Freddie
Notes: The Fat Freddie is a glo-bug on steroids. This pattern is used primarily for King salmon, although smaller versions can be used for Silvers. I've seen a couple different styles, but they all have a couple of common features.; marabou at both ends, usually with a little flash, and lots of yarn for the "egg". The steps that follow are how I construct my Fat
Freddies.
|
|
Hook: Large gape, short shanked, and very sharp.
Thread: Danville Plus, white (or match the body)
Weight: Optional
Tail: Marabou, with a few strands of Krystal Flash
Body: Glo-bug Yarn
Wing: Marabou, with a few strands of Flashabou
|
 |
1) The hook I prefer is the Gamakatsu Octopus (#3/0 shown here). The Octopus is legendary for it's sharpness and hooking ability. Make sure that the gape on the hook you use is legal on the watershed you plan on fishing. (Gape is measured as the distance between the hook point and shank before you add any body materials.)
|
|
2) Starting just past the middle of the shank, attach your thread and tie in a few strands of Krystal Flash (#21 Gray Ghost).
|
 |
3) Tie in a couple of white marabou plumes, making sure to encircle the shank.
|
 |
4) Bring your thread forward and repeat the process with Flashabou (silver) and two more marabou plumes. These materials extend forward over the eye. Notice that the butts of the tail and wing meet in the middle of the shank forming a level base for the body to be tied on. Ideally, the shorter this base is the tighter the body will be.
|
 |
5) Cut several strands of Glo-bug yarn into the length you want the finished fly to be in diameter. With your thread in the center of the tie in spot, fold a strand of yarn over your thread and bring in up to the shank. You'll want to compress the yarn at the tie in spot as much as possible.
|
 |
6) Repeat this process, adding yarn as you work your way around the shank. At some point you will not be able to add any more yarn without encroaching on the wing. Stop at this point and work your thread forward through the yarn.
|
 |
7) Smoothing the wing back, bring the thread through the marabou and whip finish on the bare shank in front of the wing. Cut your thread and cement.
|
|
8) Using your scissors or a stout bodkin, comb through the glo-bug yarn fibers. Trim any fuzzy strands into a more uniform ball.
|
|
9) The Fat Freddie, ready for a slow rolling drift across the stream bottom.
A word to the wise; this fly casts like you have a softball on your line, so open up your loops and keep your rod angled away from your shoulder. And when a King picks it up and turns… strike hard and hold on.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|