Conehead Marabou Muddler

The marabou muddler is one of my favorite general purpose fly pattern. Last spring Art and myself did well using the yellow version for smallmouth, carp, and northern pike on the Allegheny Reservoir, trout on the Kinzua Tailwater, and Chadakoin River carp all summer long. Tied with a light cone, the buoyant deer hair gives this fly a slow sink that is perfect for cruising carp.  I split this pattern into two steps, the body and the head since you must change from the 6/0 you use for the body to the heavier stuff you use to spin the deer hair.

Hook: MFC no. 7008 size 8 or a Daiichi 2220 size 6-10
Weight: gold colored brass conehead
Body
Thread: 6/0
Tail: red schlappen fibers
Body: silver braid
Wing: yellow marabou
Flash: pearl krystal
Head
Spun Deer Hair or Cow Elk

The Body

STEP 1:  Take a MFC no. 7008 size 8 or a Daiichi 2220, flatten the barb, and slip on a appropriately sized gold colored brass conehead.  Attach your 6/0 black thread behind the conehead and wrap back to the tie in point.

 

Take a large clump of red schlappen feather fibers and tie them in so they extend 1/2 the length of the hook shank past the tie in point.



 

STEP 2: At the tie in point tie in a length of silver braid.  Advance your thread 2/3 the way up the shank.

 

Wind the silver braid up 2/3 the way up the hook shank.  Secure with the thread and trim off the excess.

 

STEP 3:  Take a plum of yellow marabou, remove the center stem, and tie in so the marabou extends the same length as the red schlappen does.  Tim off the excess and secure several wraps of thread.

STEP 4:  Tie in 3 strands of pearl krystal flash onto either side of the marabou.  Trim so they are the same length as the marabou.  Whip finish and trim off the 6/0 thread.

Tie up several bodies before tieing the deer hair heads.

The Deer Hair

STEP 5: Take your 3/0, "G", "GX2", or other heavy thread between the marabou and the conehead.  Color choice is up to you.

STEP 6: Cut a piece of deer hair from the hide approx. the size of a pencil.  Stack the hair in a hair stacker so the tips are all the same length.  Spin the deer hair so the tips form a collar around the marabou.  Do not the tips or butts of the hair.

STEP 7: Push the deer butts back and build a thread dam in front of the deer hair so the butts stick straight up at 90 degree angles from the shank. 

STEP 8:  Cut a second clump of deer hair, cut off the tips, and remove the underfur. Take the clump and spin in front of the deer hair collar.  Whip finish and tie off.

Tie several deer hair heads before trimming.

STEP 9:  Take your hair scissors and trim the deer hair butts so they form a head the same diameter as the cone.  DO NOT TRIM THE TIPS!!!

The Finished Fly

Hexagaina Nymph

 The Hexagaina nymph is present in huge numbers along the shore of Lake Erie and tributaries (if you have ever experienced the spectacular "Michigan Caddis" hatch in June this is the nymph). Steelhead prey heavily on these nymphs both in the lake and in the streams during their spawning run.  I find Hexagaina nymphs to be most effective early in the run (late-September to early-October) although steelhead will take it in winter and spring.  Since Hexagainas are burrowing nymphs, they are most effective when fished over the muddy/silty bottoms found near the mouths of creeks.  This is also a highly effective fly for spring Smallmouth Bass.

Hooks: Daiichi 1260 or MFC 7231 size 8-10
Weight: black beadchain eyes
Thread: tan 6/0
Tail: orange Glo-Bug yarn
Body: gray ostrich herl
Rib: medium copper wire
Back: pearl flashabou
Hackle: tan hen back
Wingcase: turkey
Thorax: gray ostrich herl

STEP 1: Take a MFC no. 7231 size 8-10 in your vise. Attach the 6/0 tan thread behind the eye, tie in a pair of black beadchain eyes useing a figure 8 knot, and wrap back to the tie in point.

STEP 2: Take a strand of orange Glo Bug yarn and tie it in for the tail.  Secure down and trim off the excess.  The tail should extend approx. 3/4 in past the tie in point.

STEP 3: Clip three long tan or gray ostrich herls and tie them in by their tips at the tie in point.  Tie in 3-4 strands of flashabou onto the top of the shank, and a length of copper wire.  Advance your thread 2/3rd the way up the shank.  Palmer the ostrich herl up to the thread in even tight spaces.  Tie down the herls but do not trim them off.

STEP 4: Pull the flashabou over the body and rib with the copper wire.  Trim off the excess of both materials, leaving the ostrich herl remnants intact.



Top View

STEP 5: Tie in a tan henback feather and a clump of turkey fibers (15-25) on top of the shank.  Advance your thread to behind the beadchain eyes.

STEP 6:  Form the abdomen by palmering the ostrich herl in tight even wraps.  Palmer the hen back over the herl to give the fly legs.  Tie off both materials behind the beadchain eyes.

STEP 7:  Move your thread to in front of the eyes.  Pull the turkey fibers over the abdomen to form a wingcase.  Tie off and trim the excess.  Whip finish and add a drop of head cement.