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Current Tags for This Pattern
/ Epoxy / Flash / Krystal Flash / rabbit strip / Turkey /

Chatham glass Flat

 
tied by striblue
Target Species: Striped Bass,
Recommended Region: Northeast US,
Imitation: Flounder,
Material List: 3/0 Varivas hook, Epoxy, Tan rabbit strip, UV tan krystal flash, Small 3D gold prosmatic eyes, Large lead dumbel, and Micro fleck turkey feathers.
Tying Instructions: This has been my brain storming this winter and this is the first fly... I will work on improving it but this shows you the versatility of this new flounder fly. I know flounders can change colors to adapt to the sand surroundings so i thought of an all epoxy flat fly. The sequence of pictures should give you an idea... this is Lighter, easier to tie OR make. and does what I want. The difference here is clear. I decided to use Micro Fleck Turkey flats feathers for the fins since they have a realistic "spotty" look on them. On my tub test this sank right to the bottom. The dumbell is epoxied in and will help with kicking up some sand. The eyes are up a bit fron the body. I am calling it the Chatham Glass Flat.
I create the body by simply dropping a gob or gobs of epoxy on a type of waxy paper I get at Micheals... as it starts to set I simply lay the hook right into the epoxy... the body is very thin...but thick enough to cover the Hook. As it sets the heat disapates from the epoxy and it can be peeled off the paper.It is still soft enough to cut the body to shape... I want the bubbles in it to give it some visuale texture. Here is the first step.
.....Now I place it in the vise... I cover the top with Hard as Hails so I don't smudge it and ruin it's clarity. Strip one side of the feathers and use Goop because it is so sticky it will allow the bending of the feather stalk. see Photo. Put in your UV tan krystal flash and tan rabbit strip with goop...flip over ..put the eyes on... IMPORTANT... You must coat the bottom of the fly as well after with epoxy since the paper you pulled it from does smudge it a bit and does take away from it's "mirror" ability. Trim the feathers down to the size of the fins as compared to the size of the body..... That's it!