The Scripture Bucktail

Now here is a really easy and very effective streamer. I found this on the Complete Sportsman site under the rare and unusual. But I have used a similar pattern for years. My fly was born of accident. I had tyed a Squirrel Bucktail and the fish pulled the sparse darker hairs out. Leaving a white winged bucktail. That stripped fly worked so well on the Shin Pond Brookies. I started tying white winged flies to fit that need.

Now imagine my amazement when I found this picture on the CS site and read that none other Ray Bergman had invented it. Not to forget this as well, is the fact the fly in the picture was tyed by a talented tyer named Don Bastian.

The Tye:
TAIL: Red Wool
BODY: Flat Silver Tinsel
WING: White Bucktail
THREAD: Black

Start by tying in the thread sparingly. Add the tail, but keep it thin and flat to the shank. We can bush it out more later using an eyelash comb. Then wrap the shank with the tinsel. Keep it neat and thin just like in the picture. Now add in the wing, keeping it sparse. I prefer thinner than the Don Bastian tye above. But a fuller wing will float higher, having increased bouyancy. Finish off the head and lacquer.

The Tricks:
If you tye this on a shorter shank it is very castable. But tye it on a 5x and it trolls well too. Now cast it through the runs with confidence. Imparting action and stripping it in. Remember it is a simulation of a baitfish.