Gil Stacy
Savannah, Georgia

Like the life cycles of fish I have coveted, my thirty year passion for fly fishing began in small, cold mountain streams.  It is now consumed by the saltwater creeks, rivers and sounds near my home in the low country of Savannah, Georgia. 

I have fished no lovelier places than my home waters in which flourish a variety of fly-worthy fish.  None are more rewarding than redfish, which I pursue by wading and sight casting to tailing fish feasting on fiddler crabs.  The "usual suspect" is 24" to 30" long. 

I hunt them in ankle to knee deep water on a spring tide most often on a sweltering, summer's late afternoon, seemingly light years away from the heat of the city and the worries of my office.  All I need are my two legs, my rod, a couple of flies, and a few cooperative tail-waving redfish in the temporarily flooded marsh. 

My "go to" flies for hunting "fiddlering" reds on these occasions are my variations of Jon Cave's Wobbler and Del Brown's Merkin.  I tie flies for survival, grudgingly tying more for the necessity of the moment rather than for the pleasure of time lost at the vise. 

Scroll down for more information about Gil's home water and how to fish it.

Select One of Gil's Flies:

Wobbler (Instructions)

Dubloon Crab (Instructions)

Sedotti’s Slammer (Instructions)

Capt. Randy Hamilton’s Copperhead (Instructions)

Borksi’s Fur Shrimp (Instructions)

Borski’s Bonefish Slider (Instructions)

Crab/Shrimp Pattern (Instructions)

Gil's Home Water

The coasts of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida south to St. Augustine offer a unique opportunity for sight casting to redfish.  Twice a month, around the new moon and full moon, tides spring above normal heights.  Near my home in Savannah, Georgia, spring tides can have a 10 feet range from dead low to high without wind assist.  

These spring tides reach areas of saltwater marsh, Spartina alterniflora, normally unflooded and bring pods of redfish into these fields of grass.  When the fish come up into the grass during the months of summer and fall, they are active feeders in search of targets of opportunity; the most prolific target is the fiddler crab.  If fiddler crabs were as thick in trout streams as they are in the marsh, trout would be more commonly described in pounds rather than in inches.  In the Savannah area, tailing fish can be found on a 7.5 feet tide, provided the wind is not from the tide-killing west.  A northeaster can add a foot or more of water to the projected tide.  During the months of September and October, the projected high tide can range over 9 feet high with lows in the negative one-foot range.

The marsh areas of coastal South Carolina and Georgia are vast.  One-third of the remaining salt marsh on the eastern seaboard of the U.S. lies in these two states.  

Here in my area, my fishing partner Robert Szychowski, and I look for tailing fish in the months of June through November.  The fish are present in the marsh on spring tides during the dead of winter, but are not actively feeding making them difficult to find.

When redfish feed in the flooded marsh fields, its location is betrayed by waking activity, geyser-like eruptions, or by "tailing" as it sticks its snout into the bottom with its tail in the air, rooting for fiddlers and other food. Tails can be seen from hundreds of yards in the right conditions. 

What makes one marsh area more attractive than another for redfish?  I have yet to figure this out.  Not to be flippant, but fish are where you find them.  

I have found fishless areas that appear identical to areas that are loaded with fish. Fortunately, the visual clues of feeding fish enable us to cull areas rather easily from a distance.  However, this is not foolproof as some of our best areas do not always have actively feeding fish.  

The bottom line, if there is such a thing in these matters, is that redfish are creatures of habit.  They usually do not stray very far from low water habitat as discovered by South Carolina fishery experts by the use of electronic tagging devices.  If one can locate redfish on the low water, and there is a suitable marsh flat nearby, the adjacent marsh has potential on a spring tide for tailing fish. 

The typical redfish marsh field is normally threaded, at least on the perimeters, by small creeks.  These creeks appear to be fish entry and exit points during spring tides.  Usually the grass is taller near the creek borders and the footing is soft.  In the areas away from the creeks, the ground is firm and easily waded.  This firmness is caused by the interlocking root structure of the grass.  The grass is also much shorter.  

The first areas to flood appear to be darker than the shallower surrounding areas.  Wading birds, anticipating the flood tide with its moveable feast, often indicate the areas here the fish first appear.  Once the marsh floods, the fish are hunted and spotted in depths from just under kneecap to above ankle.  

If the water becomes too deep, we hunt the edges of the cedar hammocks and islands which offer sloping shorelines where we can find the right depth.  During slack water periods, the fish are usually inactive.  We find them on the incoming and outgoing stages of the tide.  Unlike bonefish, they tend to follow the current, rather than move against the tide. 

A tailing or waking fish must be approached with caution and stealth.  Redfish, from birth, have learned that bad things come from above and beyond.  In shallow water, they are more cautious and skittish than they are in deeper water.  A 10 pound redfish has nothing to fear from an osprey or eagle, but it still will bolt in terror from a passing shadow. 

Sloppy or noisy wading will also alert the fish and they will either scatter like blue-tailed copper streaks, throwing torpedo-like wakes through the grass, or quietly submarine to the bottom and hide in plain sight.  In either instance, it is best to move on to the next fish as one's chances are minimal of fooling a spooked fish.  

An angler who can wade quietly and without pushing a wake can easily set up to within a few rod lengths of a tailing red preoccupied in its search for crabs.  On a dare, I have waded close enough to poke a tailing fish with my rod tip.  

A tailing fish is easier to approach than a waking or cruising fish.  If possible, I like to place myself within 30-35 feet of a fish.  My accuracy improves at this distance and hang-ups are rarer than with longer casts because of the high rod angle which plucks the fly up and out of the grass. 

Assuming we are now in the 30-35 feet range from a tailing fish, what next?  Every effort is made to place the fly as close as possible to the fish's head without spooking it.  The distance varies from day to day and fish to fish.  If the fish is tailing, I try to "bean" it near the head.  This sometimes is in the category "damned if I do, damned if I don't."  If the fish is in thick grass, vision is limited, and the fly must be cast close enough to be seen.  Obviously it will not take the fly if it can't see it or sense it.  On the other hand, the fish will not take the fly if it lands too hard or too close for comfort.  

We generally do not strip the fly in the same manner as we do in deeper unobstructed water.  The reason is two-fold: In the grass the fish has limited vision. Long strips remove the fly from the fish's cone of vision.  Long strips also bump grass and cause more commotion than a live crab, startling the fish.  Sometimes no motion is required; the fish sees the fly and eats it.

If that does not happen, we ever so softly try to twitch the fly, similar to Leonard Wright's "sudden inch" motion imparted to a dry caddis fly.  I do not twitch the fly until the head pops up.  When the head is down, visibility is obscured by the grass and water muddied by his rooting activity.  I do not pick up and recast until the fish has moved far enough away so that it can not sense the pick-up. 

In setting the hook, every effort is made to set it by hand pulling, or stripping the line tight before lifting the rod.  In the excitement of fishing, this is sometimes easier said than done.  However, if the fly has not been taken, the fly has not been removed too far from the vicinity of the fish if a strip-set is used.  Sometimes the fish will take on the trip-set; if it does not, there is usually less commotion caused by the failed strip-set as would be caused by a rod set, and the fish will not spook as readily. 

Occasionally the fish will take without me sensing the take.  On those occasions, a hook-up is signaled by a huge swirl and fleeing fish, often hooked to the crushers.  I try to lead a cruising fish in shallow water by a body length or more.  

Over the shoulder casts are rarely successful.  Incoming fish are easiest.  Put the fly on the line of travel and do not twitch the fly until you are assured the fish can see it.  If it does not take, then the angler is trouble.  

The fish will sometimes keep coming and spook when it sees the angler, usually within a rod length.  It pays to crouch low in those situations.  When a red decides to take, I do not think human reactions are quick enough to prevent the take.  Reds do not usually spit the hook and are often self-hooked to the crushers making hook removal difficult.  I plan to experiment in the summer of 2000 with light wire circle hooks to see if this tendency can be reduced. 

Bite tippets are unnecessary, but it always pays to check the tippet between fish for nicks and frays.  With water temperatures in the summer hovering in the upper 80s, I prefer to get them in and out as fast as possible.  I rarely keep reds for the table; the ones we catch in the grass are usually too big to keep.  There are better local fish for eating. 

Sometimes the Wobbler and Dubloon Crab are just too flashy for tailing reds.  If I have a run of fish which blow out for no apparent reason, I switch to a traditional Merkin, tied in the alternating brown/tan pattern.  The yarn Merkin is deadly on the occasional sheephead which also tails in the flooded marsh.  A large sheephead makes an excellent dinner guest of honor and I have no qualms about bringing one home for supper. 

My fishing partner, Robert, prefers a #4 Merkin in the grass and uses nothing else.  Both of us use small flies for tailing reds as they enable us to make closer casts to the fish's head in the thick grass.  

My favorite hook is a #4 DaiRiki 930ss.  It is needle sharp out of the box, strong, lightweight with well-formed eyes.  It is half the price of the Tiemco 811s and is by no means inferior to the more expensive Tiemco. 

Wading shoes are not necessary for the marsh.  However, snails tend to enter low top shoes and wading shoes or ankle top boots are easier on the feet.  I often wade in shorts, but long pants give more protection from the marsh grass which can scratch and irritate the skin of some wading anglers.  I carry a small fly box, water bottle, camera, sunscreen, extra leaders, fishing pliers and cell phone (for safety) in a fanny pack. I wear polarized glasses for eye protection and a brimmed hat to reduce the glare. 

Tailing redfish in the marsh are a bonus for those saltwater fly rodders fortunate to live and fish in the low country of South Carolina, Georgia and Northeast Florida. In our waters, there are certainly bigger, faster, and more beautiful fish than the redfish, all of which are suitable for the fly rod. However, I can not think of a more rewarding or worthy quarry than a 24" or longer redfish stalked on foot with a home-tied fly as the fish tails and roots in ankle-deep water.

Select One of Gil's Flies:

Wobbler (Instructions)

Dubloon Crab (Instructions)

Sedotti’s Slammer (Instructions)

Capt. Randy Hamilton’s Copperhead (Instructions)

Borksi’s Fur Shrimp (Instructions)

Borski’s Bonefish Slider (Instructions)

Crab/Shrimp Pattern (Instructions)

Borksi’s Fur Shrimp

Instructions Below

Tier:  Gil Stacy

Originally tied for bonefish, this is a favorite fly for wintertime seatrout (weakfish) and redfish on the Georgia coast. 

I don’t know if Tim Borski, a Keys artist and innovative tier, pioneered the technique of barring wings with a permanent marker, but his deadly and popular flies feature the technique.  I don’t presume to tie it as well or adhere exactly to Tim’s original design.


Materials:

Standard saltwater hook, size #2 or #4. I’m using the Dai Riki 930ss. 
Bead chain or lead eyes.
Tan or blonde craft fur.
Pearlescent Krystal Flash.
Tan, brown, white or chartreuse thread.
Cree or dyed grizzly hackle.
Olive or black permanent marker.

Place hook in vise in the normal position.  Tie in bead chain eyes on bottom of shank, just back of the eye.  This fly is designed to ride with point down. 

Wind thread to the rear.  Prepare craft fur by holding the fur by the tips and stroking out shorter pieces.  Tie in several clumps of prepared craft fur, just ahead of hook bend.  It’s best to extend the tie down end of the craft fur to the bead chain eyes so that a body of uniform thickness is created.

On top of shank at rear of hook, tie in 5-6 strands of Krystal flash, 6" long, by binding in the middle of the Krystal Flash and folding backwards and winding thread over the fold.  This creates 10-12 strands, 3" long.

Tie in long, webby hackle at bend of hook, palmer forward.  Tie off at bead chain.  Finish head. 

With scissors, trim sides and top of shank flush.  The hackle will occupy the bottom of the shank.  If hackle fibers are not of even length, do not trim even with scissors.  Instead, pinch off with your finger tips the longer fibers to the same length as the shorter.  This offers a more natural look than a scissored, barbered look.

Hold craft fur tightly together.  Hold flat against a disposable paper surface.  Create vertical bars with marker.  Try to keep the craft fur together in a slim bundle while marking. Application on one side is usually enough.

Select Another Fly::

Wobbler (Instructions)

Dubloon Crab (Instructions)

Sedotti’s Slammer (Instructions)

Capt. Randy Hamilton’s Copperhead (Instructions)

Borksi’s Fur Shrimp (Instructions)

Borski’s Bonefish Slider (Instructions)

Crab/Shrimp Pattern (Instructions)

Return to Gil's Introduction.

Borski’s Bonefish Slider

Instructions Below

Tier:  Gil Stacy

One of Tim Borksi’s great designs with a big following of redfish fans.

Materials:

Saltwater hook #2 to #4.
Deer hair.
Lead eyes.
Pearlescent Krystal Flash.
Tan or blonde craft fur.
Permanent marking pen, color of choice.

Tied exactly as the Fur shrimp, except lead eyes are tied in Clouser-style, and hook is inverted, bonefish style.  The fly is intended to be fished point up.  Also the Krystal Flash is tied in on the bottom of the shank so that it will be on top of the craft fur tail when fished.

Trim deer hair from hide, clump size between a kitchen match and birthday candle diameter.  Bind first clump just behind eyes on the inside of hook. The tips should extend past the bend of the hook or longer.  The eyes will resist spinning technique.  Not to worry.  Just add similar sized clump to bottom.  Wind thread to front of eyes, add small clump of hair and spin to surround shank.  Finish head and tie-off.  Trim head to bullet shape.

Select Another Fly::

Wobbler (Instructions)

Dubloon Crab (Instructions)

Sedotti’s Slammer (Instructions)

Capt. Randy Hamilton’s Copperhead (Instructions)

Borksi’s Fur Shrimp (Instructions)

Borski’s Bonefish Slider (Instructions)

Crab/Shrimp Pattern (Instructions)

Return to Gil's Introduction.

Capt. Randy Hamilton’s Copperhead

Instructions Below

Tier:  Gil Stacy

Materials:

Saltwater hook, size #2 to #2/0.
Lead eyes.
Copper cactus or crystal chenille.
Copper Flashabou.
Copper Krystal Flash.
Thread, color of choice.

Set hook in the vise with the shank up.  Tie in lead eyes - Clouser style.  Size of eyes depends on hook size and water depth.  Add drop of tying cement or clear nail polish.

Wind thread to just short of the hook bend.  Tie in a three-inch long clump of 5 strands of flashabou by binding clump's middle to shank with one or two turns of tying thread, then folding forward facing strands to the rear.  Continue winding thread to bind down the doubled clump.  This locks the flashabou and prevents strands from pulling loose

Tie in 4" long strand of crystal chenille.  Wind forward while constantly stroking chenille to the rear of hook.  Bind at eyes.  Allow strand to hang.  You’ll use this to wind between the eyes and tie off in front of eyes after you tie in wing.

Invert hook.  Take a six inch long clump of 8-10 strands of flashabou and tie at base of eyes by binding the middle of the flashabou and folding backwards over itself so that it points to the rear.  Bind it down and repeat, using Krystal Flash.

Advance thread to hook eye.  Figure eight remaining tag of crystal chenille between eyes, tie off in front of eyes.  Whip finish head and coat head with head cement.  I don’t like flies that look like neat shaving brushes, so I try to trim some of the strands of flashabou and Krystal Flash shorter than others.

Select Another Fly::

Wobbler (Instructions)

Dubloon Crab (Instructions)

Sedotti’s Slammer (Instructions)

Capt. Randy Hamilton’s Copperhead (Instructions)

Borksi’s Fur Shrimp (Instructions)

Borski’s Bonefish Slider (Instructions)

Crab/Shrimp Pattern (Instructions)

Return to Gil's Introduction.

Crab/Shrimp Pattern

Instructions Below

Tier:  Gil Stacy

I won’t be presumptuous to give it a name as if I thought of it by myself because I didn’t. No man is an island and there is not much new under the sun when it comes to fly patterns. 

This fly resembles Del Brown’s "Merkin," Pat Dorsey’s "Kwan™ Fly," Harry Spear’s "Tasty Toad," and two of Borski’s bonefish/permit patterns. 

This is a good one for flats fishing for bones, permit, and reds. 


Materials:

Saltwater hook, size#2 to #4 such as DaiRiki 930ss.
Tan Aunt Lydia’s rug yarn, or equivalent.
Pearlescent Krystal Flash.
Tan or blonde craft fur.
Bead chain or lead eyes.

The barred craft fur tail, eyes, Krystal Flash is tied in exactly as the Bonefish Slider.

Tie in the tail, eyes, and Krystal Flash, and hold the fly in the vise point down.

Cut 5 or 6 pieces of the yarn into 1.5" lengths. Place a piece of the yarn perpendicular to shank at rear of the hook, with thread already at hooks rear, just above point bind yarn to the shank with figure eight thread turns. Repeat as needed, filling shank with yarn hanks until the eyes are reached.  Make small head in front of the eyes and whip finish.

Some prefer to soak the yarn with nail polish and flatten the edges between fingertips. Others fish it as is.

Select Another Fly::

Wobbler (Instructions)

Dubloon Crab (Instructions)

Sedotti’s Slammer (Instructions)

Capt. Randy Hamilton’s Copperhead (Instructions)

Borksi’s Fur Shrimp (Instructions)

Borski’s Bonefish Slider (Instructions)

Crab/Shrimp Pattern (Instructions)

Return to Gil's Introduction.

Dubloon Crab

Instructions Below

Tier:  Gil Stacy

Hook:  Tiemco 811s or DaiRiki 930ss #4 or #2.
Thread:  Chartruese flat waxed nylon.
Eyes:  Bead chain, or very small lead eyes.
Tail:  Tan craft fur.  I sometimes use hot orange

    rabbit fur instead.
Body:  Gold Krystal Flash.

Notes:  Heavily weighted flies are not needed in the flooded spartina where I fish.  Bead chain eyes or 1/100 oz. lead eyes suffice.  Weed guards are usually not needed as my casts are short and retrieves are not long.  A short line plucks the fly up and out of the grass without hanging up.  The Krystal Flash body does not absorb much water and does not land with the sometimes "splat" of a yarn tied Merkin. 

Instructions 

Step 1:  Place hook in vise and tie in lead eyes just behind hook eye and advance thread to bend in hook. 

Step 2:  Tie in clump of tan craft fur a hook length or more past tie in point.  I often use hot orange rabbit fur instead.

Step 3:  Cut off six inch long hank of gold Krystal Flash, 15-20 or so strands.  Do not cut into individual short hanks as they would be difficult to control. 

Step 4:  Lay in long hank across the rear of hook, just above tie in point of tailing material.  Only a half inch or so of material will protrude past the shank on the opposite side of the shank from where you sit. 

Step 5:  Make a figure eight wrapping, binding the hank perpendicular to the hook shank.  This is more difficult than working with yarn.  Cut the hank on your side leaving a half-inch protruding towards you. 

Step 6:  Repeat procedure.  To facilitate binding each hank ahead of the other, leave the next hank longer than the hank last tied in so that you can avoid tying down fibers from the preceding hank. 

Step 7:  When shank is filled with hanks, trim to shape.  Mark bars on tail with permanent marker.  Place head cement along shank to anchor eyes and materials.  Silicone or rubber legs are optional. 

Select Another Fly::

Wobbler (Instructions)

Dubloon Crab (Instructions)

Sedotti’s Slammer (Instructions)

Capt. Randy Hamilton’s Copperhead (Instructions)

Borksi’s Fur Shrimp (Instructions)

Borski’s Bonefish Slider (Instructions)

Crab/Shrimp Pattern (Instructions)

Return to Gil's Introduction.

Sedotti’s Slammer
Instructions Below
Tier:  Gil Stacy

During the fall of the year, when the menhaden start leaving the Savannah River, this fly is my favorite for large stripers.  It offers a large, flat profile, similar to bunkers, and I have caught my largest striper to date on it, a 39" fish. 

Mark Sedotti published this pattern and my version is a modification of it.  If I have to hunt more than five minutes for materials in the clutter of my tying room, I use something else. 

Materials:

Hook size #6/0.
Lead fuse wire.
Lead strips "Twistons."
White nylon thread, flat waxed.
White schlappen hackle.
Olive hackle or dyed grizzly or peacock herl.
Pink Krystal Flash.
Pearlescent Krystal Flash.
Olive bucktail.
White bucktail.
Epoxy eyes.

The depicted fly is 8" long.  Because of its weight and bulk a 10 wt rod fly should be used. 

This is the first pattern that I have seen that relies on schlappen feathers from a chicken.  During tying, I anchor materials as I go with head cement.  Probably overkill, but it’s like chicken soup for a cold. It doesn’t hurt.  Tying this fly violates my number one precept: I don’t like to tie flies that take longer to tie than to lose.  This is the exception.  It is too effective not to use.

Clamp in a 6/0 saltwater hook and wrap fuse wire for body weight.  Attach several lead strips (Twistons) to the inside of the shank, bind with tying white thread or dental floss.  Coat with nail polish.  This creates a keel, helping the fly to maintain sideways profile to the current.

On the top of the hook shank just above the point, tie in two pairs of schlappen, curved together like praying hands.  On the bottom of the keel, tie in two more pair, same as above.  I use the entire hackle, leaving the "chicabou" on the stem.  The longer the better.

Just ahead of the schlappen, on the top of the shank, tie in 10 strands of full length of pink Krystal Flash, bind down in the middle of the full length with a turn or two of thread and fold back to the rear and bind down so that 20 strands trail to rear of hook.  Tied in this way, it won’t pull out later.  Trim slightly longer than longest hackle.

On top of the shank, just above the top pair of schlappen, tie in two pair of olive colored saddle hackle, dyed grizzly, or substitute 15-20 strands of full length peacock herl. 

On top of the shank, you will begin to stack clumps of olive bucktail, tied hi-tie style.  On the bottom of the shank, you should begin to stack clumps of white bucktail.  You will have to alternate top and bottom clumps to facilitate tying.  This is when I wish I had a rotary vise.

Alternate tying top and bottom clumps of bucktail.  To do this without a rotary vise, it's easier to remove hook and turn over than to attempt to tie bottom clumps with hook in normal position.

Tie in a clump of white bucktail on each side of fly, to give thickness to fly and to hide the upper shank and bottom bucktail tie-ins.

Tie in schlappen hackles, two pair per side on top of the bucktail tied in at step 7.

Take a full length of pearlescent Krystal Flash, tie in a middle, fold down both sides and bind it to the head so that it runs down the lateral line of the fly.

Whip finish head, soak with head cement.

Add epoxy eyes to side of the head, or cement with silicone cement doll eyes.

This is a big fly.  I like to fish it on 30 foot-long lead core shooting heads made from scratch for about $1.00 with 30 lb Amnesia running line.  The fly costs more to make than the shooting head.  Here's how...


Lead Core Shooting Head Instructions:

This may be old hat to old timers, but those new to fly fishing may not have heard about or used lead core shooting heads.  I've used homemade lead core shooting heads over the years for fast-water and other situations were getting down fast is desirable.  Lead core shooting heads are also economical compared to the cost of commercial lines and their use is an alternative method of fishing where lines are easily lost or damaged.  I haven't bought lead core in a while, but the cost of a head is about a dollar based upon what I last paid for a spool of lead core 

Buy a spool of lead core trolling line.  I've seen it in Cabelas and other catalogs.  While others prefer the coated, such as Cortland's LC 13, I've used the non-plastic coated dacron line, at least 25-30 lb. test because that was all that was available at the time.  Cut off a foot and weigh it on a powder scale or other accurate scale.  I've used lead core lines that weighed 13 and 19 grains per foot.  The rod I currently favor is a 10 wgt.  It handles 30 feet of the 13 grain with ease.  With the 19 grains/foot, I had to shorten it to safely cast it with an older 9 wgt. I've used various running lines.  My favorite is the 30 lb. Amnesia while some prefer braided mono or floating level fly line.

To make a head, I remove a 3-4" section of lead from the braided nylon.  Fold back the coreless section onto itself and with a bobbin and heavy tying thread, Flymaster Plus, whip the end of the line against the line holding the lead core and slightly ahead of where the lead ends and it's just nylon on nylon.  I coat the whipped portion with Hard as Nails fingernail polish or other head cement.  The running line is connected to this loop either with a looping system or an improved clinch knot.  Via nail not, I attach the leader to the other end, and apply cement. Most of the time it's just a 3 foot piece of 20 lb. test and then the fly.  I have not had the leader slip off, but when I have time, I sometimes whip finish thread across the knot to insure it stays because lead core does not compress with the knot as does a normal fly line.  I've also attached a foot long piece of mono with a loop and connect a short leader with a loop.  The breaking strength
of the leader should be less than the running line.

Lead core is not difficult to cast, provided one comes to terms with the fact that it is not meant to be false cast.  That is a warning, not a philosophy.  Do not attempt to cast the lead core head without a "water haul."  In that a roll cast is used to begin the cast (water haul technique), the running line will eventually twist beyond redemption.  That is why I only use 100' of Amnesia.  The small spools of Amnesia hold more line, but anything beyond 100' is a waste as the twist travels whatever amount you have on the reel.  To begin a cast, I hold the head/running line knot in my left hand and roll cast the line out and release the line until the knot is about 1-2' past the tip.  The line has splashed the water, loaded the rod, but before it starts sinking, I begin the back cast with a tug on the running line.  When the head is behind me, I make a short tug as I begin the forward cast.  While praying that it doesn't hit me in the back of the head, I let it shoot forward as a normal cast.  Chuk n' duk.  It isn't pretty, but it does the job and casts fairly far.  One will want a stripping basket or clear deck to hold the mono between casts.  To prepare the Amnesia for casting, stretch it between your arms as you would do for a regular line.

Unfortunately, the lead core will kink on occasion.  When that occurs, back out the kink. Most of the time, the lead core will not break as long as the kink was not too severe.  I fish lead core around rocks and fast current. It does not last forever, but there are no tears shed when you lose a head.  Once your running lines begins to twist, cut it off and refresh.  I've tried running it behind the boat to remove twists and that helps to a point. It pays to make up several to store and carry in Ziploc storage bags.  If any of this needs clarification, holler.

Select Another Fly::

Wobbler (Instructions)

Dubloon Crab (Instructions)

Sedotti’s Slammer (Instructions)

Capt. Randy Hamilton’s Copperhead (Instructions)

Borksi’s Fur Shrimp (Instructions)

Borski’s Bonefish Slider (Instructions)

Crab/Shrimp Pattern (Instructions)

Return to Gil's Introduction.

Wobbler

Instructions Below

Tier:  Gil Stacy

Hook:  #4 Tiemco 811s or DaiRiki 930ss. 
Thread:  Chartruese flat waxed nylon.
Body:  Medium gold mylar braided tubing.
Epoxy:  Two part five minute epoxy.
Tail:  Hot orange rabbit zonker strip.

 
Notes:  This is the AK-47 of my tailing redfish fly arsenal.  It is controversial, durable, trouble-free and deadly.  Nothing seems to stir the "fly/lure" debate among saltwater fly fishermen more than this fly.  While certainly not composed of European Jay or Jungle Cock, it fits my definition of a fly: "An artificial fish catching object tied on one end of a fly line which is cast by a rod held by a snob." 

I fish it in the flooded spartina marsh grass on spring tides in water depths from just
under my knee cap to ankle high.  It is small and enters the water without commotion.  It
can be cast very near redfish without spooking them in shallow water, most of the time,
that is.  It is fished motionless or barely twitched, not stripped, as the window of
opportunity and vision for the fish in the thick grass is limited; long strips remove the
fly from the area of the fish and sudden, exaggerated movements tend to spook the redfish. 

Instructions 

Step 1: Place hook in vise in normal manner.  Attach thread near eye, wind to midway down bend.  Tie in short piece of rabbit fur, hide up/fur down, hide extended beyond tie in point.  Leave thread mid-bend. 

Step 2:  Fray mylar tubing ¼" from end.  Place tubing over hook, so that hook is inside.  Bind tubing so that frayed ends are exposed, surrounding rabbit fur.  Whip finish thread at mid bend.  CUT THREAD. 

Step 3:  Reposition hook, eye vertical, perpendicular to floor.  Cut off 8" piece of thread, tie a wide, loose overhand knot in middle, pass ends through loop several times.  Put away on knee where it can be easily found in next step. 

Step 4: Mix small amount of epoxy on index card.  Two exact sized drops of each part, ¼" diameter or more, side by side then mixed makes it easier to judge proper amounts.  With toothpick or opened paper clip, place mixed epoxy drops inside tube, try to spread evenly.  Do not coat outside of tubing at this stage. 

Step 5:  With hook still vertical, surround the open throat of the tube with the prepared knot just below the eye of the hook.  Enough tube must extend beyond knot towards eye so that when you tighten knot, the tube is captured evenly and completely.  The extra passes will hold knot tight enough to add another overhand knot to lock the knot. 
Trim ends. 

Step 6:  Reposition hook in normal position.  Reattach bobbin thread.  Finish tying head.  Tubing can be carefully shoved to rear so that a good head can be made, covering trimmed ends of tube.  Don't panic about epoxy hardening.  You'll have time. 

Step 7:  Remove fly from vise.  I position the fly between two pieces of sandwich bag plastic.  Flatten the tubing by squeezing with thumbs and forefingers.  Center shank best you can.  Indent and cup tubing along shank with thumbnails.  After working briefly, strip away plastic.  Fingers coated with Kodak Photo Flo or other wetting agent
help prevent sticking.  (Epoxy is considered toxic and can be absorbed into body through the skin.)  Continue flattening and cupping. 

Step 8:  It will dry in five minutes.  The tubing should be stuck together.  At this stage it is still flexible.  The next step makes it rigid.  Mix a second batch of epoxy, same amount as before.  Hold fly in hemostats and coat both sides.  Rotate and turn the fly to prevent pooling of epoxy and to evenly coat.  Clear eye with red hot paperclip or safety pin heated over gas flame. 

Select Another Fly::

Wobbler (Instructions)

Dubloon Crab (Instructions)

Sedotti’s Slammer (Instructions)

Capt. Randy Hamilton’s Copperhead (Instructions)

Borksi’s Fur Shrimp (Instructions)

Borski’s Bonefish Slider (Instructions)

Crab/Shrimp Pattern (Instructions)

Return to Gil's Introduction.