Dahlberg
Diver Pike Fly
This
fly is a creation that uses the Dalhberg style
head on a bunny strip body. This pattern creates
commotion on the surface and is a mouthful
once inhaled by a hungry northern.
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Hook:
"Stinger" Hook
Thread: Danville Plus, white
Weed Guard: Oval Monofiliment
Tail: Rabbit Strip/Krystal Flash/Flashabou/Marabou
Body: Deer Hair, flared and clipped to shape
Eyes: optional
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1)
The Stinger style hook is a unique shape. Place
the hold of your vise high on the "bend" to
minimize torque on the wire.
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2)
So I can drag this fly through the brush, I'm
including a weed guard. Put a thread base on
the rear quarter of the shank. Tie a piece of
monofiliment on top of the hook.
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3)
Lash a piece of mono the same diameter as the
hook to each side of the shank covering the
front 3/4 of the hook. (This is a top view.)
If you tie the far side first, then loop the
mono over the top of the shank and wrap rearwards,
you can pinch cut the loop against the shank
using a pair of flat pliers. Doing this creates
a tapered end on both pieces of mono and provides
a transition zone. |
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4)
Bring the thread back over the weed guard and
down the back of the bend, far enough to hold
the mono down along the bend. Bring the thread
back up to where you want to start the tail
and apply a liberal amount of cement to seal
everything. Allow to dry. |
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5)
Tie in a rabbit strip for the tail. (Other materials
can be used for the tail. Bucktail, Kinkyfiber,
Big Fly Fiber, or any synthetic hairs will work.
Even just marabou for a shorter fly.)
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6)
Now I've added strands of lime Krystal Flash
along the sides of the tail, and gold Flashabou
over the top. |
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7)
Wrap a marabou hackle over the thread wraps
tying in the tail. |
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8)
Directly in front of the marabou, on the underside
of the shank, flair a bundle of deer hair. (The
color scheme on this my fly is green/yellow
- so the yellow is always on the bottom. Also,
at this point in the process you should be where
the mono sides have been attached. They will
help keep the colors separated.)
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9)
In the same spot, but on top of the shank flair
a bundle of green deer hair. This bundle has
been stacked so that the tips are fairly even.
After trimming the head the tips will be left,
pointing
over the back of the fly. |
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10)
Pull both bundles of hair back. (Keeping green
on top and yellow on the bottom.) Bring the
thread through the hair and put a couple of
firm wraps tight against the hair. |
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11)
Continue flaring bundles of hair until the shank
is covered. Pack each bundle against the previous
to keep the hair dense. Allow an eye space at
the front of the shank. Tie off with a couple
of half-hitches and a small whip finish. Cut
the thread. |
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12)
Using a straight edge razor trim the bottom
of the hair straight back to the tail. Use a
new blade with a sharp edge. Make sure to keep
the tail from being cut, but do not place your
left fingers at the rear of the fly during this
step! |
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13)
Flex a double edge razor blade between your
fingers and in a smooth stroke trim the top
hairs into a curved surface. Do not cut all
the way. Stop just at the butts of the first
bundle of hair
you stacked and flared.
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14)
You can control the shape of the head by the
amount of flex put into the blade and the arc
of the cut from the eye rearwards. I trimmed
this head in a slider shape. The butts of the
flared hair become the lip that make this a
Dahlberg style head. |
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15)
Liberally coat the lip with a flexible coating
such as Softex. Work the goo into the hair and
bring the hairs up and forward. Allow to dry.
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16)
Once the lip is dry enough to work with, trim
the hairs in a arc that matches the shape
of the head. The height you leave the lip will
determine how much disturbance the fly will
make when jerked through the water. (This view
is from the front.) |
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17)
Once trimmed I will usually use my bodkin to
apply more Softex to the rear of the lip. This
will seal the back hairs against the lip and
make it a little stronger. Be careful not to
get goo into the hair tips which are collared
back over the tail. |
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18)
Reattach your thread at the eye. Take your mono
weedguard and bring it up through the eye and
secure the mono on the bottom of the shank with
a couple of tight wraps. Adjust the loop so
that the mono stays in front of the hook point.
When the loop is adjusted, fold the mono back
over the top of the shank and tie down. Clip
the excess mono, whip finish and cement the
wraps. Your fly is fishable. But, I like eyes. |
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19)
With your fine pointed scissors cut a small
notches in the hair for eye sockets. Apply some
flexible cement and set the eyes into place.
Put a second coat of cement over the eyes and
surrounding area to help seal them in place.
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20)
The finished fly in all its glory. Six inches
long is both a mouthful and a rodful so don't
try to cast this monster with a light rod. If
you want a shorter fly simply eliminate the
bunny strip tail and add saddle hackles or lash
down a marabou tail. Top water for Pike is a
blast, just watch out for those teeth! |
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