February FOTM - The Gotcha

[Stephen Bradbury]

The February FOTM is the 'Gotcha', this is one of the most popular Bonefish flies around the world. Originally tied by American Jim McVay for the Bonefish on the Andros Island flats, it has since become a required fly in any serious Bonefishers fly box. It is also a very effective fly for plenty of other species besides Bonefish such as Triggerfish, most Trevally species (small-med), Biddy’s, Goatfish, Tuskfish, Emperor species, Whiting etc etc. as well as a very good fly for our humble Black and Yellowfin Bream. The Gotcha is designed to represent a small shrimp fleeing along the bottom and can be tied with bead chain for very shallow flats or weighted dumbbell eyes for deeper flats. Usually tied using coral pink thread for a sort of hotspot, a pearl mylar or diamond braid body for a bit of flash and a tan craft fur wing for movement.

Recipe -
Hook – size 6 - 2 Mustad Big Game (my preferred hook) or Gamakatsu SL45
Thread - 210 Denier Flat waxed nylon in coral pink colour.
Dumbbell eyes – Medium sized bead chain or 5/32 I-balz chromed brass dumbbell eyes.
Tail & Body - small size pearl mylar tube, Diamond braid, flat braid etc (extend mylar/tube 6mm past hook bend/tie in point and fray fibers after tying to create tail, then palmer up the hook shank to the eyes to form a body).
Wing - a small bunch of tapered Tan Craft fur (make sure to pull out most of the under fur before tying in). The wing should be sparse and not too long (about 10mm past the hook bend maximum).
As an addition you can also add a few strands of pearl or root beer Midge flash to further contrast the top of the wing.

The Gotcha fly is usually fished on a 10-16lb fluorocarbon tippet depending on the target species, with small slow strips.