Christmas Island Crazy Charlie

 

 

Recipe

Hooks – Preferred types – Gamakatsu SL45s, Mustad Big Game’s and Mustad Tarpon’s.  Preferred sizes – 8, 6, or 4,  size 6 is the best allround size.

Thread – Orange, Coral (light pink) or Tan flat waxed 210 denier.

Eyes – Weighted : I balz 5/32, Real eyes (small) or plain Brass Hourglass.

Unweighted : Beadchain (medium).

Flash – Krystal flash or Midge krystal flash in Pearl, Tan, Pink, Orange or Rootbeer.

Wing – Craft fur, Fly fur, EP silky fibre, Rabbit or Artic fox preferably in a light tan colour or perhaps a light pink or orange.

 

 

Finished flies

 

 

Tie CI Crazy Charlie’s in varied hook sizes and eye weights to suit the size of the Bonefish and the depth of the water. Roughly : lightly weighted medium Beadchain for water under knee depth and heavy weighted eyes for water above knee depth.

 

Stage 1 – Lay down a thread base about 5mm up the hook shank, then return the thread back about 1mm ready for the eyes.

NOTE : a small thread bulge at the back can help when positioning the eyes.

 

 

 

Stage 2 – Tie in chosen eyes on top of the hook shank with a few cross wraps in both directions, followed by half a dozen square lashings, with a few more cross wraps over the top to finish.

 

 

Stage 3 – Turn the fly over rotate in the vise, then seal the thread bindings with Head set, Vinyl cement, Nail varnish etc. This will make the fly more robust.

 

 

Stage 4 – Tie in 4 strands of Krystal flash or Midge Krystal flash about 1½ x the hook length (vary strand lengths if desired).

 

 

 

 

Stage 5a – Cut off a small (sparse) bunch of Fly fur (or desired wing material), pinch between your fingers and pull out the short under fur.

NOTE : Keep under fur in a small snap lock plastic bag for use as a dubbing or body material on future Crab and Shrimp flies.

 

 

Stage 5b – Most of the wing materials mentioned in the recipe will already have a natural taper (feather out to a point), if not, taper the material at this stage to the desired shape (Slip the material between fingers). Try not to taper the wing with your scissors after it has been tied in (usually an undesirable result). Hold the wing material on top and tie in once you are comfortable with the position and length (about 1½ x hook length to the tips). Then trim off the excess just behind the hook eye and bind over with the thread.

 

 

Stage 6 – Whip finish and cut the thread to finish and seal the head bindings with some more Head set, Vinyl cement, Nail varnish etc. The fly is complete.

 

NOTE : Fish fly on a floating line with a fluorocarbon tippet (12lb) for best results.