Tuna Candy

Recipe

Hook – size 2 – 1/0 Mustad Tarpon or 2 – 1/0 Gamakatsu SL12S

Thread – Monofilament thread

Underbody – Silver Sparkle flash or Silver Krystal flash

Wing materials – White & clear Unique/Ultra/Super hair

Body flash – Flashabou (holographic silver or pearl)

Back flash – Midge krystal flash (light blue dun)

Eyes – Stick on 5mm silver

Gills – Red permanent marker

Head – Clear finish UV glue (hard)

Head – Clear finish UV glue (hard)

Tools required – Bodkin, scissors, thread bobbin, UV clear finish (thick), UV torch & marker pen (red)

Step 1 – Lay a base of thread down the hook shank to just past the hook point.

Step 2 – Tie in a few strands of silver sparkle flash then advance the thread back to the eye of the hook.

Step 3 – Twist the sparkle flash strands together, then wrap them around the hook shank up to the hook eye and tie off. Cut off the excess flash then work the thread back up the hook shank until it’s about 4mm behind the hook eye.

Step 4 – Tie in a small bunch of white unique hair (very important this is pre-tapered with your fingers before tying in, not tapered after completing the fly with scissors). Total length of wing should be about 2½ times the total hook length.

Step 5 – Tie in 4 strands of flash on top (2 at full length of wing & 2 a bit shorter).

Step 6 – Tie in a small bunch of clear unique hair (again well tapered) the same length as the lower half.

Step 7 – Tie in about 10 strands of Midge krystal flash (also tapered) on top. Then whip finish and cut off thread.

Step 8 – Apply some UV clear finish (thick style) or 5-minute epoxy to the entire head area all the way back to just behind the under-body wraps. Before curing you can at this stage pinch together (to flatten), pinch & pull (to narrow profile) or pinch & push forward (enlarge profile) the fly to the desired shape then cure or allow to cure.

Step 9 – Stick on adhesive eyes and draw on a curved gill with a red permanent marker on each side.

Step 10 – Now coat the entire head in a second layer of 5-minute epoxy or UV clear finish to complete the fly.

Tie this fly in different colours depending on the prey items in your chosen fishing area. Popular colour combinations include – All white, Olive over white, Tan over white, Grey over white & Pink over white. 

Fish fly on 16 – 20lb fluorocarbon leader with as fast a strip as you can manage (double hand strip preferable).