Dolly Llama SBS

[ScottP]

The flowing hair, the grace, flash...striking. Tied here in tuxedo colors; change to suit your whims. Can be tied with stinger hook point up, buried in the zonker strip, or down (as shown). Not much difference in the tying sequence, but it proved easier to photograph the point down configuration so that's what's being presented.

hook - Mustad 34011 #2 (cut shank), octopus #1 (stinger)
connector - braided dacron #30lb
thread - UTC 140 black
tail - rabbit strip black
body - cross-cut rabbit strip black
belly - rabbit strip white
flash - Saltwater Flashabou pearl
head - 1/4" cone silver

Part 1

mash barb on stinger hook, start thread




separate hair on rabbit strip, tie in






loop connector thru the eye, tie down (photos from hook up config used here); brush with Super Glue






remove stinger from the vise; mash barb on main hook, slide on cone

[ScottP]

Part 2


measure trailer for length (1-1.5"); tie in, wrap to eye, fold, wrap back to bend, trim










separate zonker, tie in/trim








tie in cross-cut strip; brush Super Glue on shank, wrap rabbit to cone, tie off/trim






tie in flash

[ScottP]

Part 3

invert, tie in belly strip at cone; whip, SHHAN






cut hook at the bend (watch your eyes); file off any burrs




trim belly strip (a little less than tail) and flash




may you have total consciousness




Gunga galunga,
Scott

[AllenOK]

Nice one, Scott. Really liked how you used the rubber band to hold the trailer hook back.

[whatfly]

One of my very favorite patterns. I think you'll like how this one works when you get to AK, Scott, but it has also fooled steelhead for me in local waters, so it is not 'just' one of the those AK patterns. I like to use PowerPro/Fireline or the like instead of braid for the line, because it is thin enough that I can run it through the eye and back before cinching it down and then coating with cement. There are plenty of tiers who argue the extra step is unnecessary (although the glue step is a must), but I prefer a fly as tough as possible, considering the size of the fish up there. With Fireline, you can also just wrap the line around the eye of the stinger a few times before you pull the loop tight, and skip the step where you bind down the backing. If you can find any of the rabbit strips in "olive variant" be sure to tie of few with that as the back. Beautiful SBS, as always.

[ScottP]

I like to use PowerPro/Fireline or the like instead of braid for the line, because it is thin enough that I can run it through the eye and back before cinching it down and then coating with cement. There are plenty of tiers who argue the extra step is unnecessary (although the glue step is a must), but I prefer a fly as tough as possible, considering the size of the fish up there.

John,

I was tempted to drill out the cone so the braid would fit through, but decided I didn't really want a drill, or brass shavings, on the tying table so I bought a spool.

Allen,

Most secure way to do it would be to use a second vise to hold the trailer but I'd have to switch both to c-clamp bases and with my dinky photo setup, I wouldn't have had room to do a proper shoot, so the rubber band had to suffice. I do have an older vise (somewhere in the basement) and that's what I'll use in production mode.

Regards,
Scott