Briminator

[ScottP]

A lot more goes into this fly than is probably needed for it's intended target (having caught a fair number of 'gills on a bare hook).


hook - Dai Riki 280 #10
thread - MFC 8/0 sand
tail - pheasant marabou (or whatever you call the fluffy stuff around the tail)
rib - small wire copper
body - pheasant marabou (butts from tail)
hackle - pheasant rump
collar - pheasant aftershaft
eyes - bead chain gold


Regards,
Scott

[melk]

HMMMMMMM, maybe this should be called the "Pheasntinator"!
Mike

[Uncle Jesse]

I am thinking turkey could be substituted for most of the pheasant. But, bream are so fussy (not),

[FishnDave]

As with most flies, this one isn't specific for bluegills, but it certainly DOES do a good job of catching them. Its almost like a Gartside Sparrow (another great multispecies pattern) with bead-chain eyes.
I used the Briminator this past late Spring for Bluegills, bass, and Redear Sunfish. It worked really well, whether swimming the fly, or dropping it near nests, or dragging it.

I like the way yours looks.
The ones I tied look a bit different. Kinda messy looking when dry, but beautiful in the water. Could be taken for a leech or dragonfly nymph. When I looked up the recipe, the original fly was intended to use all parts of just a single "church window" pheasant feather (basically, according to its creator Tony Guzman of Texas, because he is cheap). The fluff from the base of the stem was to make up the tail, body, and also be the only thing in front of the beadchain eyes. The rest of the feather was wound just behind the beadchain eyes. It has probably been improved upon based on others' experiences. I've seen pictures, and its interesting how so many folks end up with a different look on the same fly. In all incarnations, it remains a very effective fish-catcher.

Tony says he now also uses a modified version of this fly very effectively for carp.

Thanks for posting this, Scott. Reminds me I should tie up some more.

[Linecaster]

You're right it started out as a one feather fly with the hackles behind the beadchain. Has been my go to fly for many years. Caught big bass and a stack of "brim".