Fly Of The Week
Pete's Prop Fly
Pete's Prop Fly
By Pete Parker, Indian Hills, CO, USA
Photos by Jim Birkholm
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Fly Tying Terms

Pete's Prop Fly

Pete Parker

Pete Parker is well known among professional fly tiers, and those who attend the Fly Tying Theaters at the International Sportsmen's Expositions. Pete is the one who organizes the schedules and arranges for all the guest tiers. He is also a contract fly tyer for Umpqua, ties flies for the FFF Museum and the FFF National Conclaves.

His flies are regularly featued in books and magazine. In additional to Pete's Slider (coming here soon) he invented the Tuna Helper, Pete's Mackerel and other patterns.

We've known Pete for years and were delighted when he agreed to tie a couple of his flies for us at the Seattle ISE Show for use here.

You may not think of this fly as a 'true' fly, but it does qualify through the IGFA standards. If you are into big fish - blue water, salt or maybe even some of the freshwater 'toothy' ones, give it a try. ~ DLB

Materials List:

Hook:  XPoint Diiachi X452 size 4/0.

Thread:  White, Gudebrod, size 'A'.

Underbody:  White Super Hair, layered with Chartreuse Super Hair, Blue Super Hair, topped with peacock herl or black Super Hair.

Gill:  Red Super Hair or Crystal Flash.

Lateral Line:  Holographic mylar.

Head:  Layer of hot glue, dipped in holographic glitter, colored with permanent felt markers.

Prop Bushing:   Brass torpedo-head bead.

Propeller:   Airplane type propeller spinner, approx. 3/4" from blade tip to blade tip. (Available mail order via Cabela's if your local supplier doesn't carry them.)

Eyes:  4mm 3-d stick-on eyes.

Tying Instructions:

    1. Put the propeller and then the brass bushing on the hook. Start thread behind bushing and tie back about 1/3 of the hook length. Check the propeller as you do each suceeding step to make sure it still turns freely.

    2. Starting with the white Super Hair, pull alternate strands of hair to make a tapered body, trim to 1 1/2 the shank length. Allow the hair to roll around the hook on the first batch.

    3. Remove alternate strands of chartreuse Super Hair as you did the white, trim to length and tie in. Tie sparse! Apply a water-thin drop of super glue over the thread wraps.

    4.Tie in blue layer of Super Hair as before. Each succeeding layer of Super Hair should be slightly longer than the preceeding one to form a nice tapered body.

    5. Tie in 4 strands of the holographic mylar, (2 on each side of head) tie in long and pull back, then trim to length.

    6. Top with 6 strands of peacock herl. Since the herl has a natural curve, try and utilize the curve to form the top of the body.

    7. Super Glue again.

    8. Tie in red Super Hair, exaggerate the length or 'cheeks', trim.

    9. Tie off, whip finish or use double hitch.

    10. Apply hot glue with a glue gun. While still hot, dip in Holographic Glitter.

    11. Shape head with wet fingers. (Make sure the prop still spins!)

    12. Color head, first with black, then blue, then chartreuse. Extend the body colors out into the head. One coat over the previous one will blend the colors together.

    13. Stick on the 3-D stick-on eyes.

    14. Mix a protective coat of epoxy, cover head, eyes, and smooth back onto wing.

    15. Put on a wheel to dry, or turn on your rotary vise.

Fishing Suggestions

This fly has been used for blue water fish, Tuna, Giant Travelle, Jack Crevalle,Yellow Fin, Bonita and Barracuda. Pete says a Barracuda will come from 30 feet away to grab it. Try it for large toothy freshwater fish! ~ DLB