Rubber Leg Crystal Zonker

Hook: Daiichi 2220 Sz 4
Eyes: Painted Dumbell Eyes
Thread: Black 3/0
Body: Olive Estaz
Tail/Wing: Chartreuse Zonker
Legs: Chartreuse Crazy Legs

Lay thread base and attach dumbbell eyes on top of hook shank. Secure dumbbell eyes with numerous diagonal cross wraps in both directions. Further secure dumbbell eyes with several figure-8 wraps.

Wrap thread back on shank to point above barb and tie in 5 inch piece of estaz.

Advance thread to 1/3 point on hook shank. Wrap estaz up hook shank to same point as thread. Secure estaz at this point on hook shank with 2-3 wraps of thread. Tie in 4 crazy legs on each side of hook shank just behind dumbbell eyes. Advance thread in front of dumbbell eyes.

Wrap estaz one time behind crazy legs and one time in front of legs behind the dumbbell eyes.

Wrap estaz one time diagonally around dumbbell eyes and pull estaz over the top of the hook shank near eye of the hook.

Secure estaz on top of hook just in front of dumbbell eyes.

Invert fly in vice jaws. Peirce zonker strip with point of hook with rabbit fur facing up. Pull zonker strip tight against estaz body. Pull zonker strip over estaz body and secure immediately in front of dumbbell eyes. Trim excess zonker near eye of hook and build tapered thread head.

Whip finish or half-hitch thread to tie off and fly is complete.

The rubber leg crystal zonker fishes great for a variety of species. This time of year we fish them primarily for largemouth and smallmouth bass, but this fly has taken a number of large trout, white bass, pike, and even sheephead out on Lake Erie. Other color combinations include chartreuse and purple, white and olive, black on black, and orange and brown. The fly will swim hook point up and can be swung, stripped, or jigged.

Clouser Minnow

Hook: Daiichi 2220 sz 4-10
Thread: Red 140 UltraThread
Head: Red Dumbell Eyes
Body: Pearl Sparkle Braid
Top Wing: White Bucktail
Bottom Wing: Contrasting color Bucktail (shown with Chartreuse)

Lay thread base on hook. Wrap thread back to approximately the 2/3 point on the hook shank. Create small ball of thread at approximately the 1/3 point on the hook shank. The dumbell eyes will rest against this thread ball in the next step.

Attach dumbell eyes such that they sit against the front of the thread ball created in the previous step. Attach eyes by making numerous wraps of thread across dumbell eyes in both directions. Continue with figure-eight wraps until dumbell eyes are secure. Optional: add drop of head cement for extra security of dumbell eyes.

Tie in 3 inch piece of pearl sparkle braid. Wrap thread back to 2/3 point on shank.

Advance thread in front of dumbell eyes. Select small clump of white bucktail and attach to top of shank immediately in front of dumbell eyes with progressively tighter wraps of thread. Once secure, clip excess bucktail.

Tie down bucktail on top of shank immediately behind dumbell eyes with 3-4 tight wraps of thread.

With bucktail on top of shank, wrap sparkle braid forward, creating a tapered body. Secure sparkle braid immediately behind dumbell eyes with several tight wraps of thread. Trim excess sparkle braid.

The remaining steps can be easier to tie with the hook in the vice point up, however this is personal preference and may be tied either hook up or hook down. Tie in a small clump of pearl krystal flash in front of dumbell eyes on side of shank opposite from white bucktail and trim excess.

Tie in small clump of chartreuse bucktail immediately in front of dumbell eyes on side of shank opposite from white bucktail. Secure with increasingly tight wraps of thread. Trim excess bucktail.

Wrap thread numerous times to cover any exposed bucktail tips. Build smoothly tapered thread head. Whip finish or half-hitch to tie off.

Apply head cement to thread head and fly is ready to go fishing!

This is one of our favorite flies for smallmouth bass in any of our local Lake Erie tribs. The lead dumbell eyes give the fly a nice jigging action that fish cannot seem to resist. The fly rides hook point up to minimize snagging on river bottom. Works great in a variety of colors, favorites include white and chartreuse, white and olive, white and blue, yellow and chartreuse, and yellow and brown. Strip it, drift it, or swing it, this fly is a classic smallmouth producer.