Cowen’s Bonefish Scampi

Over the past few weeks I have given you the basics on the 7 must-have pattens for stalking the giant bonefish that lurk around  the island of  Andros.  Simply click on the link or icon above to download the 96 page pdf. of Essential Bonefish Flies – Andros, illustrated with ultra-hi resolution  step-by-step instructions. $14.99 Read More

This is the sixth installment of  Essential Bonefish Patterns • Andros. The complete step-by-step instructions for tying this pattern can be downloaded from www.saltyflytying.com Read More

This is the seventh installment of  Essential Bonefish Patterns • Andros. The complete step-by-step instructions for tying this pattern can be downloaded from www.saltyflytying.com Read More

This is the fifth installment of  Essential Bonefish Patterns • Andros. The complete step-by-step instructions for tying this pattern can be downloaded here.

7 must-have pattens for stalking the giant bonefish that lurk around  the island of  Andros.- 96 page downloadable pdf. of Essential Bonefish Flies – Andros, illustrated with ultra-hi resolution step-by-step instructions. Read More

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=&1=& Tiemco 811S (or similar) sizes #2- #8

=&2=&210 Denier (or similar) Pale Pink

=&3=& Pearl Mylar Braid

=&4=&Tan or Cream Craft Fur

=&5=& Eyes: Medium bead chain (vary the weight of the eyes based on water depth)

=&6=& Pearl Diamond Braid palmered around hook

=&7=&Pearl or Yellow Krystal Flash

=&8=& Clear Cure Goo Hydro

7 must have pattens for stalking the giant bonefish that lurk around  the island of  Andros.- 96 page downloadable pdf. of Essential Bonefish Flies – Andros, illustrated with ultra-hi resolution  step-by-step instructions. Read More

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I choose the Arctic Fox because I wanted a material that was a little more durable than marabou.  I also liked the softer more  natural looking tones that were produced by using the combination of the Arctic Fox with the Fish Hair topping.   The technique of fanning the Arctic Fox is very important, because that is what give the pattern its crabby profile. Also reverse tying the Fish Hair will give you a more intense color near the head of the fly.  To Read the rest of the interview with Oliver Owens purchase my ebook Essential Bonefish Patterns • Andros.

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=&2=& Tiemco 811S (or similar) sizes #2- #8

=&3=&4 lb Monofilament

=&4=& Root-beer Krystal Flash

=&5=&Tan Arctic Fox

UV pearl Angel Hair

=&6=& Black dumbbell eyes (vary the weight of the eyes based on water depth)

=&7=& Root-beer Krystal Flash palmered around hook

=&8=&Tan Craft fur or Gold Fish Hair

=&9=& Clear Cure Goo Hydro

7 must-have pattens for stalking the giant bonefish that lurk around  the island of  Andros.- 96 page downloadable pdf. of Essential Bonefish Flies – Andros, illustrated with ultra-hi resolution  step-by-step instructions. Read More

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I was a dyed in the wool striper guy living in Stamford, CT and my go to fly was a fly called a coyote. It was a fly fisherman’s version of a Blakemore Roadrunner lure. It caught EVERYTHING! Stripers, blues, largemouth, smallmouth, tarpon…you name it. I figured that the success of the coyote was twofold: 1) the spinner blade used for either flash or vibration and 2) the rabbit strip tail was magical when in the water. That was what led me to the Scampi. It was basically a Gotcha on steroids. I guess if I designed it in the last 4 years I could have named it “the Balco”. The rabbit tail and the extended polar fiber wing gave it that big juicy look Shawn was telling me about. The tan Scampi was an instant success. I had also tied up some pink over tan to give the fish a different look than what they were seeing all the time. Andros was a happening place in the late 90’s and lodges were opening up all over the island. Andros bones were getting lots of pressure.  Read the rest of the interview with Henry Cowen.

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=&2=& Tiemco 811S sizes #2- #8

=&3=&210 Denier (or similar) Pale Pink (for pink/tan version) Orange (for tan fly)

=&4=& Pearl Mylar Braid

Tan zonker strip

=&5=& Medium bead chain (vary the weight of the eyes based on water depth)

=&6=& Pearl Bill’s Body Braid palmered around hook

=&7=&Pearl Krystal Flash

=&8=& Clear Cure Goo Hydro

7 must have pattens for stalking the giant bonefish that lurk around  the island of  Andros.- 96 page downloadable pdf. of Essential Bonefish Flies – Andros, illustrated with ultra-hi resolution  step-by-step instructions.

  Read More

Although there are thousands of existing bonefish patterns,  spend any amount of time around dyed-in-the-wool bone fishermen and you will find that that the Pareto principle (also known as the 80–20 rule) definitely holds true.  Only a small assortment of proven patterns earn a spot their fly boxes, no matter where they intend on fishing.  Friends, guides, travel literature and most importantly personal on-the-flats experience have narrowed my list of must-have bonefish flies down to 7 essential patterns… in no particular order.  Ververka’s Mantis Shrimp, Cownes Bonefish Scampi, McVay’s Gotcha, Owen’s 90 Percenter, Chicone’s Tranqu-Hill-izer and Bone Appetit and Ginevri’s Avalon have all proven to be highly productive for Andros Island in the Bahamas.   These flies do a great job of mimicking a prey item and its specific movement. Understanding where the fly was intended to be fished, what factors led the designer to choose the materials he did, and why the pattern has evolved helps to give you the whole picture. Interviews with the fly’s designer will give you a peek into the heads of some of these innovative tiers and should help you to understand how they think and create new patterns as well as gives you a insider’s perspective, valuable insight, and hopefully encouragement to create your own unique patterns.

Over the next few weeks I will give you the basics on the 7 must have pattens for stalking the giant bonefish that lurk around the island of Andros.  As always, you can stay tuned to this blog each week as I share pieces from my eBook, but for the complete 96 page downloadable pdf. of Essential Bonefish Flies – Andros, illustrated with ultra-hi resolution  step-by-step instructions, click the link, or icon to download your copy today.  $14.99