Deer hair flies are addictive, both to tie and to fish. Usually I tie my deer hair flies on a hook after first selecting the right hook for the job. But sometimes there are no hooks that are optimal for the fly and the fish it is supposed to catch. At those occasions a hook and a shank combination may be a better alternative. One of those times is when tying a large mouse, vole or a lemming fly for trout. By using a hook and a shank combination I can make a bigger mouse without using a long shanked streamer hook where the long shank could be used as a lever and the result could be a lost fish, or a large pike hook where the wide hook gap could mean missed takes when fishing for trout. Another time when a hook and a shank combination is a good alternative is when you want to add some extra movement to a fly like a deceiver or similar.
Material list:
Shank: 2.5cm
Hook: Mustad C52S size1
Thread: Veevus gsp 200d
Tail: Rabbit zonkerstrip
Body & head: Deerbelly hair
Ears: Thin foam
Eyes: 6mm
other stuff: Varnish, zap gel, superglue and uv resin.
Baitfish muddler
Shank: 3,5cm (cut of the back loop from the tail with a plier when the tail is finished)
Hook: Tiemco 600sp size 2/0
Thread: White Veevus gsp 200d
Tail: White frantic tail
Body: White rabbit zonker
Sideline: Silver lateral scale
Head: White deer belly hair
Eyes: 6mm living eyes “earth”
Other stuff: Varnish, zap gel and thick wire and superglue to attach the shank to the hook.
