Bob (Popovick’s) Banger
Hook – Any long Shank hook such as a Mustad #34011, or Tiemco 911S,
sizes 4-20.
Thread – Danville’s 3/0 or Monocord, white.
Tail – Bucktail, color of choice, overlaid with five or
Six strands of pearl Glimmer or Krystal Flash.
Collar – Estaz, color of choice.
Body – Livebody cylinder foam, covered with Prism Tape and stick on eyes.
It’s August as I’m writing this and that means its “Big Blues” time at the mouth of the “Hous”. Being a former surf fisherman I know the fun that can be had fishing surface imitations for big blues, and for striped bass too, for that matter. This pattern is very durable, easy to cast, easy to tie, and cheap to make. This fly pops, slides, and just plain moves a lot of water.
Begin by heating a bodkin and piercing your live body foam right through the middle of the cylinder. The foam must already be trimmed to the desired length. Wrap your thread behind the eye of the hook and continue down the hook shank to approximately the hook point. Tie in your bucktail and flash. Next tie in your estaz. You want to build the estaz up so the foam body will not slide further down the hook shank. After covering your thread wraps with estaz, tie it off. Make sure to leave enough room so your able to slide your foam on to the hook. You can either glue the foam head on or just slide it onto the hook shank so that the colored bodies can be easily changed.