FLY PATTERN: Schmidt’s Fuzzy Foam Bomber
MATERIALS:
Tail: Elk hair
Body: Fuzzy Foam strip
Hackle: Tan soft hackle
Collar: Elk hair
Hook: variable based on target species
Thread: 6/0
Colors on all the materials can be varied with great success. For this demonstration I will use the basic tan, natural, brown
combination.
NOTES
This pattern is an old classic slightly transformed. It can be used for
any number of species successfully by changing hook size and colors.In the last 12
months I have caught trout, steelhead, bass, panfish, and had salmon strike at
this pattern. Also,
with the slight change of a rabbit strip tail instead of elk hair, it got the
attention of a good number of pike.
INSTRUCTIONS
Step 1: Start at the
back of the hook and tie in a clump of
moose body hair for the extended tail. These should be tied in with the tips
facing back. These
will be 1-1.5 times the length of the hook shank.
Step 2: Palmer the
soft hackle and tie it in butt first. Then tie in the strip of Fuzzy Foam,
pre-cut to the appropriate width based on hook size. Secure the tail structure with a dot
of Zap A Gap.
Step 3: Wrap the thread to the front of the hook. Tie in a clump of Elk body hair base first, being sure to leave enough room to tie the head, and with the tips facing forward. The hair should be tied on top of the hook shank and then finessed to flare side to side.
TIP: Add a few thread
wraps in front of the collar to assist with the shaping.
Step 4: Wrap the
Fuzzy Foam forward to create a conically shaped body for the fly. Tie off the foam
behind the collar. A
good wrap to right behind the collar will force the hair to remain in a forward
sweeping direction.
Step 5: Wrap the
hackle forward to create the hackling on the fly and tie off behind the collar. Whip finish the
head in front of the collar to complete the pattern. The closed cell foam and elk hair
should provide enough bouancy for use, but I also apply permanent
flotant/sealant just to be sure.
Fly pattern by Mike Schmidt
URL for this web page is http://centralohioflyfishers.org/schmidtsfuzzyfoambomber.htm