MATERIALS

      Hook:  Mustad 34007 #4 or larger.

     Thread: Heavy tying thread.

     Weight: .015 lead for size 1 and larger,

                 and .010 for smaller hooks.

     Weed Guard: "Hard Mono"

                         the diameter of hook.

     Body: Large size mylar for size 4 and 

                X-Large for larger sizes.  These 

               are the sizes from Cascade Crest.

     Adhesive: 5 minute Devcon epoxy.             

        Super Glue for alternate

method.

     Overcoat: 2 Ton Devcon epoxy

     Misc: Pliers, hobby wire cutters, plastic 

             brushes, craft sticks, paper plates,

             permanent markers, cup of alcohol,

             rag, and holder for curing epoxy.

1.      Use a non-slip mono loop to connect the fly to your tippet.

2.      Try to prevent "dinging" the fly on hard surfaces like the boat, rocks, trees, etc.  A good ding will pop the epoxy overcoat off and make it more vulnerable to softening by exposing the mylar.  Retire it and re-coat it later.  If you don't ding it and just catch fish, this fly will take a couple to several dozen fish before needing a re-coating after which it should take another couple dozen.  So, check your tippet for fraying and wind knots and you wont have to tie many of these except of course to give away to your envious fishing partners.

3.       As with most flies, vary the retrieve until you find out what works. Generally, I start with a smooth med./fast 18 24" strip.  Sometimes a  shorter quicker strip is good.  The combinations are to many to list here, just experiment.  Ill tell you from experience, if you get a couple of takes when you are pulling the fly from the water to make a new cast, start

        stripping hard and fast.

4.      If the fly skips on the surface when stripping, pause a second to allow it to grab the water.  If that doesn't work, you may have an air pocket in the body that wasn't pushed out during the tying.

TYING INSTRUCTIONS 

Material Prep:

A.     At a point approximately one hook eye length back from the hook eye, bend the hook eye/shank away from the hook gape approx. 15 20 degrees.  Your'e making a bend back hook.

B.     Prepare some mono weed guards from a "hard mono" which is approx. the dia. of your hook. Generally, .019 - .022 works on hooks from #2 to #2/0.  Cut the weed guard so that the piece measures from the hook shank above the hook point, down one half hook gape below the point and up past the hook eye approx. ½".

C.    Pull the core from the mylar tubing.  Cut pieces that measure slightly longer than the hook.  You want the mylar to stick out over the hook eye and follow the hook down into the bend to the point.  After you get this one piece measured, cut the rest from this piece.

Tying Steps:

1.      Start thread just behind hook eye and advance to the point where the bend was placed in the hook shank.  Select a piece of lead several inches long and tie in here.  Finish tying lead down with 8 10 wraps while advancing thread towards the rear.

2.      Wrap the lead four times around the tied down piece and break off.  Overwrap the lead with thread and advance thread to a point on the hook just above the barb.  Tie in weed guard at the end of shank above the barb.  Finish tying down the weed guard until the thread reaches the midpoint of the hook bend.  Secure with a half hitch.

3.      Holding the thread taught, slide a piece of mylar over the hook shank and down over the thread allowing mylar to fray over the taught thread.  Make two loose thread wraps around mylar.

4.      Squeeze mylar flat between your thumb and index finger.  Pull thread wraps tight by easing up on your finger pressure.  However, be sure to hold the mylar tight enough that it cinches down evenly.

5.      Secure with 8 10 thread wraps, whip finish and cut off thread.

6.      Trim excess mylar protruding from thread wraps.  These frayed ends around the hook bend are a detriment to the fly's action.  Pull mylar back towards hook bend to expand the diameter (not so much that It rolls back over itself) and trim the front end of mylar even with the front edge of the hook eye.

7.      Invert hook so that the mylar opening is facing upwards.  Mix a dime sized amount of 5-minute epoxy and apply to the inside rear and middle of the mylar tube.

8.      Turn hook back over in vise into the standard position.  Pull approx. 8 10 inches of thread past the bobbin tube and make 3 wraps around your index finger (this is done to keep the thread taught while you start the thread).  With your thumb and middle finger of the same hand, pull the mylar back to expose the hook shank in back of the hook eye.  Start thread at hook eye and advance to the lead wraps. While still holding the mylar back, place a half hitch at this point to secure the started thread.

9.      Hold the thread taught and push the tubing forward over the thread and make two loose wraps around the mylar, as was done to secure the rear.

NOTE:  Dip and rub your fingers together in a cup of alcohol as necessary to prevent your fingers from becoming to sticky.  This is a messy job so you will get some glue on your fingers and tools but the alcohol lessens it.  This is the reason I use old tools for this fly.  I have one bobbin and scissors that is used for spoonflies only.

10. Squeeze mylar beneath the loose thread wraps flat between your thumb and index finger.  Cinch down the mylar tightly as was done at the rear.  Make 3 or 4 turns to secure the mylar.

11. With a pair of old scissors or mini wire cutters, trim the ends of mylar behind the hook eye.  Finish wrapping down the trimmed ends of mylar and whip finish.

12. Turn the hook back over in the vise and flatten the mylar between your thumb and index fingers of each hand creating a depression/spoon shape in the rear and pushing any air bubbles out.  When flattening, make sure the epoxy on the inside gets spread around to cover the entire inside of the mylar tube.  After the fly is shaped and set, about 5 minutes, put it aside to cure.

13. If desired, tint the mylar with permanent markers before tying off the weed guard.  Start thread at the hook eye to prepare the tying off of the weed guard.  Stick end of weed guard through the hook eye and secure with three wraps of thread.   Adjust weed guard length so that the mono passes one half the gook gape below the hook point.  When adjustment is correct, tie down tightly.

14. Pull tag end of weed guard towards back of fly and tie down tightly.  Whip finish thread and trim tag end of weed guard leaving a little piece protruding from beneath the thread wraps.

15. Using 2-ton epoxy and plastic brushes, coat the back and belly of spoon fly.  Set aside to cure.  After epoxy dries (8 12 hrs.), coat back (opposite hook gape) of spoon with a second coat of 2-ton.  Be sure to coat the edges of mylar as this is the part of the fly that wears first.