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This is my favorite utility Striper fly. Easy to tie, and you can add many variations. All you need is plenty of bucktail in various colors, good thread and epoxy.
Hook: 1 through 4/0 stainless steel
Thread: You choose. I prefer black or red
Wing: Bucktail in different colors
Step 1: Place hook in vise as shown.
Step 2: Wrap thread from eye to one-third of the shank length as shown. This will be the foundation.
Step 3: The colors that follow can be mixed up in any pattern that strikes your fancy. I usually start with red bucktail, each color is stacked to even the tips as shown.
Step 4: I tie in the red bucktail underneath, it will act as a body or throat to the rest of the fly.
Step 5: Now start tying in the bucktail on the wing. Here I've place yellow as the first layer. We will be layering each bunch tied in front of the last bunch but trying to keep all of the lengths the same (just past the end of the hook).
Step 6: Now for a stack of green...
Step 7: I like to place a stack of crystal flash or flash-a-bou somewhere in the middle.
Step 8: Note that each layer is tied in front of the last layer, working our way to the eye.
Step 9: I'm going to top this one off with green, note that the last layer is longer than the previous layers.
Step 10: Tie off the head and wrap very solidly, use a few loops to tie down your thread.
Step 11: I don't use eyes as a rule, instead I found this flashy nail polish in the cosmetics department at the local drug store. It has herring scales in the cement.
Step 12: Cement down the head and there you go. Once you get going you should be able to tie four or five of these an hour.
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