In the ever-evolving world of fly fishing, where the quest for the perfect fly never ceases, the GUN is a fly that has stood the test of time. If I were to carry only one single nymph onto any Trout or Yellowfish river, it would certainly be the Gun.
The Design.
The Gun is designed to imitate a mayfly nymph. The lead wraps just behind the tungsten bead and the sleek UV finish allows this fly to get down in the deeper, faster flowing water with hairline rubber legs and tails to give it plenty of movement. The chartreus hot butt is a perfect trigger for both trout and yellowfish.
Tying tips for the Gun.
Material requirements.
- Hook: Fasna F-425 #20-#16
- Lead Wire: Same or similar diameter to hook shank
- Bead: Slotted Tungsten Silver. 2.5mm to 3.5mm
- Thread: 140 Denier in Black
- Ribbing: Medium Gold Wire
- Tail & Legs: Hairline fairy legs
- Thorax: Hairline Peacock Dubbing
- Wing Case: Medium Mylar Tinsel
- Hot Butt: Chartreus GloBright
Method:
- Once fly is fitted with the bead in the vice. Make three or for turns of lead wire and snip/break off as close to the shank as possible. Slide the lead wraps right up to the bead of the fly.
- Lay a thread base along the length of the hook shank while simultaneously tying in the chartreuse GloBright.
- Take the thread all the way to the end of the hook shank, just before the bend in the shank.
- Wrap the GloBright behind the black thread wraps just onto the bend in the hook shank, forming the hot butt.
- Wrap the thread back up to just over the lead wraps.
- Simultaneously, tie in the hairline rubber tail and the gold wire.
- Wrap all the way back to the chartreuse hotspot. Do your best to keep the hairline rubber legs evenly spaced.
- Wrap thread all the way forward, building a slight taper as you go. Rib the fly with the gold wire and helicopter the excess off.
- Trip the rubber tails evenly so that the length of the tail is slightly longer than the shank of the hook.
- Tie in the mylar tinsel at the bead, making thread wraps back just past the bulge of the lead wraps and forward to the center of the thorax.
- Now, Using the two trimmed rubber tails, tie in the legs, one at a time on either side of the fly. Try to manipulate the rubber so that the front and back legs sit at a 45 degree angle to the fly.
- Create a thin dubbing noodle with the peacock dubbing and wrap the thorax, finishing with the thread in front of the front legs and behind the bead.
- Pull the mylar tinsel forward and tie in the wing case. Whip finish and snip the thread off close.
- Coat fly in UV resin careful not to trap any of the rubber legs.
- Once cured, trim legs and tail to desired length.
