Flashy Profile Fly - SBS (Kevin James)

**Kevin James** · 10-12-13

Hook: Any hook you wish to use. Examples include #1/0-10/0 Gamakatsu SS15 Octopus or Trey Combs Big Game Hooks.
Alternately, you may choose to tie this pattern on a tube and add hooks afterwards depending on the target species you are chasing.
Weighting: This is entirely optional – you may wish to add some lead wire, solder or split shot to the under body of the fly and secure this in.
I tie my patterns both with and without lead under bodies depending on how I want my fly to swim or sink as the case may be.
Primary body: Crinkle nylon and Superhair, Fishhair or SF material. I have also experimented with kanekalon to good effect.
Flash: There are so many different flash materials on the market these days, the flytier is spoilt for choice. Materials include any saltwater flash dyed pearl or natural, your choice of holographic mylar or Flashabou in various thickness strips and colours, Lateral Scale, Mirage Flash, Krystal Flash and Angel Hair to name just a few. Big flies require up to three sections of flash - holographic mylar should be added over the last section and allowed to veil or halo the fly.
You also want alternate flash colourings for the back and top of fly to mimic the dorsal/back colourings: Bronze Flashabou and black Krystal Flash are my favourites although I have also started using SF midnight colour. Other materials can include fluorescent neon flash that makes great contrasts.
Gills: I do believe little red gill slits make a difference to the fly pattern. These can be tied in with red material or simply added with marking pens after the fly is finished.
Head: Tying thread of your choice, although for bigger flies I prefer 210 Denier thread. You might also consider using very light clear mono as this picks up any colours in the fly without having a coloured head.
Eyes: Witchcraft prismatic stick-on: 3mm to 10mm depending on fly size. Again, there are some really cool eyes with yellow or red irises that can be used.
I do not use the 3D type eyes as they give the head too big a bulk. You ideally want this fly to be as stream lined as possible looking at it head on and wide as possible from the side.
Epoxy: The eyes are epoxied over and a very thin layer worked into the head area.

• All materials are tied in and folded, using a high and low tying procedure. This is an old method where material is tied in only on the top and underside of the hook shank. Nothing on the sides. This produces a flat fly with a deep dorsal/ventral profile.
• Each layer is measured for length, in accordance with how you want the fly to look for intended application, and laid on the hook, secured with a couple of wraps, folded over and secured again. Nothing difficult, as long as form and balance are maintained and you have some idea of what you want the completed fly to look like.
• Fold the strands hanging at the front of the fly back and tie it down on top of itself. Lift and trim unevenly so the material has graduated lengths and does not get that "hacked off" paint brush appearance.
If the material is tied and cut off and held together with epoxy and glue, you are not tying an ALF or FPF. Synthetic material does not compress so the folding keeps the material where it belongs instead of pulling out. The deep profile is achieved by layering above and below, keeping the front view thin and the side view as deep or narrow as needed.
• The amount of flash you use is based on several factors - off colour water conditions usually call for extra flash to help increase your flies’ visibility. Overcast skies can dull a flies appearance, and flash, especially holographic will help you to use all the available light to accentuate your pattern, but the most important consideration is matching the flashiness of the bait you are imitating. Don’t be stingy with the flash - No matter how much flash you use it is better to have a little too much than not enough. You can always cut a little bit of flash out of a pattern if you are getting refusals but you can't add flash after the fly is finished.

Step by Step: I’m tying a Red and Yellow Flashy here on a tube.

Start the mono/thread about 1 cm back from the back of the tube you’re using.
If you are going to tie in a belly, turn the tube over and tie in yellow/white streamer hair and then some red
Turn the tube in the vise and tie in a small bunch of yellow streamer hair
Tie in some sparkelflash - pearlescent
Tie in some more yellow, just in front of the previous clump
Tie in some krystal flash – silver or gold
Tie in some red streamer hair just in front of the yellow
Tie in some red and chartreuse krystal flash
Tie in another bunch of yellow streamer hair again just in front of the previous bit you tied in
Tie in good amount of pearlescent flash
Tie in some white streamer hair towards the hook eye
Tie some tinsel or thick sparkleflash on the sides of the fly
Whip finish and apply head cement to the fly head and where you have tied in the streamer hair
Apply a very thin coat of 5 minute epoxy. Ideally you want the epoxy to be worked into the head area. You will have to be on your toes here to make sure the epoxy does not gloop down but instead dries to the shape you want. You want this type of shape < Lots of turning and shaping needs to be done as this is a very important step.
Once this has dried stick the eyes on.
Apply a second thicker coat over the head and eye to about 1mm behind the eyes. Do not epoxy too far back as to close the gape of the hook if you are tying on hooks.
It is irrelevant for tube patterns.

Wahoo with Fly II A.jpg
FPF - Kate Howe I.jpg
FPF - Kate Howe II.jpg

Many thanks to Bill and Kate Howe for introducing the world to one of the best fly patterns in the last 25 years and for the detailed tying instructions that were forwarded when the pattern was first introduced to Australia by Dean Butler.

**dtayl13** · 10-12-13

Thanks. Much appreciated. It seems there are many variations of the shape of this fly. Some are like half beaks some really bulky. I really like this one.

**Kevin James** · 10-12-13

Mate, the big thing with this fly is to be able to shed water quickly.

A lot of the flies that blokes tie up as Flashies are not really flashies per se.
The shape is way out and the amount of flash doesn't do them justice.

They must be quite thin looking at them head on, and depending on what species you are after, or more specifically, what baitfish you are trying to imitate, build them up like that.
The FPF we tie here for the offshore species are generally slimy mackeral patterns with an elongated look, rather than a chunky wide profile. Baitfish in South Africa, like the shad or karranteen, might warrant a wider profile for the inshore fishery.
Just a thought for you to consider.

Good luck and post up your flies once they are done mate.

**igfafly** · 11-12-13

A good illustrated guide can be found here:

https://www.tienfly.com/index.php?op...=37&Itemid=139

Steve

**gazzarowan** · 12-12-13

awesome posts and link - thanks for that.

my wife and I will be going to Sydney over New Years this year, would love to meet up with you and see what monsters you've picked up there in the deep blue.

im going to take my 8wt with a few flippers and some other baitfish/charlies etc and play in the shallows in Perth and possibly Sydney.

Cheers boys, have a great Festive Season and G0d Bless

**dtayl13** · 13-12-13

I guess it looks nothing like it is supposed to but I think something will eat it. Not sure why I am bothering to post it. Just can't work out how to tie them so they even look similar to how they should look. This is #2/0

**Kevin James** · 15-12-13

Originally Posted by dtayl13

I guess it looks nothing like it is supposed to but I think something will eat it. Not sure why I am bothering to post it. Just can't work out how to tie them so they even look similar to how they should look. This is #2/0

Mate, if you post up a picture lets see if we can try get you in the right direction.
I'm sure there might just be small details that need some ironing out.

If all else fails, feed it to a shark - they seem to eat most things except chartreuse from some of my experiences.:biggrin: