Zonker

Created by Dan Byford

HOOK: 300, sizes 2-6; usually tied weighted THREAD: Black BODY: Pearl mylar piping WING: Rabbit strip THROAT: Hackle to match wing

Uses

Zonkers are a great baitfish imitator. From the silvery mylar to the tantalizing way the rabbit fur moves, Zonkers are attractive to large, predatory trout. They work well in both rivers and lakes

Variations

Copper mylar is a good optional body color. Gray or olive rabbit strip both work well. Some tyers add eyes.

How to Fish

In lakes, use a sinking line and a count-down-and-retrieve or slow retrieve presentation. Vary the retrieve until you find what works best at the moment: slow and steady, fast, strip-and-pause, or quick, short two-inch strips. Also, wind-drifting works well. Fish at all depths until you find the right one, but most of the time you should be fishing somewhere between two to six feet deep.

 
Zonkers can work well in rivers with undercut banks; let the fly drift under the bank, as deep as you can, then strip it fast.