The Perfect Zonker Hook Mustad (salmon) #4 or #6, or (streamer) #8 or similar Tail white bucktail – length equal to length of hook shank Body silver Mylar tubing – narrow, to hook bend, front stops 3 eye-gaps behind eye Thread #1 white, yellow, orange, or red – in order of preference. Thread #2 grey or black Gills red ostrich – or bright red dubbing – covering 3-eye gap Wing grey Zonker strip of Squirrel – or rabbit, but not a big one, tied in at 2-eye gap Hackle grey, mottled or barred hen (soft) feather (chicken or upland bird), covering 2-eye gap Leather of wing is cut at ½ the tail length, fur reaches just past tail. I have named this the Perfect Zonker, not because it is perfect but because my plan for the evening is that each person will tie a perfect one. And after tying a dozen for a fly swap I think I can be perfect when I tie one. Greg Herring

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1 The best hook is up-eye or at least straight eye as it allows the weight of the leather to remain below or at least even with the eye – the fly remains upright. Start the thread and take to the bend, stopping right above the barb. 2 Select about white bucktail fibres – use a hair stacker to even them. Measure the tail for length against the shank of the hook. Tie in the bucktail right above the barb with two wraps over, one under and one over. Bind the bucktail to within "3 eye- gap" distance of the eye, and wrap back to the tie-in point. Lift the bucktail butts at 45° and cut straight across. This will allow the butts to lie down at a slope. Return the thread to a point above the barb (binding the bucktail) and finish with a half hitch. 3 Measure the tinsel for length from the bend of the hook to "2 eye-gaps" from the eye and cut. Carefully remove the string core from the tinsel tube. Slide the tube over the eye to the bend of the hook (veiling the bend). Tie off tinsel with the thread – 3 wraps only – secure with a half-hitch. Leave the thread to dangle, or if you have only one bobbin, leave about 5”, cut it off, and attach to hackle pliers, letting it dangle. 4 Push the tinsel back a little from the eye. Attach the second thread at the eye and wind back to the tinsel, to the "3-eye" position. Pull the tinsel forward over the thread (and bucktail butt) and tie off smoothly. Leave the thread at the "3-eye" position. 5 Tie in the red ostrich herl, wrapping the thread to the "2-eye" position. Apply three wraps of herl to the "2-eye" position and tie off. 6 Tie in the squirrel strip or a thin rabbit strip, and bind within the "2-eye" position, stopping thread at the "1-eye" position. 7 Tie in the hackle by the butt, binding the stem back to the "2-eye" position (over the tie-in of the rabbit strip). Wrap the thread to the "1-eye" position, this marks where the hackle will stop. Wrap hackle to the thread and tie off (within the "1-eye" position). 8 Wrap a smooth head (you should have all the "1-eye" area to do it) and whip finish. Return to the bend of the hook and the "forgotten" thread. 9 Moisten the fur in front of the thread and make a part a very little space in front of the thread. Grasp the tail of fur and pull tight. The part should line up with the thread. Make 2 or 3 wraps of thread and whip finish. 10 Cut the leather of the fur strip at 1/2 the distance of the bucktail tail. The fur should reach to the end of the bucktail. The Zonker was originally designed by Dan Byford of the US. It is a cousin of the Matuka, which is a fly from New Zealand. They are both streamers, and what distinguishes them from other streamers is that the wing of the fly is tied in at the eye and also tied in along the hook shank, or at least at the hook bend. This has three benefits: The fly has a good profile like a bait-fish The wing does not foul around the hook bend when casting. The use of the fur strip makes the fly very durable. This class/demonstration will concentrate on proportions, and measuring material placement against the hook. Often the position of the thread will be the marker for spacing. The best hook is up-eye or at least straight eye as it allows the weight of the leather to remain below or at least even with the eye – the fly remains upright. Notes