The Best Anglers Never Stop Learning

The Best Anglers Never Stop Learning

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Conehead Bunny Leech

Insect Species Icon None
Difficulty Icon Medium - 5-7 Min
Water Category Icon Coldwater, Warmwater

Tying Video

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Tying Recipe
  • Hook: Streamer/ nymph hook 2x heavy 2x long straight shank down-eye size #8
  • Bead: Conehead small gold
  • Thread: UTC 140 denier black
  • Weight: Lead free wire .020
  • Tail: Rabbit fur zonker strip dyed olive with black barring
  • Body: Rabbit fur zonker strip dyed olive with black barring
  • Hook: Any heavy wire streamer hook will work down eye or straight eye is perfectly fine.
  • Bead: Any tungsten or brass conehead will work, match the size of the cone to the size of the hook.
  • Thread: Any medium diameter thread will work. Try not to go thinner than 8/0 or 70 denier, as dubbing loops can be difficult with thin thread. Also try not to go above 140 denier or 6/0, as it will bulk the materials too much.
  • Weight: Fish this weightless for shallow water, or add thicker wire for deep water.
  • Tail: Rabbit zonker strips are needed for larger flies. If you’re tying this smaller than a 10 pine squirrel zonker strips may work better.
  • Body: Rabbit zonker strips are needed for larger flies. If you’re tying this smaller than a 10 pine squirrel zonker strips may work better.

With only two materials being in the fly, and one of them being thread, there is plenty of room to add materials like flash and rubber legs to this fly. If you want to add rubber legs, try stopping the initial dubbing loop short, tying in the legs, then making a collar dubbing loop to finish the fly. This will make it so the legs appear to come out of the fly instead of the conehead. If you want some substantial flash in the body, tie in some polar chenille and twist this into the dubbing loop with the rabbit fur. Get funky with the colors with multiple loops, and for all you swing anglers you can really get fun with some pink, flesh, and purple colorways!

This is a super simple pattern that will produce in a number of situations for numerous amounts of fish. The simplicity of this streamer makes it a great pattern for beginner tyers looking to get into streamers. It can be modified to suit any need, and fished in any manner with great results.

In cooler temperatures, slow the retrieve of the fly, or simply let it swing in the current. The rabbit will move and look great either way to trigger those lethargic fish. In warmer water temperatures, speed up your stripping pattern to really get that rabbit moving to get those fish to chase the fly down. Fish this along the bottom, or fast along the surface, you really can’t go wrong!

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