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Shea’s Bonefish Buttah – Tying Instructions

Posted on March 12 2016

How to tie Shea's Bonefish Buttah fly pattern for bonefish.
The Bonefish Buttah. Photos: Kyle Shea.

For the last couple seasons, we’ve been fishing one of our favorite bonefish patterns at Andros South – A pattern we’ve dubbed the Bonefish Buttah (Yep, we had a little fun with the name). Well, we’re pleased to announce that the good folks at Solitude Fly Company have started producing it and it is now available to your local Solitude Fly dealer.

However, we’re well aware that many of you like to tie your own flies as well. So, today we present you with step by step instructions on how to tie your own.

Enjoy!

Shea’s Bonefish Buttah – Fly Tying Instructions

The Bonefish Buttah was designed with our South Andros fishery in mind. It incorporates everything we prefer in our bonefish flies – a large profile, lightweight bead chain eyes, tan hues, a touch of orange, and rubber legs. Those features alone are a recipe for success here on South Andros.

However, what we feel sets the Buttah apart from other patterns is the ‘shroud’ of rabbit fur tied in at the back of the fly. Although it may not be evident in the vice, when in the water this rabbit fur collar gives a great translucence to the fly and creates an enticing movement to the pattern on every strip. Plus, it also helps too fight other materials from fouling around the hook bend. On top of that, the dubbing we have chosen for the pattern (Tan UV Ice Dub), when dubbed over fluorescent orange thread actually takes on a nearly lavender color when wet, that surprisingly enough, the fish really seem to like! It works really well here on South Andros and we think you should give it a try. Here’s how to tie one.

Materials

  • Hook: Tiemco 811s, Sz. 2-6.
  • Thread: UTC 140 Denier, Fl. Fire Orange.
  • Eyes: Medium Bead Chain Eyes, Silver.
  • Egg Sac: Rabbit Fur Trimmed From Zonker Strip, Hot Orange.
  • Tail: Craft Fur, Sand (Barred With Permanent Marker).
  • Mono Eyes: Black Mono Eyes.
  • Legs: Pumpkin Barred Sili Legs, ‘Nymph’ Size.
  • Antennae: Krystal Flash, Black.
  • Dubbing Ball: Ice Dubbing, UV Hot Orange.
  • Collar: Brown Barred Ginger Zonker Strip in Dubbing Loop.
  • Body: Ice Dubbing, UV Tan.
How to tie Shea's Bonefish Buttah fly pattern for bonefish.
Step 1: Secure thread at the eye of the hook and catch in medium silver bead chain eyes just behind the eye of the hook.
How to tie Shea's Bonefish Buttah fly pattern for bonefish.
Step 2: Advance thread to the bend of the hook and catch in a tuft of hot orange rabbit fur trimmed from a zonker strip to imitate an ‘egg sac.’
How to tie Shea's Bonefish Buttah fly pattern for bonefish.
Step 3: Tie in a tail of ‘Sand’ colored craft fur extending 1.5-2 times the length of the shank of the hook.
How to tie Shea's Bonefish Buttah fly pattern for bonefish.
Step 4: Color 3-4 bars on the craft fur tail using a light brown permanent marker.
How to tie Shea's Bonefish Buttah fly pattern for bonefish.
Step 5: Catch in a pair of black mono eyes on each side of thee shank so that each eye extends just short of the rabbit fur ‘egg sac.’
How to tie Shea's Bonefish Buttah fly pattern for bonefish.
Step 6: Catch in a single rubber leg and fold over to create two rubber legs on each side of the shank (for a total of 4 legs).
How to tie Shea's Bonefish Buttah fly pattern for bonefish.
Step 7: Catch in a strand of back Krystal flash and fold over to create antennae. The Kyrstal Flash should extend approximately 2.5 times the length of the shank of the hook.
How to tie Shea's Bonefish Buttah fly pattern for bonefish.
Step 8: Create a small dubbing ball of UV hot orange Ice Dubbin to cover materials. This will help to ‘prop’ the shroud of rabbit fur in the water and prevent it from collapsing when stripped.
How to tie Shea's Bonefish Buttah fly pattern for bonefish.
Step 9: Create a small dubbing loop and insert a piece of brown barred ginger colored zonker strip in the loop as shown.
How to tie Shea's Bonefish Buttah fly pattern for bonefish.
Step 10: Trim the leather off of the rabbit strip and carefully spread fiber evenly throughout the dubbing loop. Take care to keep the material sparse as this allows for better movement.
How to tie Shea's Bonefish Buttah fly pattern for bonefish.
Step 11: Using a dubbing spinner, spin fibers tightly in the dubbing loop creating a rabbit fur ‘brush.’
How to tie Shea's Bonefish Buttah fly pattern for bonefish.
Step 12: Wrap the rabbit fibers 2-3 times in touching turns to create a collar. Stoke fibers back as you wrap to avoid trapping any errant fibers. Lightly wetting your fingers to stroke the fibers back can help to manage any errant fibers as well.
How to tie Shea's Bonefish Buttah fly pattern for bonefish.
Step 13: Cover the body of the fly with UV tan Ice Dubbing. Wrap over the bead chain eyes with dubbing as well using figure eight wraps.
How to tie Shea's Bonefish Buttah fly pattern for bonefish.
Step 14: Create a small head of thread at the eye of the hook, whip finish, and cement.

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