Illawarra Flyfishers Club
Yabby
Photos and Text by Steve Chatterton
| Hook | Mustard Aberdeen size 6 |  |
| Thread | 3/0 - 6/0 Olive | |
| Weight | Lead Wire (optional) | |
| Sieves | Black marabou | |
| Eyes | Melted monofilament (2cm long stalks) | |
| Back | Olive shrimp back or lacquered raffia | |
| Head, thorax and body | Zonker strip | |
| Claw | Zonker strip hide | |
| Rib | Copper wire |
Over
the years I have experimented with various Yabby Patterns and whilst
some have
looked great unfortunately they have all been “dogs” to fish or more
correctly to cast. Generally rather than using them I have reverted to
fishing a
weighted woolly bugger instead. Well all that has now changed and I now
have a
Yabby in my fly box that I have confidence in. A friend of mine in
Kalkite
called Chris Milnes tied the original pattern. He uses it often and it
seems to
work well on larger fish. There were some problems with the pattern and
I have
ironed them out in this version. This Yabby is on the small side but
partly
because of that and the materials used it casts well and looks
realistic in the
water. Use it as an ambush fly when polaroiding or as a prospecting
fly. Also
works well dressed all in black and it would be useful to experiment
with a
saltwater version on stainless and dressed in say pink.
Tying Instructions
 |
STEP ONE a)
Starting at the eye wind the thread to the bend of
the hook. b)
Tie in a small bunch of black marabou as sieves
extending a distance equal to the gape of the hook extending over the
bend of the hook. c)
Use some of the Zonker fur to dub on a small round
head directly behind the bend of the hook. d)
Tie the eyes on top of the hook directly behind the
head using figure 8 wraps. |
 |
STEP TWO a)
Crease the eyes at the hook shank and bend them
forward. b)
Using some of the Zonker fur dub over the tie of the
eyes so as to hold the eyes in position. c)
Tie one claw on each side of the hook shank – try to
get the claws to sit below the eyes. d)
Tie in a length of copper wire behind the eyes and
at the same time make sure that the claw is bound tightly along the
full length of the hook shank.. |
 |
STEP THREE a)
Put a thin layer of dubbing over the body of the fly. b)
Place the prepared olive shrimp back on top of the
fly with the V section in front of
where the copper wire is tied in. Using the copper
wire take 4 or 5
equally spaced wraps to secure the shrimp back to the top of the hook
and to form 3 or 4 segments. Lift the tag end of the shrimp back and
take two tight turns around the eye of the hook. c)
Pick up the thread and take several wraps of thread
over the copper and whip finish and trim the thread. d)
Now carefully twist / break off the tag end of the
copper wire. |
 |
STEP FOUR a)
Place the prepared olive shrimp back on top of the
fly with the V section in front of
where the copper wire is tied in. Using the copper
wire take 4 or 5
equally spaced wraps to secure the shrimp back to the top of the hook
and to form 3 or 4 segments. Lift the tag end of the shrimp back and
take two tight turns around the eye of the hook. c)
Pick up the thread and take several wraps of thread
over the copper and whip finish and trim the thread. d)
Now carefully twist / break off the tag end of the
copper wire. |