Zonker Streamers
Zonker streamers are known as "big fish catching flies". Dan Byford is credited with
coming up with the fly. Until Dan came up with the Zonker, most streamers used feathers
and bucktails for the wing fly tying material. He used the rabbit strips (skin and hair). This
gave the fly a natural swimming movement because of the movement or action of the fur.
It was also much more durable than feathers and bucktail. His original fly used metal foil
wrapped over the hook to imitate the shinny belly of baitfish. Later that was changed to
mylar. Both our copper and pearl mylar bellies look identical to many baitfish. The dark
rabbit strips imitate the back of most all of the baitfish very well. The weave on the mylar
even imitates the scales of the baitfish.
Presentation:
You don't want to attempt to fish the streamer towards a fish. This usually spooks them
because they are used to just the opposite. They are used to seeing baitfish fleeing from
them. You want the streamer to appear it is fleeing from the fish. Baitfish are scared of
any large fish and always flee away as fast as they can. Try to do the same thing with
your Zonker. When you think the fly is in the area of a trout or other gamefish, strip the
fly away from the area fast. Make it appear scared and trying to get away. Of course you
don't always know where a fish is holding. In many cases you have to make an
assumption one is holding in a certain area and then strip the fly away from the area fast.
If it happens to pass by a large trout, it will most likely be attacked. The biggest mistake
you can make fishing a Zonker is just to fish it dead drift. Put some action in it with your
rod and your stripping motions.
Zonker streamers are known as "big fish catching flies". Dan Byford is credited with
coming up with the fly. Until Dan came up with the Zonker, most streamers used feathers
and bucktails for the wing fly tying material. He used the rabbit strips (skin and hair). This
gave the fly a natural swimming movement because of the movement or action of the fur.
It was also much more durable than feathers and bucktail. His original fly used metal foil
wrapped over the hook to imitate the shinny belly of baitfish. Later that was changed to
mylar. Both our copper and pearl mylar bellies look identical to many baitfish. The dark
rabbit strips imitate the back of most all of the baitfish very well. The weave on the mylar
even imitates the scales of the baitfish.
Presentation:
You don't want to attempt to fish the streamer towards a fish. This usually spooks them
because they are used to just the opposite. They are used to seeing baitfish fleeing from
them. You want the streamer to appear it is fleeing from the fish. Baitfish are scared of
any large fish and always flee away as fast as they can. Try to do the same thing with
your Zonker. When you think the fly is in the area of a trout or other gamefish, strip the
fly away from the area fast. Make it appear scared and trying to get away. Of course you
don't always know where a fish is holding. In many cases you have to make an
assumption one is holding in a certain area and then strip the fly away from the area fast.
If it happens to pass by a large trout, it will most likely be attacked. The biggest mistake
you can make fishing a Zonker is just to fish it dead drift. Put some action in it with your
rod and your stripping motions.
Copyright 2008 James Marsh
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