The St. Simons Scampi

This is a great, new red fish fly that builds upon the success of the Prawn’s Revenge.  Tie it with 3mm bead chain eyes for a light, easy casting fly for shallow water or lead eyes for fishing in deeper water.  Like the Prawn’s Revenge, the combination of barred rabbit fur, polar chenille and krystal flash provides motion even when the fly isn’t moving.   The fly rides hook point up, so it is relatively snag free.

Completed St. Simons Scampi

Please sign in or register for complete ingredient list, pattern instructions and step-by-step photos.  When you register, you will be put on our newsletter list.  I hope you don’t mind, but I think it is a fair trade for this unique killer fly.

[hidepost=0]

Ingredients:
Size 4 Tiemco 811S, Mustad 34007 or equivalent
Spirit River Tarantula Legs, Orange, Medium
Brown, Rust Brown or Danville’s Fine Monofilament thread
Wapsi Presentation Lead Eyes, Small or X-small, Black (For a lighter, easier casting fly that works just as well in shallow water, use 3mm brass bead chain eyes.)
Krystal Flash
Hareline UV Polar Chenille UV Copper
Black and orange bar Dyed Zonker strip.

  1. Lay down a thread base.  Attach lead eyes partially down the hook bend with figure 8 wraps.

    St. Simons Scampi, Eyes, antennae and k-flash attached

  2. Attach one Tarantula leg in front of the eye by folding it in half around the thread.
  3. Bring the legs to the rear of the eye, and secure on either side of the hook with a few thread wraps.
  4. Attach approximately 15 strands of K-flash behind the eye with strands extending one hook shank length behind the eyes, forming a tail.  Secure with thread behind the eyes.  Pull K-flash over the eyes and secure with three wraps.  Attach Polar Chenille directly in front of the K-flash.

  5. Body formed, chenille ready to wrap

    Wrap thread counter clockwise around the K-flash.  Wrap away from you to form the body. (The thread will continue wrapping around the K-flash)  Figure 8 wrap around the lead eyes.  Wrap forward to form the body, keeping the thread wrapped around the K-flash.   Stop short of the hook eye and tie off.  Palmer Polar Chenile forward, sweeping the fibers back so they won’t be tied down with the subsequent wraps.

    Body completely formed. Ready for the zonker strip

    Four or five wraps are all that are necessary.  Tie off and secure with half hitches or whip finish

  6. Turn the fly over in the vise, or if you have a rotating vise, rotate so hook point is up.  Cut

    Attaching the zonker strip

    off a 2” long piece of zonker strip.  Size the tail so the fiber length of the rabbit fur extends a hook shank length beyond the eyes.  Carefully pierce the leather of the zonker strip with the hook point and slide the zonker strip down on the hook bend, against the body. To control the rabbit fibers, wet your fingertips and moisten the zonker strip.  Pull the zonker strip tight toward the hook eye, and tie off.

     

    Completed St. Simons Scampi

Note:  Depending upon how full the zonker strip is, you might have to split the strip with a double edge razor blade.  You don’t want the rabbit fibers to overwhelm the fly.

  1. Attach a V style mono weed guard if desired.
  2. Wrap a neat thread head.  Apply head cement or Sally Hansen’s hard as nails and go fishing.
Red Fish Tailing in the Grass

Spring Fishing Report and Special Announcement

Fly Fishing Film Festival is coming to Brunswick on April 12

A full day of fly-fishing goodness is planned on April 12.  Special fly tying with Blane Choclett, Vendor Tents and a skiff show with the Film Festival starting at 6:00.  This is the major fundraiser for the Georgia Saltwater Anglers Association.  This is one of the few organizations pushing for red fish and general fisheries conservation.  Make plans today to attend.

We are in the Spring pattern for fishing.  The big winter schools of reds seem to have broken up.  On good wind days, we can find these fish on the flats or at the backs of creeks.  However, they are not everywhere, and it is necessary to actively seek them out.  As the Spring progresses, the weather will become more stable, with light Southerly winds in the morning changing to the sea breeze in the afternoon

Trout are coming back shallow and are being found on Oyster bars and at creek mouths.  You must move around during this season.  We find them one here and one there.

The Triple Tail are back.  This is a unique fishery where these fish free float in front of Jekyll Island.  It is also a spotty fishery.  Sometimes they pop up and other times they don’t.  Look at my blog on Triple Tail fishing on my Captain’s Musings Page. You must have light, westerly winds to hunt these fish in the ocean.  At this time of year, if the conditions are right, I like to combine shallow water sight fishing for reds with sight fishing for Triple Tail.  Catching your first Triple Tail on the fly is an exhilarating experience.

At the water approaches 70 degrees, the May flood tide fishing should be excellent.  We have good tides for tailing reds on the evenings of May 23-25 and June 14, then June 21-23.  Call if you are interested in booking one of these days.

I have lots of availability for the flood tides of September and October.  There are some excellent tide dates still available.  Call, text or email to enjoy this Classic Southern Fly Fishing to tailing redfish in the flooded marsh.

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Call, text or Email for more information:  706.430.1276 or Flycastcharters@gmail.com