I happen to really love bucktail streamers. Both the Black-nosed Dace, and the Mickey Finn have been constant performers when the dead drifts of midges or the lazy drys have failed me. This little Thunder Creek is also a great producer of strikes and who ever adopted it as a southern bass taker and re-named it the Swamp Darter was not to far off the mark. Whatever you call it, this little guy performs wonderfully on the bass pond when the small mouths are on the prowl or large hungry trout looking for a minnow meal.Hook - Long Streamer 6 - 10
Thread - Red
Body - Silver Tinsel
Rib - Oval Tinsel (I use a thin Bronze Wire for weight)
Back - Brown Bucktail
Belly - White Bucktail
Eyes - Optional to paint them on yellow under black
What I really like is that with the hair first tied forward then back over itself to form the head, you can hide a lot of weight right there in the head. If you want a fly that will get down deep, depending on how you tie this bad boy, this will be a go-to fly. It might not look pretty but it does the job. Enjoy...
I know it as the Thunder Creek. Yep, a great fly indeed. I use it on bass and crappie here in Iowa.
ReplyDeletejohn - Unfortunately when I when I was up your way in Illinois (near Quad Cities) I left this little guy at home and it was missed. Bass do really love this little streamer. maybe it could be called the Thunder Pond Shiner. I have even toyed with tying a sparse #12 version but haven't fished it yet. I suspect that a #12 will be very trout friendly.
ReplyDeleteI call it Thunder Creek too. Great fly. Like you said, cool tie too. Tying the bucktail in reverse. I like to dip the head in head cement a few times, then paint an eye with a matchstick end. Really like the photo and natural look.
ReplyDeleteFlies for Trout by Dick Stewart & Farrow Allen have a complete page of different dressings for the Thunder Creek. I've used them here in PA in trout waters. Also found that Steelhead will suck these up also when drifting them like a dead minnow.
ReplyDeleteNice Thunder Creek streamer. Originally there were about 15 or so developed by Keith Fulsher. There is a book with the patterns. David Klausmeyer re-did the book a few years back with some updated photographs and patterns. I've only ever tied a few of these, but they are awesome fish getting flies.
ReplyDeleteThanks Joel. I've got it on my list and the next time I sit and tie, it'll be one of the first. Looks killer for the lake.
ReplyDeleteMark
Herringbone - I need to start painting the eyes but I always am a bit lazy. I know, right, me avoid painting?
ReplyDeleteDoubletaper - I have Stewarts Universal Fly Tying and found that he also called in the Swamp Darter as well as the Thunder Creek but I will have to check out his other book for the variants. and I wish I had Steelies to try them out on.
Darren - I have a few of these in a book by Taff Price and George Thompson called Fly Patterns (An International Guide) but as I am learning, there are so many more books that I need to get!
Shoreman - It does great on the pond I fish, that much I can tell you. Have fun tying them up, super easy to tie and, if you fish like me, super easy to loose.