Alien Arachnid

This crazy fly is fun to tie and is just the ticket for hunting trophy bass.

[by Jay “Fishy” Fullum]

Tying a strand or two of an artificial anemone onto the back of a hook results in a very fishable fly. It wiggles when retrieved, triggering strikes from a variety of fish, especially bass. Tying the rubbery end to the hook, however, is tricky. The material is very strong, but it is extremely soft; it wants to go everywhere except under the thread wraps, making it difficult to position and secure in place.

After closer examination, I discovered that the legs of an artificial anemone are arranged in rows. I cut along the rows and ended up with a set of attached legs. I separated two legs from the row, and tied them to the rear of a hook. The joined legs were much easier to tie on the shank.

One of the rows contained eight legs. I cut the row in half, and as I glanced at the two sets of legs, I thought of an arachnid. If I designed a spider using these legs, it would be the largest terrestrial I ever cast, but the action in the water would be incredible.

I tried my new fly the next day, and I was right: the action was fantastic. This spider might look like a prop from a science fiction movie, but it is easy to tie, floats well, is very durable, and the bass hammer it.

Tie the Alien Arachnid and give it a try. You won’t be disappointed.

1. Cut a row of legs from the artificial anemone.
2. Cut the row into two sets of four legs.
3. Shape the foam body. Cut the body in half from the narrow end; make the cut about half the length of the body.
4. Start the thread on the hook. Wrap a layer of thread on the shank and slightly down the bend.
5. Apply super glue gel on the insides of the cut foam. Position the body onto the hook and make several thread wraps.
6. Tie on the Eyelash Yarn and bead-chain eyes.
7. Tie a set of legs to one side of the hook just behind the eyes. Hold the strip of legs along the side of the shank. Wrap the thread down the shank between the legs. Tie the end of the second strip to the other side of the shank, and wrap the thread back up the hook. Add a second set of legs to the other side of the shank, and wrap the thread up and down the hook. Coat the thread wraps with a drop of superglue. Wrap the yarn forward between the legs. Tie off and clip the excess yarn.
8. Here is our completed fly. I didn’t color this pattern; I left that detail to you!

Jay “Fishy” Fullum creates some of the best fish-catching flies using the wackiest ingredients. To learn more about his flies, classes, and much more, go to his website, www.fishyfullum.com. Fishy lives in New York State.