Trailer Trash

trumpy · February 10, 2006

For those of you looking for a way to increase your hook-up percentages while night fishing or even just while using large streamer/leech patterns, this is my solution (not really mine, Kevin Kurtz owner of K&K, showed me this trick many years ago). This concept will aso work with just about any medium to large streamer pattern.

Trailer Trash Fly

Thread: Uni-Thread 3/0 or Kevlar or GSP

Main Hook: Anything cheap and big

Trailer Hook: Gamakatsu Octapus hook #6 or #8

Trailer Hook Attachment: 14 lb test Smoke Fireline

Bead: Gold Conehead

Tail/Body: Zonker strip

Lead: Optional - I tie about half of mine with 12 turns of .30 lead

Click on thumbnails to enlarge.

1. Pick a BIG, cheap hook - because you're going to be cutting it off at the bend anyway.

2. Use stout thread. - Like this Uni 3/0, Kevlar or GSP thread works very well too.

3. Use 14 lb test Fireline to attach the trailer hook. - Cut off a piece of Fireline, bend it in half and run the doubled-over loop through the eye of the Octopus hook, then around the bend and pull tight.

4. Tying in the trailer hook - Put big hook in vice with conehead installed, run thread back to bend. Tie in Fireline so that the total trailer hook assembly is equal to the shank length of the main hook. Wrap Fireline tightly forward with close wraps. Bend Fireline back over itself and tie backwards over it to lock in. Cut off tag end of Fireline. You can also add some super glue if you wish. I don't bother with it. I guarantee if tied properly, the Fireline will not pull out, even under severe stress.

5. Finish off fly - Just like any other Zonker pattern. Tie in the strip for the tail. Wrap the remaining strip forward, stroking the fur backward with each wrap. Be careful here, because that Gamakatsu hook will get you if you're not very careful. Wrap zonker strip forward until tight to the back of the conehead and whip finish. I usually never use glue, but you can if you want.

6. Now we gotta' remove the forward hook - Peel back the tail and trailer hook so that the only thing exposed is the big a$$ed hook. Take a pair of dykes and carefully cut off the exposed hook as closely to the base of the tail as you can without cutting into the Fireline of the trailer hook.