Streamer Spotlight

Slump Buster

A lot of people will choose to be inside waiting for the warmer weather to come before heading back out and going fishing. Those same people are missing the opportunity for a lot of nice fish. Winter fishing may sometimes be slower and the conditions a little more rough but a lot of the biggest fish I have caught in Pennsylvania have been in the winter months. The pressure on the streams are low and those big fish need to feed. My thought is to present them with something they deem worthy of coming out of their hole for! Slump Busters have been my go to fly in PA for years now. It works all year long but especially right now when it's cold and the fish are looking for a solid meal. I don't want to pick vegetation off my nymphs when I can barely feel my fingers and I certainly don't want to patiently cover a run. I walk down the middle of the river, I hit both banks repeatedly and cover water. Two casts.. Two steps.. Repeat. Yea I'm probably missing some fish, but I don't want those fish anyway, I'm targeting hungry aggressive fish that even though they're 14 inches they try and rip the rod out of my hand. Imagine what a 20 incher will feel like! If that doesn't excite you, then stay on your couch waiting for spring. I'll be out fishing.

Recipe:

Hook: TMC 5262 #2-10 or a TMC 300 #6-12 (300 is 3x long)
Thread: 3/0 Olive
Cone: Brass or Nickel, sized to hook (I use nickel when I am tying them in black)
Weight: Lead wire, sized to hook
Rib: Brassie- Medium Ultra-Wire, color of your choice, (chartreuse used here) I use copper always.
Body: Holographic tinsel or flashabou, anything to wrap with some shine to it greenish when olive, silver when black.
Body: Dyed Rabbit Zonker Strip, olive
Collar: Dyed Rabbit Zonker, olive wrapped up like a hackle