How to tie: Surf Candy

Warm up those vices! Thanks to that Drake Magazine article about Hurricane Sandy, I can't stop thinking about stripers. I really like this fly and it does extremely well for stripers both day and night. Depending on the colors you want to use, you can imitate sand eels or different bait fish. Give it a shot, tie up your arsenal while you can.

• Hook: Standard saltwater hook, sizes 6–2/0

• Thread: 6/0 White or black with 6/0 orange to finish the nose

• Belly: White Buck Tail

• Flash Stripe: Bill’s Bodi Brain Pearl or similar, depending on effect and color desired

• Back: Blue, Tan, Brown, Olive, Chartreuse, Yellow, or Pink

• Body Cover: E-Z body Natural, not necessary, but I like it because it adds some extra strength

• Resin Overlay: Epoxy, blue light-cured, or UV-cured clear resin

• Eyes: Flat stick-on eyes

• Gill Slash: Line made with red waterproof marker if you want

Step 1: 

Take your thread and wrap down the shank of the hook to where the hook starts to bend then back up to the eye. I like to tie in some 30 lb test with a small loop in the back. This will help separate the 2 colors of buck tail for the body. Tie this in tight and you don't need much, but again, this is a personal choice.

Step 2: 

Get a chunk of white buck tail, or whatever color you wish to use for the underbody, that extends a little bit past the hook. Switch up the lengths on each fly you tie so you have different sized flies. Tie the buck tail underneath the hook, but do not tie it in too close to the eye.

Step 3:

Once the white buck tail/underbody is tied in, do the same with the top (olive shown here). Take Bill's Bodi Braid and tie it in on each side  of the hook. Try to tie it in line with where the 2 colors of buck tail meet. Whip finish and throw a quick dab of head cement on the head area. 

Step 4:

Take some medium E-Z body Natural color and size it out accordingly to your fly. I like to go down 3/4s of the body and then take a lighter and singe the back so it does not fray. After the E-Z body is adjusted, take orange thread, tie down the body material, and whip finish. If you do not want to use the body material, take colored thread and whip finish.

Step 5:

Apply stick on eyes to both sides of the head. I like to add them to the different color nose area to differentiate the body from the head. Once they eyes are in place, mix up some epoxy or whatever you like to use as a hardener and distribute an even coat along the fly. Keep an eye on the eyes as the epoxy might make them droopy. 

There is your Surf Candy! This is a fly fisherman favorite for those fly fishing for stripers. Try different color variations like I talk about in the recipe. Some of my favorites are (top/bottom): blue/white, olive/white, red/white, pink/chartreuse, purple/white, purple/pink, tan/white, black/tan, and black/black. The possibilities are endless, but it's a fly box necessity. Enjoy The Fly Fiend's rendition of Surf Candy and try it out!

-The Fly Fiend