Favorite Flies Volume 2: J.A.Z. (Just Another Zonker)

Zonkers are terrific streamers. They're relatively easy to tie, and they produce like few other streamers do. I'm sure that there are hundreds of variations in thousands of fly boxes. The pattern that follows is the one you would find in my box. It is hardly anything groundbreaking, but it is crazy effective. I tie this fly in several colors, but olive/white is my standard.

Hook: TMC 8089 Bass Hook Size #10
Eyes: Dumbell style with a yellow iris tied in 1/4 the length of the shank behind the hook eye
Thread: UNI 6/0 white
Tail: A tuft of orange rabbit pulled from a dyed hide
Wing: A short section of olive/white bar-dyed zonker strip, tied in directly above the tail
Body: White crosscut rabbit wound up the shank, ending behind the eyes
Head: Olive Senyo's Laser Dub tied in a dubbing loop and x-wrapped through the eyes

Don't be skeptical of a bass hook on a trout fly. I had been searching for a hook with a wide enough gape that the zonker strip wouldn't foul, while at the same time maintaining excellent hooking and holding properties. The TMC 8089 fits the bill perfectly. Also, don't make the mistake of thinking that a #10 makes for a small fly. This hook's gape in a #10 is about the equivalent of a #4 or #2 streamer hook.