Your one-stop website for fly fishing the White River, the Norfork Tailwater, and Lake Taneycomo
How To Tie Russ Maddin's Circus Peanut
Circus Peanut
Recipe: Hook: 2 Hooks 3xl, TMC 5263, size 2-4 Thread: Danville 210 & Uni-thread 6/0, color to match body Eyes: Whatever you prefer, make sure they're heavy Weed Guard: 25 pound mono Tail: Marabou Flash: Flashabou Body: Crystal chenille Hackle: Schlappen Legs: Sili-legs, color to match body
Step 1.
First thing first, attach the eyes before building the back of the hook. That way by the time you’re ready to tie on the lead hook it will be dry enough. It’s also great if you’re tying a few at one sitting. For further detail on how to attach eyes using Sally Hansen’s hard as nails go check out the sculpin.
Step 2.
The best marabou for tying larger tails that “look” full is strung marabou. Don’t try to substitute or you’ll tell. Wooly bugger marabou is too short. Measure the tail to be one an a half times the hook shank. You can use two pieces if you desire. This particular pattern we are only using one. If you’re building a body this is the way I like to tie in the marabou. Tie it in at the back and wind up.
Step 3.
When you get three quarters of the way up cut off the excess. Now wind back towards the back again.
Step 4.
Now grab a few strands of flashabou. You can use whatever color you like, I just like red when I’m tying black.
Note: When you’re working with softer material such as marabou, it’s important that you use soft flash instead of stiffer type stuff and to me you can’t go wrong with flashabou.
Step 5.
You should still be at the back. Tie in the chenille and wind it up until you get to the desired spot you want to tie in the sili-legs. On this pattern it’s usually up about ¾ of the hook shank.
Step 6.
So we're going to use a total of eight legs hanging. If you cut the full length of the legs you can fold them around the thread, then tie them down. Repeat the step on the other side. Now you should have four hanging towards the back and four towards the front. If you’re wondering what to do with the chenille, it should be folded back so you can have room to move the thread forward as you wind the other legs up just a hair.
Step 7.
As you can see in the picture I’m ready to wind the chenille up a few more turns. After you’ve made a few turns your ready to fold the other sili-legs back. Wind the chenille in front of the legs forcing them to lay back. Remember after all this you should still have a little room to tie in the schlappen for the collar.
Step 8.
If you notice in the picture, make sure when selecting the right schlappen it’s long enough to make a full collar. Tie in from the bigger section and not the tip. I make about 4-5 turns for the collar.
Showing an up close shot so you can see how I tied the feather. Tie it in where the dull side is facing down. This will give the feather a “laid back look”.
Step 10.
After tying the feather in, I like to wind back just a little on the feather itself. Whip finish and glue it. Now we’re ready for the front hook.
Step 11.
The back fly was tied with uni-thread.When tying down the 25 pound mono you’ll use the Danville 210. Tie it in right behind the eyes and wind to the bend.
Step 12.
When you get to the bend you’re ready to slide the back hook through the mono of the eye of the other hook. Make sure both hooks look the same when it’s complete. If one hook is going the other direction (facing upright), you‘ll need to reslide it going the other direction. Now secure it tightly as you wind down the mono going back up behind the eyes. Cut the excess mono off.
Step 13.
You don’t need a marabou tail on the front hook. Tie in the chenille and wind up the same, ¾ of the hook shank.
This is the stopping point. You should still have enough chenille to complete the fly and wind between the eyes.
Step 14.
Repeat the same steps as you did before with the legs.
Step 15.
Tie down the chenille and fold it forward over the eyes. Leave it there until you tie in the schlappen for the collar behind the eyes.
Step 16.
Also tie in the schlappen the same way as you did before. I like this one to be even longer, almost taking up the length of the hook shank once tied in.
Step 17.
Wind it about four turns and trim off the excess. Now make one turn in front of the schlappen, but behind the eyes. This will help lay the collar back and give it that push.
Step 18.
Make a figure eight between the eyes and one turn in front. Trim the excess and glue it. That’s it!! This fly catches monster fish, but always keep in mind, you might only have one hook up. But it should be the fish you’re looking for.
