Fishing fly of the Week: Dolly Llama

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2010, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Articulated streamers, such as the popular Dolly Llama, are great searching patterns in all types of water and for all types of fish.

Imitation » Baitfish .

When to use » Most anytime .

Where »

Most any river or lake

How » Cast on a floating or sinking line. Strip with quick jerky motions or swing along with and against the current.

Main hook » TMC 9395 #4

Stinger hook » Gamakatsu B10S #4

Thread » UTC 100 Denier GSP .

Body (both hooks) » Contrasting colors of zonked rabbit strips w/ cross cut rabbit strip for body bulk.

Body (stinger hook only) » Pearl Braid

Fly connector » Beadalon 19 strand wire and a #14 fishing swivel

Underbody » .30 Lead-free wire

Tying Instructions:

On stinger hook, dress the body with pearl braid.

Attach a 3 to 4 inch piece of rabbit strip by piercing it with the stinger hook and sliding it over the bend of the hook, leaving a short tail of rabbit strip coming off the back. The rabbit strip fibers will be oriented in a downward position under the shank of the hook.

Tie in the rabbit strip just before the eye of the hook. Make sure to leave another two inches of rabbit strip, beyond the eye of the hook, that will tie into the main hook.

Whip finish the stinger hook and attach the swivel.

Take the main hook (TMC 9395) and clip off the hook just at the bend. This will create a straight shanked hook.

Put cone onto hook and slide to the eye.

Apply 5 to 7 wraps of lead-free wire just behind the cone. Push wire into cone hollow to secure it against the eye of the hook.

Loop Beadalon wire through the swivel on the stinger hook and secure both ends of the wire onto the shank of the main hook. Make sure to wrap over the wire along the entire length of the hook.

Bring the rabbit strip from the stinger hook and attach it to the main hook at the half-way point on the shank.

Attach cross-cut rabbit strip of the same color and wrap it to the cone, ensuring fibers lay back along the fly.

Tie in a contrasting color of zonked rabbit strip about 3/4 the length of both hooks along the bottom side of the main hook.

Tie in two pieces of pearl tinsel on each side of the fly. Each should measure about the length of the completed fly.

Whip finish.

Curtis Fry lives in Orem and ties flies "for pure necessity and as a creative outlet. I don't fool myself into thinking it is a cheaper alternative to buying flies. It's an addiction I am forced to abide."