Balsa Slider
Body: Balsa wood
Finish: Epoxy coated textured aluminum foil
Eyes: Adhesive eyes
Hook: 1/0 Aberdeen
Thread: To match
Tail: White mylar fibers topped with blue mylar fibers, and 4 white saddle hackles
Collar: Red saddle hackle to simulate gills
Tying Instructions: A 5/8" cylinder is cut from balsa wood using a pice of sharpened brass tubing and split. A line is filled into one half of the cylinder to accept the
hook shank. The hook is glued in place with 5-minute epoxy between the cylinder and an 1/8" thick piece of balsa. When the glue is
dry, the balsa is shaped to half a cone shape using a wood rasp and emery boards. The dull side of a piece of aluminum foil is
coated with water-based contact cement as is the balsa body of the fly. When the contact cement is dry, the foil is carefully wrapped
around the body of the slider, so that the seam is along the top. The aluminum foil is then textured using a knurled tool. The back of
the fly is painted the desired color (in this case a shade of blue). Adhesive eyes are added. A top coat of 5-minute epoxy is added
to the fly and the fly rotated while the epoxy cures. After curing the mylar tailing is applied, followed by the 4 white saddle hackles,
tied splayed.
Presentation Tips: Cast and let sit for a while. If no hits, retrieve with enough velocity to make a definte wake behind the fly.
Speed of the retrieve depends on the mood of the fish.
Return to Mark's Bass
& Panfish Flies
Return to Mark's
Saltwater Flies
