Slippery Pete- by Matt Grajewski

featured, Fly Patterns, Step-by-Step Tutorials — By Kevin Hospodar on June 7, 2012 8:39 am

Slippery Pete is a fly I tie to imitate the profile of panfish like bluegills and crappie. The main purpose of the fly was for muskie, but big largemouth bass love bluegills. I’ve had good success with it in smaller sizes for bass. I’ve found it doesn’t need to be tied in colors to match as the profile seems to be the trigger. For this tutorial I chose baby bass colors.

Matt hails from Grand Rapids, MI. His favorite thing is “throwing big shit for big fish”
Matt is affiliated with Greatlakesfly.com

Hook: Mustad 4821
Tail: Layers of Flash n’ Slinky and Flashabou
Support: Deer Belly Hair
Underbody: Marabou and Ostrich Herl
Body: Bucktail and Wing n’ Flash
Wing: Grizzly Hackle
Head: Deer Belly Hair
Eyes: 3D Halographic (size to match)

Any large aberdeen style hook will work. I like the Mustad 4821 5/0 for muskie, and 2/0 or 3/0 for bass.
Tie in about 2″ of bucktail. This will help keep the tail of the fly straight.

Begin your layers of Flash n’ Slinky. I started with white followed by chartreuse.

Add a layer of flash. Here I used chartreuse Flashabou.

If you wish, add another layer of Flash n’ Slinky. I don’t use three colors on every pattern, but I like the transition of white to chartreuse to seaweed for bass imitations. Then I add black Wing n’ Flash to imitate the dark back. You could use another color of Flashabou.

This next step is important to maintain the large profile, while using less material. This is a huge part of every large fly I tie. It will make large flies easier to cast and fish, while still maintaining a profile and pushing water. Cut about 1″-1.25″ of deer belly hair, about 2 pencil widths.

Spin onto the hook, leaving about 1/2″ of the butt ends.

Pull the butt ends back and wrap in front them. Keep working back towards the butt ends until they are straight up, or slightly bent towards the back of the hook. This is going to to be the base to allow the use of soft materials, without losing the proflie (intruder style).

Palmer marabou in front of the belly hair. I used chartreuse.

Spin about a dozen ostrich herl fibers in a dubbing loop.

Palmer in front of the marabou.

If you wish, tie in another color as a wing. I again used black for the bass imitation.

Tie in about 3″-3.5″ of bucktail with the tips facing forward. Make sure the bucktail is evenly placed around the hook shank. I used lime green.

Pull the bucktail back toward the bend of the hook. Again, making sure its even around the hook. Wrap in front of the hook, slowly working back onto the hair until you achieve the angle you like. This will help hold the profile and allow the soft materials to ungulate.

I added more chartreuse Flashabou on both sides of the bucktail, and tied in a wing of Wing n’ Flash. Both of these are optional.

I like to add a grizzly hackle feather on each side to give the fly a barred look as most baitfish have.

Spin and stack deer belly hair of your choice for the head.

Trim to shape.

Glue on eyes.

You could stop here, but I like to coat the head to the back of the eyes with Clear Cure Goo. This insures the eyes will stay on and helps protect the head from toothy predators.

And you’re finished. Go fish.

Tags: Advanced, Matt Grajewski, musky, Slippery Pete, Streamer