Fly Tying: Brammer's This Thing? - Top Water/Diver Baitfish

I give a step by step fly tying instruction for tying This Thing. This pattern is designed to resemble an injured baitfish laying on its side in the water column, yet function as a diver/swim fly on the retrieve. Can be fished successfully on either floating or sinking style lines, recommend 6wt and up.
Material List:
Hook: Ahrex 2/0 26* Bent Streamer Hook
Tail: FlymenFishingCo Faux Bucktail, Polar Flash (20 strands)
Body: EP Craft Fur Brush/EP Sparkle Brush
Material Dam: FlymenFishingCo Double Barrel Popper (small)
Collar: Hedron Inc. MicroLon
Head: Senyos Laser Dub
Eyes: 6mm Deer Creek Gator Eyez
Resin: Deer Creek UV Diamond Flex
My website: streamersbygunnar.com/
Fly Tying, Fly Fishing, Articulated Streamer, Trout, Bass, Pike, Streamer, Gunnar Brammer, Brammer’s Custom Flies

[@motorob94]

Very intuitive. I like the idea for the stripers around here. Excellent tie!

[@Gunnar_Brammer]

Thank you Robert! Let me know how she does if your toss it at some fish!

[@kodaifishing]

Dear Gunnar: Hope all is well, Thank you for your time, Your all videos are grate. Reza from IRAN

[@Gunnar_Brammer]

Really appreciate that Reza! Take care man!

[@kaminskiflies8784]

This thing is dope! I always get excited to see you get excited, because that means it probably something killer!

[@Gunnar_Brammer]

Thanks man! I really dig the baitfish diver pattern you tied up recently! Looks freakin awesome man!

[@kurzhaarguy]

You're a talented tyer, Gunnar. I'm giggling, just a little, watching this one. I have 6 decades behind me. When I started tying, around 7 or 9 years old, a very old gentleman taught me the ropes. This was one of his methods for classic streamers. I'm from northern WI about at the Iron/Ashland/Price County intersection. How about you?

[@paulbrown7916]

This Thing is sick!!! Fantastic baitfish profile!

[@Gunnar_Brammer]

Thanks Paul!

[@stovenpirates]

Killer Fly Gunnar! cant wait to try this for large and smallmouth!

[@Gunnar_Brammer]

Thanks you Dave!

[@vonlutes]

Love it! I tied some up...

[@Gunnar_Brammer]

Awesome man! Tight Lines!

[@idahok9trapper470]

Awesome new pattern brother . Sounds like that fly swims just like a injured minnow does on its side then swims up and falls slowly . Come spring that fly is going to be a small mouth and trout slayer for sure , I will need 1/2 dz at 6" asap . Can't wait to see what your next creation will be .

[@Gunnar_Brammer]

I'm stoked as well man. Season opens up in about 2 weeks. It's going to be sweet!

[@joeduca8582]

Hey Gunnar, I've been playing catch-up with your vids. I looked at some of your awesome IG photos and saw this beautiful curved baitfish but the hook was sticking out the side! Wounded floating / sinking minnow? So I searched your playlist. Awesome concept! I've been thinking about it all day and finally watched it now. So it's almost a year since this post, has it met your expectations? I certainly hope so, it's brilliant! Thanks GB! 👍😎

[@AccountingTutor]

Most cool. Many years ago while I still used spinning gear I'd buy soft body shad wiggle-tails at Wallyworld and rig them this very way (flat, with hook protruding through the side of the bait, plastic worm style, using a worm hook). Cast them into open pockets in the weeds and allowed them to just sink naturally. Almost neutrally buoyant, they would drop slowly and were very effective on that dead drop.

[@modernflyfisher5091]

Nice fly Gunner.

[@Gunnar_Brammer]

Thanks man! I really appreciate it!

[@AdrianStruwig]

Great looking fly Gunner!! Will definately be trying "this thing" on Perch and Pike 😁

[@Gunnar_Brammer]

Thanks Adrian! I'll definitely have to give a perch color combo a try, Pike taker for sure!

[@Three_Rivers_Adventure]

@@Gunnar_Brammer tying this in a White fish combo would be killer on the Rivers and lakes for Musky and Pike here in NY. Can't wait to crank out a bunch of these.

[@jonmichaud3541]

Looks like a winner! I'd like a half dozen please...

[@Gunnar_Brammer]

Haha, thanks Jon. I'll have these guys on the website once warmwater opens up in a month and I get some footage fishing with This Thing! Keep an eye out for it, sometime around June.

[@paulmeyers3832]

I too have pre colored some fly’s with my blood, sorry if I take some small pleasures in seeing a pro do it. To make my life easier “and cheaper” please tie some patterns using materials that I already have. Small joke. I love your videos and really like your thoughts on fly movement and what you try, to accomplish that. Perhaps after the tying instructions, some words on how you will fish that fly. Thanks.

[@mikefarrelly5176]

Gunnar; If only there was a Nobel Prize for fly tying, This Thing wins hands down. I want to tie this pattern like a baby rainbow but Microlon colors are limited. Are there any other products I could substitute for Microlon? You are a credit to your profession. Respect, Mike

[@edwardkline3552]

Hey Gunnar! You do fantastic work! I just started tying about a year ago and I came across one of your videos. So how did "This Thing"" work out for you.? Did you slay the Smallies with it?

[@kenthomson4627]

This is pure genius, Gunnar! I cannot wait to try This Thing on some Northerns. Will the 2/0 with the small size of double-barrel popper head support a titanium leader when pike fishing? Or should I scale everything up, and by how much? Did you stay with the 6 mm eyes or did you decide that the 8.5 mm were a better choice? Thank you!

[@jimmills8260]

Nice job! When you draw in some stripes, dots or what ever, after the fact, to accessorize a fly pattern, do you use a special type of marker that doesn't wash away after a while?

[@Gunnar_Brammer]

Check out Chartpak markers, I believe Fly Fish Food carries them. They last a loooong time and are great for the detailing work.

[@jimmills8260]

Thanks for the quick reply. I just now watched the con man tutorial where you mentioned the chartpak markers and was looking at the Fly fish food site as your reply came in.

[@seanmooney3907]

I live in Maine and we have no faux buck tail. I only have one shop available to me. Is there an online shop that sells this material. I will never get it otherwise. You tie awesome flies. Did you make the dubbing brushes or are they available for sale? I can make my own dubbing brushes. I make them on the Nor-vise. Thanks Sean

[@Gunnar_Brammer]

Hey Sean, You can order the Faux Bucktail Directly from FlymenFishingCo's website, and they will be able to ship directly to you. As far as the brushes go, I buy them. They are Enrico Puglisi - EP - Craft Fur Brush, and EP Sparkle Brush. They should be fairly common to most fly shops but a good online resource is Casters Online Fly Shop. You can make your own sparkle brushes fairly easily just using Ice Dub in the metallic colors at 3" in length, or using Ice Wing fiber. The Craft fur brushes are harder to imitate, but simply spinning craft fur in a brush, rather sparsely, at full length with a short amount of the butts hanging over the wire should do the trick. Best of luck man.

[@mobozzy]

Hi Gunnar, are you still happy with it after fishing it a season or do you have any updates?

[@spaztazman8530]

Momo Bozzy it’s killer dude!

[@davejennings9893]

Is that Ahrex a saltwater fly by chance? This would be a great for Louisiana Bull Redfish.

[@Gunnar_Brammer]

All the Ahrex Streamer hooks are Black-Nickle Plated and won't corrode in Salt Water, but they aren't a Nickle Hook or Stainless Steel and should be air dried after use ect.....

[@WATTSROBIN]

what glue is it you use for the eyes? is it tearmender?

[@Gunnar_Brammer]

Yes, the eyes are secured with Tear Mender, applied via a Loon Outdoor Applicator. Then coated with Deer Creek UV Diamond Fine Flex after the Tear Mender has cured - 15 minutes or so. The Tear Mender is simply the most durable I have found, Gel Super Glues - such as loctite gel control - are much more instant and allows you to turn out a few more bugs per hour, but the eyes won't last as long.

[@WATTSROBIN]

thanks gunnar, i'll need to get some and give it a try.

[@ssm59]

Killer on sinking line in lakes

[@Three_Rivers_Adventure]

Where can you get the MicroLon ? I looked on Jstockard and couldn't find it.

[@bjrnthorness1151]

look on the Hedron website. under flashabou fibers. if you haven’t already found it.

[@Three_Rivers_Adventure]

@@bjrnthorness1151 Thanks I found it on Tridentflyfishing.com. I think it was but I'll check there as well.

[@Kiltedwoodsmith]

Do you sell These?

[@samman925]

I made the same SD card mistake over the weekend lol

[@Gunnar_Brammer]

Haha, right on man! I've done it twice now within the same week.... : / hopefully now its ingrained in me to double triple check.

[@m40_kid70]

chartreuse and pink verison killer on smallies I feel

[@Gunnar_Brammer]

Haha, no doubt man!

[@m40_kid70]

are they on your site yet?

[@julianputti3558]

new vice

[@Gunnar_Brammer]

Indeed. Renzetti Salt Water Traveler. Awesome vice, really enjoy tying with it thus far!

[@aricheath3670]

I've tied flies like this for about three year now, mainly bluegill and shad patterns. They don't work. At all. Look away. It's a waist of time. O.k o.k., they do well, Just use 2lb. tippet. ;) Any how, nice to see you let the cat out of the bag,.

[@Gunnar_Brammer]

Haha! sorry man.... your secrets out! Glad to you know you've had good success on something similar, I super excited to put this thing in front of some fish!