Tying the Reverse BULKhead - Ahrex GB Swimbait version - Pike, Musky, Bass, Zander Fly / Streamer

I was very excited to have input into the design of the new Ahrex PR378 GB Swimbait hooks along with Gunnar who originally asked. I think many fly-fishers that have been modifying their own weedless flies have wanted something to easily tie on for a long time. Now we have it!!! The fly in the tutorial is a variant of the Bob Popovics classic "BULKhead Deceiver". It's probably a fly I fish the most, as just love the side to side movement I get from this version and the standard hook (TP610) version. As with most that I share, the fly has caught fish, so fish it with confidence and tie it the colours you like.
Material List
Ahrex GB Swimbait 4/0
Thread GSP 150
Waspi Bucktail in white and yellow
Bigstreamer Nayat - Orange
Hedron Strung Fuzzy Fibre - Orange
Hedron Magnum and Standard Flashabou - White
Hedron Polar Flash - Silver
Hareline Ripple Ice Fibre - Gold
Kanekalon - Silver
Whiting Farm - Dry Fly Hackle Pro Grade - Grizzly

[@joecruse4531]

Paul, I enjoyed watching you tie this fly. I particularly like how you talk about substitution materials when tying. Cheers. Joe

[@markinnis8404]

Awesome as always Paul...I watch your videos several times each. I am always picking up little things I didn't see or remember from watching earlier. Your laid back nature and not taken yourself to seriously are great qualities. Other tiers on other channels talk to us like this is our first day ever tying a fly!!😂😂😂😂😂 annoying to say the least! Anyway, cheers 🍻 and thank you for your time!

[@paul_monaghan]

I'm so laid back I haven't produced a vid for two years 😂. Thank you for the kind words.

[@jenslundadamsen8447]

Another good video. Whatever people say or comment I for one can say that I have followed you since you made the Reversed Bulk Head som 3½ years ago. It changed my flytying and I have been inspired and "stolen" your ideas again and again and more importing it also improved my catch rate. Keep posting.

[@MrLSwanson]

Paul your tying skill adds “Addition” to tying streamers, and fly fishing overall. Proud to witness and borrow your techniques. Slàinge 🍻👊🏼

[@stevequinn9704]

Watching you tie, just seems unfair🤣 Such a pleasure. Some great tips that will definitely help me. Thanks for sharing!

[@steadyflyfisher1121]

Good tips! That Peak vise setup is pretty awesome. These hooks are great also, hopefully some smaller hook sizes soon as well.

[@RaptorzFishing]

great sbs dude! what i would like to introduce you for replacing the needle is a pet brush buddy. more fast and way mor effective to get all the fibers back on track. even after a pike hitting the bait. i always have one on the desk while tying and one in my pocket during fishing.. cheerz mate!!!!

[@paul_monaghan]

I use a pet brush from time to time, but find them a little too aggressive and they remove more hair than I would like. The needle quickly un-picks the close wraps like a surgeon. I'll stick with a needle 😉

[@1gwp59]

Love watching you tie, this is an amazing new hook!

[@stuarty567]

Nice work Paul 👏 🎣

[@fsilva52]

Simple, fast and effective. Congrats Paul

[@nat_cross]

Great video! I can't wait to give this one a try. All I am waiting on is my new vise. Please keep the video and Facebook post coming.

[@hannavestergaard5657]

Looks great mr. Monaghan 🙂

[@paul_monaghan]

😁

[@jimmyk674]

Quality! I've just started tying and came here on recommendation. Hopefully mine will look something like that one day 😂 15:42 or as someone I know says "you know what you know and I know what I know" 😉

[@paul_monaghan]

Ha ha...yep spot on

[@mscustomlures]

Great video as always mate 👍🏻

[@jusaasd1951]

Top notch, as usual.

[@cjsbet]

Awesome Paul as usual :)

[@PeterFinnis]

Very nice indeed

[@solexa2323]

A very nice , clean fly.

[@dariusz4823]

👍👌

[@bobmihaylov]

15:40 Well said Paul! 👊🎣

[@pikefly6173]

Great Thanks

[@christophercook723]

Do you use Solarez in the Yellow or the Blue Tube? The Yellow is Polyester and much cheaper here in Thailand .

[@rsjm5632]

Great vid 😁

[@mattbynum5603]

Paul, another great video! I can’t wait to try this new Ahrex hook. You mentioned you’re allergic to super glue? I am also very allergic to it. I was curious if you’ve ever tried ‘odorless’ super glue? It’s worked great for me, no allergies at all. Also it has a slightly longer working time than regular super glue. Anyway, thanks again for all your videos!!

[@paul_monaghan]

Not tried it, as found alternatives thankfully. I'll look it up

[@paultimmreck2192]

Paul, unlike your flash tail swimbait, you did not add any lead wraps to the shank. Did you find that your intermediate line and leader setup made it unnecessary? Thx much. Your videos are excellent.

[@paul_monaghan]

With the clip weight and trace I got lucky and found I didn't need to add it. The fly has a round head so it's more a side to side movement. The Flashtail version I want it to sink faster and swim up and down. Also it's a narrower profile and without weight, I found those tend to want to swim up on the retreive. Hope that helps a little.

[@paultimmreck2192]

@@paul_monaghan I’m sorry but I’m not familiar with the terns ‘clip weight” and “trace”. Are they weights on the line?

[@paul_monaghan]

@@paultimmreck2192 when pike flyfishing connected to the flyline we use a leader. The leader typically is 30lb mono or fluorocarbon, which is connected loop to loop to a steel trace. This is usually 49 strand coated wire. Connected to that is a Fastach clip, which we use to clip to the fly. There is a little weight and drag in both the steel trace and clip.

[@paultimmreck2192]

@@paul_monaghan Paul, thx again. That’s similar to the leader/wire combo I use in Canada for pike fishing with half and half’s but I tie the wire directly to the hook. I’m interested in using your flashtail and bulkhead flies in the Amazon for Peacock bass. We’ve been told to use intermediate lines so your information will be very helpful. Appreciate the help.

[@paul_monaghan]

Just be careful striking. Straight rod and steady pull seems to work for me.

[@kenthomson4627]

Your zander patterns are quickly becoming the backbone of my pike and walleye flies - thank you! Can you please advise about the kanekalon you use? It looks "wavy" or irregularly kinked in your videos - Is this a particular style of kanekalon? I stopped counting kanekalon variants when the number felt like 100 trillion but i want to try this fiber you use so often - thank you

[@georgepiccin4342]

Nice tlying

[@Blackfly074]

Hi, great video Paul, thank's for your advice. Could you tell me what sort of liquid glue do you use ?

[@paul_monaghan]

Liquid Fusion mostly. For heads and eye work then Evostik Serious Glue and Gorilla Crystal Clear

[@Dr._Klopek]

I love your flies, and thiamine is a beauty. How does nayat compare to Icelandic sheep hair?

[@paul_monaghan]

A little more difficult to work with is Icelandic sheep. From when I last used it some four years ago I found it quite straight and lacking any bulk. Fine for tails though. As it's a natural material I'm sure it comes in various textures and quality

[@bugbiteflytying]

Great fly as usual. Where do you get the white flashabou!

[@bugbiteflytying]

Where do you get that cool white Flashabou?

[@Easternfly]

Great video as always! What would be a good sub for Hedron Strung Fuzzy Fibre?

[@paul_monaghan]

You don't have to use anything with the nayat. I just add a little to make the colours pop a bit more

[@paultimmreck13]

Thanks for the informative tutorial. Beautiful fly for a lot of species. Do you fish this version on a floating line or do you use either intermediate or sinking lines?

[@paul_monaghan]

This one i always fish on an intermediate or sink 3.

[@alansandom5057]

Very nice, mine usually end up looking like they are used n abused and ready for the bin, but I still catch 🤣

[@paul_monaghan]

Yeah don't matter what they look like if they catch

[@johnparrish336]

👍🏻👍🏻

[@clooper72]

If I added a rattle, would you suggest tying it on top of the hook (in the gap) , or underneath?

[@paul_monaghan]

Have a look on my Instagram @paul.mono.monaghan. I post a pic of where I place the rattle on there. You'll need some shrink tubing to hold it in place

[@olehorder7571]

hey, do you think it would have worked to replace kanekalon with nayat?

[@paul_monaghan]

I did on the original tying if you look back on the old Reverse BULKhead tying vid. I actually prefer yak hair to both kanekalon and nayat as it's stiffer and less prone to tangles. But chose a synthetic on this vid as its more readily available

[@Duke-fly]

I tried to knit a fly according to your pattern. Here's what I noticed: The fly plays worse on this hook than on the classic hook with line protection. A fly on a classic hook moves from side to side, up and down. The Ahrex PR378 hook has a keel (like an offset hook). This keel prevents the fly from moving in different directions. It only moves up or down. I've tried "Magic heads". This changed the game, but only slightly, but the casting became much more difficult. Perhaps I am doing something wrong? How is your streamer moving with this model?

[@paul_monaghan]

Side to side most of the time with my leader setup which is a fastach size 3 and 30lb 49 strand wire. Could be variances in the bucktail. Maybe tie one with less and one with more. Head needs to be round

[@TheVimtoKid]

Hi Paul. What size flashabou do you use?

[@paul_monaghan]

Material list is in the description. I mix magnum and standard in these

[@TheVimtoKid]

Cheers. Pretty new to this game but loving it. What are the long thin feathers called you use? Aaaaannnnnd, I do a fair bit of boat fishing for cod and Ling. What size, colours etc you reckon? Cheers Steve 👍🏿

[@giuseppecampo3654]

whick size hook?

[@paul_monaghan]

4/0. Full material list in the description

[@joenicosia1208]

WHat was that push tool called ?

[@paul_monaghan]

Jawn

[@pinecone5058]

Well let me tell you what you need to do to make it better, F:'*# NOTHING, THAT'S ONE BAD ASS FLY, THANKS FOR YOUR TIME

[@paul_monaghan]

🤣