Recipe
Hook: Mustad 33903 (Size 2)
Thread: Flat Waxed Nylon
Tail: Rooster Saddle Hackle
Flash: Flashabou
Gill: Red Bucktail
Belly/Head: Gray Deerhair
Weight/Eye: 1/50 oz Dumbbell Eye
A while back we linked a blog post to a video of Bob Closer and Lefty Kreh tying up their Half & Half pattern which is a cross between the Closer Minnow and the Deceiver. The tail portion of this pattern is taken directly from Lefty's Deceiver and the front portion is a Clouser Minnow.
Lefty and Bob claim the magic of this pattern lies in the 1/50 oz weight. The weight is small enough to let the streamer flutter to the bottom rather slowly between strips. It's that fluttering, falling action that causes fish to strike. The flash really causes a commotion as the streamer drops in the water table too! Water the flash disappear and set the hook - most times fish inhale it as it drops!
The Smallmouth Fly Box Half and Half is just over 7" long. I'd pair this pattern with an 8wt and cast for smallies and pike. A shooting head might be necessary to get the fly down in the water column.
We use the Mustad 33903 kink shank hook (see right) on this pattern. I know this hook is a tad light, but the kink works so well with the dumbbell eye. Place your dumbbell eye in the first kink and tie it in with figure eight's and a few frapping wraps. Once the eye is nestled in the kink it is there to stay. The proportions of your fly is also constant if you used the kink for a parking space.
