Dirty Monkey

The Dirty Monkey is a carp or bass fly. It can replicate grub or some bigger aquatic insects. With it having rubber legs and marabou as a tail, it has ample movement. The rubber legs will get the mud moving, acting as a bug coming out to see the light. Carp like when the bug is in the mud moving around. Bass will like this fly being stripped or dead drifted through their column.

Material List

Hook: Gamakatsu SL11-3H #8
Thread: UTC Ultra Thread 210 Black
Tail: MFC Marabou Olive/Bared Black
Body: Cascade Crest New Age Chenille Fools Gold
Rubberlegs: Hareline Grizzly Barred Rubber Legs Medium Yellow
Throat: MFC Marabou Olive/Bared Black (see above)
Eyes: Hareline Brass Eyes Medium, Gold

Video Transcription

Intro to the Pale Morning Dun Bunny Dun Fly

Hello everybody. Dylan here at the North 40 Fly Shop and today I will be tying the dirty monkey. This is utilized for carp and bass. Luckily we have some pretty good carp and bass fishing around the area. Anyways, I will get started.

Step-by-Step Tying Instructions

So I start by adding my thread to the SL11-3H salt water hook from Gamakatsu. Attaching my thread. Wrapping it forward, because now I will be adding some gold brass eyes from Hairline. Securing it with figure eight wraps to ensure that it sits evenly. Adding some super glue to make sure that it doesn't slip when you cast it. That's a big problem that I find with some flies that have eyes on them like this. Lots of wraps here, making sure it's very secured.

Now I can wrap towards the back. Just past the hook shank. And I'll be adding a tail, which is the barred marabou from MFC in an olive.

Couple loose wraps here, making sure it's where you want it. Pull directly up, securing it.

Next I will be adding new age chenille in a fool's gold, giving yourself plenty to work with.

Couple of loose wraps, positioning it to where you want it. Securing that down, wrapping forward, and then now you can wrap this chenille. Forward. Tying it off there.

Next you will add the grizzly rubber legs barred. These are a medium yellow. And so what you can do is you can try to split them evenly here on top of the fly, and then you can actually grab them and position them on the side of the fly where you would like them. One on each side.

When you have those to where you like them, couple of wraps in the middle and folding them back and securing it. Next, you can add the throat of the fly, which is barred marabou again. On the underside here. Couple loose wraps, ensuring that you like where it is, pulling directly up.

Cutting off the excess. Just snapped. Cut my throat off, which is a big bummer. So what I'll do here is attach my thread again, stripping that throat off.

Gathering some more marabou. Tearing that off yourself with good a clump to work with. Couple loose wraps again, securing it. Some heavier wraps. This time not cutting the thread. Now I will add some more chenille again.

Wrapping it once around and then figure-eighting it. Couple whip finishes. And there you have it. The dirty monkey.

If you have any further questions on fly tying, please come visit us at any of our retail locations or North40.com.

Want to fool a fish on a fly you've created? Learn more fly tying recipes here.