Fly Tying Tutorial: The Carp Skittle

One of my favorite carp flies is the Carp Skittle. I have had success fishing this fly in a variety of locations. This fly can be tied up in a variety of colors, I’ve had success with chartreuse, black purple, red, and even blue. Experiment with colors that work locally for you. My favorite things about this particular fly are the movement created by the legs and tail, the ability to make it easily visible for sight fishing, and that it’s an easy tie that is effective.

Ingredients:

Hook: Gamakatsu SL-45 size 4-8

Thread: Veevus (olive)

Tail: Chartreuse rabbit strip

Body: Chartreuse Squirrel dub

Head: Chartreuse Ice Dub

Eyes: Black medium bead chain

Legs: Chartreuse Barred And Speckled Crazy legs

The color combinations can be mixed and matched to the water type and quality that you’ll be fishing.

Step 1. Tie in bead chain using figure 8 wraps, and if you want you can use some glue of your preference to help lock the eyes in place. Once tied in advance the thread to the curve of the hook.

Step 2. Pluck a clump of rabbit directly from your rabbit strip. Then securely tie in the rabbit strip. The rabbit fur should be extending approximately one hook length.

Step 3. Loosely dub the thread with chartreuse squirrel dubbing. Dub up to right behind the bead chain, creating a slightly tapered body.

Step 4. Take a single strand of green rubber legs and cut it in half. Tie one leg on each side of the hook and have the back half protrude behind the bead chain and the front splayed out towards the front of the hook. Here is shot of the underside of the fly at this point.

Step 5. Return the thread behind the bead chain and create a small dubbing noodle using chartreuse ice dub. Dub in front of the back set of legs, then wrap around eyes, and then dub a little in front of the front legs to force them to go nearly perpendicular to the hook. Trim the legs about 3/4 to 1 full hook length. Whip finish.

Best served wet.