stinger...

for tandem-hooked MEGA MUSHY baitfish and squid flies...

Primary Hook:  6/0 or 8/0 or other big game hook for the lead hook

Stinger Hook:  4/0 Tiemco 600SP or other big game hook for the lead hook

Thread:  clear mono, fine or Flat-Waxed Nylon

Wire:  60 or 80 lb. Sevalon or other braided wire

The Mushmouth design is a perfect match for hiding stinger set-ups within it's already stiff Super Hair / Softex spine.  The steps below illustrate a secure method of attaching a wire loop to the shank before the Super Hair tail is tied in.  Follow the directions for the either the MEGA MUSHY or the Mushy Squid to finish the fly.

Step 1

1) Form a loop of 60 or 80 lb. test braided wire.  Tie in the wire on the tier's side of the hook shank.  If IGFA regulations are a concern, be sure that the eye of the stinger hook is no farther than 6" from the lead hook eye.

2)  Bring the thread tight to the hook eye and then bring the thread back one hook eye length.  Guide the bottom wire strand up through the hook eye and the top strand down through the hook eye.

3) Reverse the wire strands (one at a time) and tie down the wire SECURELY with the tying thread.  Using sidecutters or sharp pliers, clip off the excess wire mid-shank.  Cover the entire hook shank with water-thin cyanoacrylate (crazy or super glue).

4) Tie in a pre-tapered bunch of Super Hair so that it is 360 degrees around the wire loop.

5) Tie in some Flashabou as done on the MEGA MUSHY.

stinger pointing LEFT

stinger pointing RIGHT

6)  Put a tight kink at the end of the wire loop with the handle of a strong bodkin.  The stinger hook can be looped on the wire using a loop-to-loop connection.  The fly can be fished without using the stinger hook.

Bob Popovics taught me many year ago that the stinger hook should be positioned perpendicular to the main hook for better hook-ups.  The rationale here is that if the fish misses the main hook there is also a good chance that it will miss the stinger since it is on the same plane.  Setting the stinger perpendicular to the main hook leads to fewer missed bites.

Care must be taken to set the stinger up in the proper direction based on which arm is primarily used for casting and fishing.  A right-handed billfisherman would be fishing from the port side of the boat to take shots at fish coming in from the starboard side.  Being that the fish is coming in from the caster's left side, the hook must also be set on the left side (tier's side) so that the fish will be hooked squarely in the right corner of its mouth.  Conversely, the hook must be set up on the opposite side for a left-handed caster.  The stinger hook can be reversed from one side to the other due to the non-permanent loop-to-loop connection.  I have tied a good number of billfish flies using this set up with only good reports.

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