Charlie Craven's "Gonga" Streamer

[jeremymcon]

I was watching this great video series I found on youtube that shows famous tiers tying their favorite/signature fly. One of them featured Charlie Craven tying the "Double Gonga," which is an articulated version of his gonga streamer. He described it as a dressed up wooly bugger. It has a marabou tail and palmered hackle, but has made a few changes. He uses schlappen instead of saddle hackle for a fuller fly, painted dumbell eyes rather than just a bead or lead wraps, includes some of the fluff from the schlappen as a collar, ice dub for the body, rubber legs, and added a wing and head made from "polar fiber."

I decided to mimic it, but dumbed it down a little - unpainted lead eyes, plain old saddle hackle, chinelle body, and craft fur instead of polar fiber (whatever that is). I think mine turned out OK. I like the bulk of the head on these - it's very reminiscent of the deer hair head on a sculpin pattern.

I also tied in the eyes so that the hook would ride point up. I read an article that Charlie wrote about the Gonga streamer where he says he prefers to tie them in so the point rides down because he feels that a large hook going into the roof of a trout's mouth causes more damage than if it is point down. I had never heard that before but I guess it sounds plausible - maybe the next ones I tie I'll make it ride hook point down instead.

 

[dc410]

Jeremy,

That's a good looking pattern. I have been tying almost all my buggers with the painted lead eyes riding hook point up for the past few years. I like them in black (red eyes), white (white eyes) and olive (red eyes). I also really like using the Schlappen instead of saddle because of the webby nature. One other thing I like to do is replace the traditional marabou tail with a rabbit strip tail. The painted lead eyes will eventually turn into regular lead eyes through wear from bouncing off of rocks. The hook will stay sharper for a longer time riding hook point up. I never saw hooking them in the roof of the mouth being a real problem. These flies really work well for trout and smallies.

 

[GenCon]

Nice looking ties there Jeremy. Have to give them a try. I also like the way the head looks.

GenCon

 

[dubthethorax]

Nice looking flies. I tied some a few years ago, but followed his recipe for using craft fur for the head.

 

[jeremymcon]

dubthethorax wrote:
Nice looking flies. I tied some a few years ago, but followed his recipe for using craft fur for the head.

Nice. they do look nice all dressed up with the legs and extra marabou and such. I like that the head on yours tapers nicely into the "wing." I didn't leave the fibers on my craft fur head long enough to get that effect. Plus I trimmed the head to shape like a deer hair head.


@dc410 - iI was reading that a wooly bugger with lead eyes is called a wooly bomber. Didn't know there was a name for it until just now. So I guess you're is a rabbit strip wooly bomber.

 

[lv2nymph]

Nice looking ties "J" gonna fish great.