Tying the SMP Fly (for White Bass)

SMP, SMP Fly, Fly Tying, How to tie the SMP, Pat Kellner, Texas Freshwater Fly Fishing, TFFF, Fly Fishing Texas, Texas Fly Fishing, White Bass Fly, how to tie flies for white bass, guadalupe bass, sunfish, panfish, sunfish fly, panfish fly

It's time for another Tuesday Tie! Today we are tying my variation of an SMP Fly designed to target White Bass. I usually tie it up in a solid white pattern, or this version that is a Tan/Gray and White (and I always add in a little flash for the whites.) It is a great fly, and this version can be modified to target anything from sunfish/panfish (the original pattern), Black Bass species like the Guadalupe Bass, and even saltwater fish like Reds and Specs. Hope you learn something, and I hope you enjoy! Be sure to check back every Tuesday for another Tuesday Tie with TFFF! If you don't want to tie it, you can buy it here: SMP from Flydrology)

Ingredients

Hook: Size #10 U120BL (can go up or down in size)
Thread: White (Can vary for other patterns)
Weight: Silver Bead Chain (can vary the size, match the fly)
Body: White Thread (vary color for other patterns)
Rib: Thin Wire in Silver (Vary for Colors)
Bottom Wing: White Marabou (Vary for different color patterns)
Flash: Crystal Flash (match color)
Top Wing: Marabou in a Tan/Gray (vary for matching color)

Steps

Place the hook in a vice and lay a base of thread all the way down to just before the bend in the hook shank, come back up the thread, and then lay a bump of thread down just in front of where you want your eyes tied on (about 1 bead length behind the eye of the hook.)
Wrap on the bead-chain eyes just behind that bump of thread using crosswraps and circles. Place a drop of super glue to hold in place.
Wrap place your silver wire just behind the bead-chain eyes on the bottom of the hook (top as you are tying) and, keeping the wire centered down the bottom of the hook shank, carefully and smoothly wrap down to the bend in the hook shank. Take three more wraps past where you left off the first time. Then carefully and smoothly wrap back up.
Continue to make 2 more passes down and back up the shank of the hook, being careful to lay the thread smoothly. Each time wrap 3-4 wraps further than you did the time before, creating a slight taper in the body of the fly and wrapping a little ways down the bend of the hook. On the last body wrapping pass, leave the thread just behind the bead-chain eyes.
Wrap your wire rib, from the back of the hook up to the bead-chain eyes. I usually take about 6 or 7 evenly spaced wraps.
Tie off the wire ribbing, and break or cut it off in between the eyes.
Take a couple wraps to ensure the wire is secure, and the whip finish and cut the thread.
Apply a liberal amount of epoxy or fly head cement to the body of the fly, and let it dry.
Once dry, turn the fly over in the vice and wrap on the white thread again.
Select a portion of white marabou to use for the bottom of the wing, and tie it in between the bead-chain eyes. Apply a small drop of super-glue and use a few crosswraps to secure in the marabou.
Select a strand of crystal flash and fold it in half. Tie it in on one side of the wing (between the bead-chain eyes) fold it over and tie it in on the other side of the wing as well. You should have two strands of crystal flash on each side of the wing now. If necessary, trim the flash to the length of the wing.
Select another (slightly smaller) bunch of marabou in the tan/gray color, and tie it in on top of the other (between the bead-chain eyes).
Trim up any loose strands, and as neatly as possible wrap to cover all the ends of the marabou and create a nice smooth head on your fly. Try to smooth it out with as few wraps as possible.
Wrap a few times behind the eye of the hook and then whip finish and tie off.
Add your fly head cement, and let it dry.
Go fish your fly!