SIGN IN/SUBSCRIBE
The Backcountry Snake Fly
This Northeast striper pattern adaptation has proven mighty effective in Southern waters.
By Chris Kincaid

Many inshore gamefish can’t resist this fluffy streamer.

When I was a kid, I found no greater pleasure than standing on the bow of my father’s flats skiff, plugging away at what seemed like an endless labyrinth of mangrove shorelines, hoping to rouse a linesider from its shadowy lair amidst the tangled roots. Back then, my weapon of choice was always an unweighted soft-plastic jerkbait. Few snook can resist that enticing, back-and-forth motion, so I was often rewarded with a flash, a boil, or a hard tug on my line. 

Once I transitioned to fly fishing and tying, I immediately sought patterns that would replicate the amazing action that so frequently paid off in my youth. But it wasn’t until my early 20s that I stumbled upon a deadly streamer that to this day remains one of my favorites. 

I was lucky enough to be part of a social tying group we called “Flies and Lies,” open to any fly tyers in the Orlando area who wanted to stop by the host fly shop, tie some flies, drink some beer, and tell tales. It was at one of those tying sessions that I was introduced to the Backcountry Snake Fly by a fellow tyer feverishly constructing what he claimed was his go-to baby tarpon fly. It was a white pattern with a flowing ostrich herl tail, marabou collar and sparse muddler-style, deer hair head. He told me juvenile tarpon loved the fly. “The uglier, the better,” he added.

I remember thinking it was a simple but great looking fly and, as I dug a little deeper into the pattern’s design and history, I found out it was an adaptation of a fly originally created by famed fly angler Lou Tabory, originally used for Northeast striped bass. Thanks to Tabory and his striper-fishing cohorts, the Snake Fly had compiled quite the track record. And, with the passing of time, I proved it’s just as effective on snook, tarpon, redfish, and largemouth bass in Southern waters.

Unlike other large-profile flies, casting the Backcountry Snake is amazingly effortless. With a sidearm cast and a tight loop, you can hit all the nooks and crannies where the aforementioned target species wait. Adding a monofilament weed guard prevents most hang-ups, should you occasionally get overzealous with your casting. If you drive your shot deep into the bushes, a slow, constant pull on the line generally crawls the fly out of trouble, frequently dropping it right where you wanted it to land.

Of course, when the fly hits the water is when the fun begins. I encourage you to try different retrieves to find the one that works for you. I like to give the fly a short, hard strip, followed by an extended pause to emulate the tried-and-true action of a soft-plastic jerkbait. I find that most fish like the quick dart and the pause, and they usually pounce as the fly slowly starts to fall. Although fish hit this pattern aggressively, keeping your emotions in check is the key to success. You have to train yourself to stay cool and strip-strike only when you are certain the fly has been eaten. Some reaction strikes miss the target and that’s par for the course. But remaining calm, keeping the fly in the strike zone, and continuing to work it enticingly often results in second and sometimes third chances to connect.

There’s a couple of pre-casting rituals I also find important to ensure this fly acts exactly the way I want it to. Before the first cast, I take the fly in my hand, submerge it under the water and work all the air bubbles out with my fingers to ensure it will dart underneath the surface film and not float on top of it. Whenever possible, I also like to push the fly down into the mud bottom and rub it around a bit. I have no scientific proof that this makes it work better, so you’ll need to take my word for it. By the way, a fluorocarbon leader is recommended. Fluorocarbon is more abrasion-resistant and it sinks, which helps getting the fly to ride just below the surface. Also, attach the fly with a loop knot to get the most effective action.

Although the Backcountry Snake Fly has excelled in all conditions and times of day, I do prefer throwing it early in the morning, at dusk, and when it’s overcast. The sunny sky on blue-bird days causes snook to push farther back into the mangroves and generally sends baby tarpon to deeper water or simply down the water column. The white version of this fly is easy to see in the water in low-light circumstances. I’ve used it sight-fishing for redfish in the Everglades and I’ve watched them almost tilt their heads back and blindly inhale the darn thing. 

When tying the Backcountry Snake Fly, remember that it doesn’t have to look absolutely perfect. In fact, the uglier, the better. Here are the few materials you’ll need, followed by the tying instructions.

Materials:

Hook:   Owner Mosquito, size 2/0

Thread:   Danville 210 Denier flat waxed nylon, white

Tail:   Large ostrich herl plumes, white

Flash:   Holographic Flashabou, silver

Body:   Extra-select strung marabou, white

Collar:   Deer body hair, white

Weed guard:   Mason Hard Mono, 16-pound

Steps:

Step 1:   Attach the thread and wrap back on the hook shank, stopping right where the bend begins. Grab 10 to 12 ostrich-herl plumes, twice the length of the hook or slightly longer, peel the first inch and a half of herl from the stems, and tie in.

Step 2:   Cut three full strands of Flashabou from the hank. Fold the strands in half around the thread, then wrap the thread back to fasten the Flashabou, making sure you bring three strands to each side of the hook. Cut the ends about the same length as the ostrich herl.

Step 3:   Select two white marabou feathers, looking for the fluffiest and most supple, avoiding any with a pronounced stiffer portion at the tip. This selection is one of the most critical steps in the assembly of the fly, so when you pick up each feather, shake it gently to make sure the marabou really moves with minimal effort. Attach one marabou feather to each side of the hook, ensuring both stretch back only about half the length of the ostrich herl.

Step 4:   Cut a pencil-thick clump of deer hair, hold it at a 45-degree angle to the hook shank, directly in front of the marabou, and make three loose wraps around the clump with the thread while still holding the deer hair in place. Slowly pull the thread tighter, letting the hairs flare and spin freely around the hook shank. If this gives you trouble, take your fingers and evenly distribute the deer hair around the hook shank before pulling the thread wraps tight. You should have an evenly distributed ball of hair when you are done.

Step 5:   Repeat step 4 with another similar-sized clump of deer hair. Your thread should now be near the hook’s eye. Pull the hair ball back with your fingers and whip-finish your thread, leaving the thread head as small as possible. Cut the tag end and apply some head cement.

Step 6:   Take your scissors and begin sculpting the deer hair head. It’s fine to experiment with the shape, but try to cut the bottom relatively flat, put a slope on the top of the head, and flare the sides. It is important to actually cut uneven gashes into this head and purposely make it somewhat rough and asymmetrical. The opposing angles and irregularities give the fly the desired erratic action.

Step 7:   Cut a 4-inch square from a plastic shopping bag and pierce the middle with your bodkin. Put the hook’s eye and thread head through the hole and pull the plastic-bag piece back with your fingers and hold it temporarily in place with a pipe cleaner or twist-tie. This will keep the short hairs at the front of the fly away from the thread when you add a mono weed guard. Reattach the thread to the head of the fly.

Step 8:   Cut a a few inches of mono for the weed guard. It’s best to pull a couple of feet from the spool and straighten it by pulling the mono between your thumb and index finger a couple of times before cutting the piece you’ll tie on. Bend the cut piece of mono in half and pinch it tightly with your fingers to make a crease. Lay the crease over the hook’s eye and make several loose wraps over it at a 45-degree angle. Pull the tips of the mono down into place and make several tight wraps to secure the weed guard. Push both ends of the mono back toward the front of the hook and make several wraps behind the mono. Try to get the mono to stand perpendicular to the hook shank. Once you have the angle you like, wrap forward, whip finish your head, and apply head cement.

Step 9:   Remove the plastic bag by tearing it apart with your fingers and discard. Trim the mono weed guard to size. I prefer to let mine extend a bit beyond the hook point. Remove the fly from your vise and enjoy!

Chris Kincaid

Chris Kincaid is a creative fly tyer who has been fishing the flats and tying flies since he was a child. He spent several years tying commercially, specializing in saltwater flies, and gained particular notoriety for his attractive and effective tarpon patterns. His flies have been featured in various fly-tying books and magazine articles. And, although Chris no longer ties commercially, he still enjoys coming up with new patterns, sharing fly-tying tips with others and working with Renzetti vises and R Distribution to promote the sport of fly fishing.
Chris now lives in Lake Wales, Central Florida, and when he is not running his family’s electrical-contracting business, you’ll usually find him at his tying bench or chasing bonefish, tarpon and permit in some exotic locale.