Fly Tying Inventory
Backstabber
Colorado carp angler Jay Zimmerman refined the Backstabber over several seasons, and it has become a staple in many carp boxes. Dumbbell eyes make it ride point-up, and the marabou wing tied on the point side becomes the fly's back, so it reads as a small crayfish, leech or nymph creeping along the bottom without snagging. Drop it a short lead in front of tailing or mudding carp and twitch it; drab rust, olive and black versions also take trout and bass.
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Materials
UTC Ultra Thread 140 denier, brown or olive
Brown or olive · 140 denier
Black brass dumbbell eyes, small or medium
Black · Small or medium
Tan dubbing: Hareline Dubbin or Whitlock SLF dubbing
Tan
Rust-orange select strung marabou, about 1.5 times the shank length
Rust orange
How to Tie the Backstabber
- 1
Step 1
Start the thread just behind the hook eye, lay a base back to the middle of the shank, then return to a point roughly a third of the shank length behind the eye.
- 2
Step 2
Lash the dumbbell eyes on top of the shank at that point with tight figure-eight wraps, then leave the thread hanging just behind them.
A drop of super glue on the wraps stops the eyes from twisting. Eyes on top of the shank are what flip the fly to ride point-up.
- 3
Step 3
Carry the thread back to above the barb. Dub a slim, slightly shaggy body forward to the eyes, then figure-eight the dubbed thread around the eyes to hide the wraps. Finish with the thread in front of the eyes.
- 4
Step 4
Turn the hook upside down in the vise so the point faces up.
- 5
Step 5
Measure a marabou plume so its tips reach about one and a half shank lengths, and tie it in just ahead of the eyes on the point side so it sweeps back past the bend. Trim the butts and cover them with thread.
Hold the marabou in a single bunch on top as you tie it down; if it rolls around the shank the wing loses its back-like profile.
- 6
Step 6
Strip the fluff from one or two India hen back feathers, line up their tips and tie them in together in front of the marabou.
- 7
Step 7
Take two or three turns of the hen forward toward the eye, stroking the fibres back as you go, then tie off and trim the stems.
- 8
Step 8
Build a small head that pushes the collar fibres slightly backward, whip finish and add a drop of head cement.
Watch Tying Tutorial
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBQdp0OzF6g
Credit: InTheRiffle