Fly Tying: Hot Cone Bunny

It’s August. The days are getting shorter, and the rain has arrived. The temperature starts to drop, and the leaves begin to turn. The start of fall in Alaska. Sounds awesome, right? The bright side to all of this…Coho (Silver) Salmon start to enter the river.

Of all the Alaska Salmon, Silver Salmon are the most eager to entertain a fly angler. Regardless of what style of fly you want to chase silvers with, be sure to have flies with purple and pink colors in your box.

Silver Salmon really like movement, and most of the time, they like some flash (not always, but mostly). The Hot Cone Bunny is a simple fly that gives you a little bit of flash and a profile that you can in a variety of color variations.

Popping, stripping, and jigging motions are all great ways to get a Silver Salmon’s attention. They will even hit on a static swing, but movement attracts these heavy hitters.

Originator: Unknown

Photos and tied by Mike Brown is the owner of Mossy’s Fly Shop in Anchorage, AK. A lifelong Alaskan with a passion for family, fly fishing and fly tying.

Material List:

Shank: Aqua Shank 26mm
Cone: Large Hot Cone Pink
Stinger Material: 30lb FireLine
Hook: Fire Hole 714 Sz 4
Tail: Purple Zonker Rabbit Strip
Body: Purple Zonker Rabbit Strip
Flash: Holographic Flashabou Purple
Legs: Medium Round Rubber Legs Pink
Collar: Fuchsia Marabou
Thread: Veevus 140 Hot Pink

Step 1. Place your cone on the shank and start your thread. Wrap your thread back to with 3/16-1/4” of the vise.

Step 2. Tie in your sting material and adjust the length. I like to make the fly 3” long.

Step 3. Tie in your rabbit strip. Make the tail just a little longer than the stinger loop.

Step 4. Wrap the rabbit forward with touching wraps, wrap right up to the cone and tie off. Trim.

Step 5. Tie in a few strands of flash on the side, make them the length of the tail. Wrap the flash over and tie it on the other side. Trim to length of tail.