Tie Your Own Flies: Coo Coo for Cocoa Puffs

Some flies are carefully engineered imitations of a specific insect at a specific life stage. The Coo Coo for Cocoa Puffs is not especially interested in that level of professionalism. The Coo Coo for Cocoa Puffs, also know as CCFCP, is a fly designed by the Rio Flies design team to mimic squid.

Built with motion, contrast, and just enough questionable flair to make a fish investigate, this pattern has earned its place in the box whenever the water calls for something a little loud, a little buggy, and entirely unconcerned with subtlety. Think of it as the fly-tying equivalent of showing up overdressed to a campfire: unnecessary, perhaps but difficult to ignore.

In this tutorial, we’ll break down the materials and steps to tie the Coo Coo for Cocoa Puffs without requiring a cereal bowl, a chemistry degree, or an explanation to the fish. What part of the pattern do you think gives it the most fish-catching movement?

CCFCP has a lot of movement and can be tied in a ton of various contrasting color combinations. A great fly for Salmon, Steelhead and trout type colors is very effective for Rainbows as well.

This particular pattern is tied with a size 2 trailer hook, rather than a size 4. ‘Cause you know…bigger hook bigger fish, right?

Tie your own flies!

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Originator: Rio Flies Design Team

Photos and Tied By the Crew at Mossy’s Fly Shop in Anchorage, Alaska

Materials:

Shank: Aqua Flies 43mm Return Eye
Lead Eyes: Double Pupil Fl. Pink w/White & Black Pupil
Stinger Material: 30lb Fireline (Intruder Wire acceptable sub)
Body: UV Polar Chenille Fl. Fushia
Collar: Schlappen Purple
Wing: Crazy Legs Fl. Fushia/Purple Tipped
Hook: Aqua Talon Sz 2
Thread: UTC 140 Purple (Veevus 140 acceptable they just don’t make purple)

Step 1. Place your shank in the vice and start your thread. Place your dumbbell eyes just behind the shank eye, leave just enough room for a small head and whip finish. Wrap your thread back to where you want your body to start

Step 2. Fold your stinger material in half and place at the end of your thread base. Make a couple of wraps and then adjust your stinger length to allow you to loop on your hook. This length gives you the ability to change the hook. Tie the stinger material down to the back of the eyes, fold over and tie back to the stat. Trim any excess.

Step 3. Tie in your polar chenille. Using touching wraps, wrap forward to the back of the eyes. Leave a small gap for your collar. Trim the body fibers to a shorter length, this is to take away some buoyancy and not impede with your collar or legs.

Step 4. Tie in your schlappen. You want the schlappen to cover the length of the body.

Step 5. Using wrapping turns make 3-4 turns of the schlappen, be sure to sweep the feather back with each turn.

Step 6. Take 5 full length rubber legs and tie them down to the top of the shank. Fold the legs around the thread and adjust them to the center. This will make placing them easier on top. Once you put a wrap down, flip the front legs forward out of your way. Make a couple wraps of thread and then fold the other half back and tie them down. Build a small head and move your thread in front of your eyes. Make a couple of wraps and whip finish.