Belly Scratching Game Changer
Cheech - April, 2016
Swim bait. Two words that might be foreign to the fly fishing purist, but are synonymous to catching huge bass on conventional gear. Fly-only people typically refer to anything made of hard plastic as a Rapala or a crank bait, but a swim bait is quite different because there is usually not a "lip" to create wobble factor. The hard plastic swim baits that I have under the deck of the bass boat are typically made up of two or more sections that make it swim like a real fish. The paint jobs are pristine, and they absolutely crush fish - not just bass, but any type of fish that eats other fish. Where am I going with this? The game changer style of fly is basically a swim bait for your fly rod, and they are big fish magnets due to maximum movement. Big thanks to Blane Chocklett for tweaking this fly to what it is today, and another big thanks to material companies like Flymen Fishing Co. and Hareline Dubbin for being willing to produce materials that make this fly easier to tie.
Like most flies that I try or see, I can't help but tinker a bit with them. I wanted to invert the fly to make it ride hook point up so I added the belly scratcher style weighting system. I also made the head out of bruiser blend because I thought it looked cool and really blended well with the Game Changer Chenille. That's another thing... The game changer style fly really lends itself to many different materials like craft fur, EP fibers, and feathers; but the easiest to use are made by Hareline and are called "Chocklett's Body Wrap" and "Chocklett's Game Changer Chenille." They will both make your game changer tying experience a lot better. These flies are not difficult to tie at all, but they take a bit of time to construct and trim, so be patient.
~Cheech
- Hook: Fulling Mill 36040 Streamer Stripper - 2/0
- Spines: Articulated Fish Spines - Starter Pack (6 x 4 sizes = 24)
- Connection Wire: Senyo Intruder Trailer Hook Wire - Black - Regular
- Weight: Plummeting Tungsten Beads - Black Nickel - 7/32" (5.5mm)
- Weight: Plummeting Tungsten Beads - Black Nickel - 3/16" (4.6mm)
- Eyes: 3D Big Fish Eyes - Silver - 3/8" (10mm)
- Tail: Arctic Fisherman Blue Fox Tail Fur - White
- Body: Chocklett's Game Changer Chenille - Clear
- Head: Bruiser Blend Dubbing - Alpha Wolf
- Head: Bruiser Blend Dubbing - White
- Head: Bruiser Blend Junior Dubbing - Alpha Wolf
- Head: Bruiser Blend Junior Dubbing - White
- Marker: Chartpak Fly Tying Markers - Black
- Marker: Chartpak Fly Tying Markers - Delta Brown (Dark Brown)
- Tools Used: Tear Mender Waterproof Adhesive (6 oz), Loon Applicator Bottle, Cap & Needles, Stonfo Comb/Brush Tool, Super Flush Cutter Pliers,
