How to Tie the Grass Monkey Streamer Fly

Learn how to tie the Grass Monkey Streamer including step-by-step instructions, a video tutorial, pictures, and much more. Improve your fly tying skills here.

Trident Fly Fishing is a full-service fly shop. We spend a lot of time testing gear and writing reviews to give you all of the tools to make your next trip a success. We are not a blog or a review site. 100% of our funding comes from your gear purchases, so if this blog post helps you on your next fly fishing adventure, please support us by buying your gear from us.

This versatile pattern moves water to attract Bull Redfish from a mile away... Well, almost. If you're looking for a pattern that creates a commotion and pushes water, you've found it. The Grass Monkey is designed to sink and hover which makes it a great fly for fish feeding in shallow water or near the surface. The large head of the fly creates a big push of water to attract the big-mouthed predators on the block. Redfish will eat this fly as a baitfish, shrimp, and sometimes even a fleeing crab. Tune in as Jared teaches us how to tie the Grass Monkey with step-by-step instructions with photos, a video, and much more.

Materials:

We've put together a kit that contains all the materials you need to tie this exact fly pattern.

Click the button below to shop the selection.

• Gamakatsu B10S - Size 1
• UNI Waxed Midge Thread 8/0 - Black
• Hareline Bead Chain Eyes - Size Medium, Black
• Spirit River Estaz Chenille - Size Regular, Tan
• Enrico Puglisi Craft Fur Brush - Green
• Hareline Krystal Flash - Gold
• Copic Sketch Marker - Brown
• Hareline Dyed Deer Body Hair - Golden Brown

Step One:

Start your thread and create a little thread bump to tie in the Bead Chain Eyes. Tie the Bead Chain Eyes in on the top of the hook with a figure-8 pattern to secure them in a properly balanced position. After tying in the Eyes, bring your thread all the way back to the bend of the hook.

Step Two:

Choose roughly 6 inches of Estaz Chenille, strip off the fibers near the end, tie it in and palmer it forward. After tying in the Estaz Chenille at the bend of the hook, advance your thread to just behind the eye of the hook. Start palmering the Estaz Chenille forward while continually brushing the fibers backward with your hand so that they lay flat. Tie the Estaz Chenille off right behind the Eyes and cut off any excess material.

Step Three:

Invert the fly and the hook and tie in the Olive Craft Fur on the bottom of the hook shank. Choose about a pencil's diameter of fur and tie it in right behind the eye of the hook and in front of the Bead Chain Eyes. Be sure to create a base with your thread to make spinning the deer hair (Step 5) easier.

Step Four:

Use the Brown Copic Sketch Marker to create barring on the fly's body and tie in some Krystal Flash. The Marker's chisel-tip allows you to easily and precisely place lines on the fly to add dimension. After barring the fly, choose a few strands of Krystal Flash and tie them in right in front of the Bead Chain Eyes.

Step Five:

Tie in the Dyed Deer Body Hair. Catch the Hair on the underside of the hook shank with two or three loose wraps, position the Hair where you want it, and pull straight down on your thread to flare the Deer Hair. After you've flared the Hair, wrap your thread in between the flared Hair to secure it in place. Whip finish and cut off your thread.

Step Six:

Trim the Deer Hair to create a collar for the fly. You can also use this last step to trim any errant fibers that are sticking out of the fly and to create a short compact head. And that's the last step! After trimming your fly to create the desired profile, add head cement and it's ready to fish.

Questions?

Give us a call here at the shop at (888) 413-5211 or email us anytime at [email protected].