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Waller Waker

6K views 7 replies 4 participants last post by  Skilly 
#1 ·
Since we didn't get many folks showing us their Bombers, I thought I'd post a Waller Waker. Maybe there are more people tying and fishing these. So show us your Waller Wakers.

The one in this scan is tied with moose body tail, moose body throat, black and natural deer banded body, and fl. yellow calf wings (unfortunately, my scanner doesn't show florescent colors correctly, so it came out looking like it is a white wing). I like the fl. yellow wings because they make the fly much easier to see when fishing a distant lie.

The proper and best sequence to tie the Waller Waker is: 1) tie in the wing at the end of the return loop (if using Daiichi or Tiempco hooks; if using Mustad or Partridge hooks, tie the wing in about 1/8" behind the hook eye) with flat-waxed nylon. The reason the wing is tied in so far back if to provide room to tie in the moose body throat after the body is clipped. 2) run the thread a little beyond the hook shank and tie in the moose body tail (elk can be used too; but avoid deer, caribou, or antelope because they are too brittle). 3) run the thread back toward the tail until it is 3 or 4 turns in front of the tail. 4) tie in the deer hair body. 5) scotch tape the wings together and also tape the tail to keep them out of the way and to prevent them from getting cut when clipping the body. 5) clip the body, it should be fairly slim on the sides with a slight taper and taper to about half the height of a bass bug body on the top while tapering from the tail forward. 6) remove the tail tape; but keep the wing tape in place. 7) tie in 6/0 or 8/0 thread and tie in the moose body throat directly under the wings with the moose thoat reaching to about the hook bend. 8) take a single wrap of thread under the moose throat to help keep it elevated below the hook and tie it off. and 9) put your favorite cement on the underside of the body [which should be nothing but thread](I like to use super glue for this; but any cement will work), and then put Flexament on the head and half way up the wings to stiffing them for better planing and waking.

Also, Waller Wakers should be tied by keeping the body hair on the top 1/2 of the hook instead of letting the hair spin around the hook. This not only provides a larger, unobstructed hook gap, it also makes the body easier to tie. To tie the Waller Waker body: 1) take a bunch of deer hair; 2) put a 2 or 3 loops of thread around it; 3) and pull the thread tight while holding on to the deer hair so the hair bunch stays on tip of the hook; 4) make 3 runs of thread forward on the hook and tie in the next bunch of deer hair; 5) when you get to the wings, tie the thread off with a whip finish in front of the wings.

Here is the Waller Waker:
 

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#2 ·
Nice looking bug. It's a new one to me. Does it fish well for atlantics? Is it fished perpendicular (what we call dry) and drifted or diagonally down stream and riffled(what we call fishing the dry fly wet), or both? Nice variation though, certainly well worth a try on our local rivers. Thanks for posting it and the recipe.
Tight lines!
Sayow
 
#3 ·
Sayow,

The Waller Waker was designed by noted steelhead fisherman Lani Waller when he was making a video for SA on BC's Babine River. The film director wanted a fly that was more visible than the Bomber in order to better film it. Lani came up with this fly and it was named the Waller Waker by those who saw it.

It was designed to plane up on the moose throat and front slanted wings when under tension on a downstream or cross stream swing without the need of a hitch. If cast up or up and across, it will wobble side to side as it dead drifts and then it will start to plane as it comes under tension. In other words, it can be fished the same way as a Bomber; but it doesn't need to be hitched to keep it up and planing when fishing under tension. I'm sure it would be effective for Atlantics Salmon.

I tie and fish it in #2-#6 on Daiichi 2421 hooks; but any mid-weight or low water salmon hook would work. It should not be tied on a down eye hook because the down eye interferes with tying in the moose throat.
 
#5 ·
Flytyer,

Nice job on what can probably be considered a new classic. I have never caught an Atlantic on one (I did try a few times). But I have used it for Great Lakes steelhead with some success. I will have to see if I have any left that are worthy of the board.

Charlie
 
#7 ·
Skilly,

Try tying some in #6 and #8 for fishing other than late evening or in overcast, you might be surprised. I'm not surpirsed an all black Waller Waker works well as a fish catcher.

Charlie,

It is a fly I like and use as an alternative to a hitched Bomber because it provides less water disturbance and wakes with bobs and weaves without hitching.
 
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