.png)
Backwater Retriever
Bench Notes No. 2. Lee H. Blanton’s four-inch rabbit-strip water fly, with a Whitlock hard-mono foundation, a compact deer-hair wedge, and a complete tying sequence.
Bench Notes No. 2 · Pattern by Lee H. Blanton · L.H. Blanton Benchworks
Read the material and construction reference in Bench Notes No. 1 before beginning this pattern. Backwater Retriever applies the Whitlock hard-mono foundation and controlled deer-hair work to a four-inch rabbit-strip water fly.
Backwater Retriever
A four-inch rabbit-strip water fly with a Whitlock foundation and a compact deer-hair wedge.
The long Zonker strip gives the fly its swimming shape. The slim dubbed body supports that strip without stiffening it. The natural tips of the first deer-hair clump form the collar, while the butt ends begin the compact wedge head. Collar and head are one continuous construction, not two separate operations. Keep the head small. The rabbit should remain the first thing the fish sees and the last thing that stops moving.
Recipe
Hook
Ahrex TP610, 2/0
Thread
White, strong, low-stretch
Foundation
Whitlock hard-mono rails
Tail and back
Magnum Barred Zonker, chartreuse/white
Body
Minnow Belly Dubbing
Rib
Silver French tinsel
Collar
Natural tips of the first deer-hair clump
Head
Compressible deer hair; first clump begins the wedge
Legs
Barred rubber, tan/black
Eyes
DeadMeat Custom, 6-8 mm
Eye adhesive
Loctite Gel Control
Body finish
Dave's Flexament; coat the entire body and cure about 24 hours
Overall
4.00 inches
Zonker span
Approximately 3.05 inches
PATTERN STANDARD Centered strip. Slim body. Legs secured before hair. Collar formed by the first clump. Compact wedge. Clear hook eye and full hook gap.
Foundation, Tail, Body, And Back
Steps 1-8. The rabbit strip will show every crooked decision made beneath it.
1. Build The Foundation
Secure one straight hard-mono rail on each side of the hook shank. Cover both rails completely, align them, coat lightly, and let the foundation cure.
2. Read The Platform
Inspect from above and below. The rails must be straight, firm, and free of adhesive at the eye. Correct any rotation now.
3. Measure The Strip
Choose a full Magnum Barred Zonker strip with even hide. Lay out the four-inch overall proportion before making the first tail tie-in.
4. Tie In The Tail
Part the fur at the rear body point and secure the hide on the centerline with compact wraps. Sight down the hook and make sure the strip leaves straight.
5. Add The Rib
Tie in the silver French tinsel flat at the rear, with its working length directed backward. Do not build a lump beneath the body.
6. Dub The Body
Form a slim, even Minnow Belly body toward the shoulder. Use only enough dubbing to support the back; excess bulk lifts the strip and steals hook gap.
7. Rib The Dubbed Body
Wind the silver French tinsel forward in open, even turns over the dubbing only. Tie it off at the shoulder. The rib should strengthen and segment the dubbed body without crossing the Zonker strip.
8. Pull Over The Back
Bring the Zonker forward over the completed ribbed body without stretching the hide. Part the fur at the front tie-in, center the strip, and secure it in one narrow thread plane.
CHECKPOINT The tail leaves straight, the dubbed body remains slim and evenly ribbed, and the Zonker lies over it on the centerline. No rib turn crosses the strip.
Legs, First Clump, Head, And Finish
Steps 9-18. Tie in the legs first, then let the first deer-hair clump form the collar and begin the head.
9. Tie In The Legs
Tie two barred rubber legs on each side, four total, before the first hair clump. Balance and secure them so the head can be built around them.
10. Prepare The First Clump
Select clean, compressible deer hair. Remove underfur and short waste, and preserve sound natural tips for the collar.
11. Form The Collar With The First Clump
Tie the first deer-hair clump at the shoulder. Its natural tips sweep rearward as the collar; its flared butt ends begin the wedge. There is no separate collar.
12. Complete The First Stack
Balance the hair around the hook at the same plane and lock it. This stack forms the collar behind the tie-in and the rear wall of the head ahead.
13. Pack And Repeat
Pack the first stack without trapping the legs. Advance one to two thread widths and repeat with smaller clumps toward the eye.
14. Finish The Thread
Leave room for a compact whip finish. Steam the untrimmed head once only if the fibers need to stand, then allow the hair to settle before cutting.
15. Find The Eye And Set The Top
Clear the hook eye with a razor or scissors, establish the top plane, and rotate the fly if needed to center the colors.
16. Complete The Wedge
Cut the flat belly, alternate between the sides, and shape the face while keeping the hook gap open and protecting the thread and mono rails.
17. Set The Eyes
Recheck the tied-in legs and dry-fit the eyes. Press Loctite Gel into the seats and set both eyes level. The gel is used only for the eyes.
18. Coat, Penetrate, And Cure
Coat the entire finished body with Dave's Flexament. Use a bodkin to work it into the hair and thread planes, keep the hook eye clear, and cure about 24 hours.
FINISHED-FLY TEST Confirm that the first clump forms the collar, the tied-in legs remain balanced, and the strip stays centered. Press the head and check the hook eye and gap.
Backwater Retriever Technical Plate
Use the full drawing after the sequence to judge proportion, placement, and final attitude.
Backwater Retriever technical plate. Overall length 4.00 inches; Zonker span approximately 3.05 inches.
View illustration at full size
Plate 1. The drawing fixes the four-inch overall proportion, 3.05-inch Zonker span, compact wedge, barred-leg position, and eye location. Dimensions keep the fly honest, but the final judgment still comes from a centered strip, clear hook gap, sound thread work, and a head that suits the retrieve.
Side
Finished-Fly Standard: Compact wedge, smooth shoulder transition, open gap, and a strip that carries its full four-inch attitude
Top
Finished-Fly Standard: Head, body, and Zonker back share one centerline; neither eye sits ahead of the other
Front
Finished-Fly Standard: Face is a deliberate wedge rather than a cup; lower and upper hair remain balanced
Below
Finished-Fly Standard: Belly plane is clean, hook eye is open, and the body does not crowd the gap
FINISHED-FLY STANDARD The fly should feel like one durable structure with three moving elements: the rabbit strip, the open collar, and the barred rubber legs.
Foundation and construction references
Dave Whitlock’s hard-mono foundation is credited where used. General hair selection, packing, shaping, and diagnostics are set out in Bench Notes No. 1.
Dave Whitlock: Fly Tier’s Bench, Tying the Most Whithair Bug.
Dave Whitlock: The Most Whithair Bass Bug. History and fishing purpose.