Black Zonker Tying Instructions |
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Purple Zonker 
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White Zonker 
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Grizzly Zonker 
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Inverted Zonker 
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Double Bunny 
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Dan Byford of Steamboat Springs,Colorado came up with this design in 1975 while he owned the Dan Byford Fly Shop. It is one of the
modern American Rabbit-lure patterns taken from the original Rabbit flies introduced from New Zealand. The
strip of Rabbit Fur is known as a Zonker Strip, usually about 1/8" wide and trimmed about 1.5" past the hook bend. The fur has the ability to undulate while submerged providing an irresistible
action. The strip is usually secured with wire ribbing through the mylar body and around the hook shank. Some tiers will omit the wire ribbing and just secure the strip from behind the head and at the bend of the hook. The body is usually Mylar tubing but this can also be changed for other body material such as dubbed Lite Brite or wrapping Crystal Chennille. The body profile can also vary considerably. Some will use a wire frame, metal tape, or lead wire to create a body form and taper. Other variations will omit this framing altogether but include an underbody which shows though the mylar piping and fills the void created by the Mylar piping with a substrate material. The Mylar piping is secured at the bend of the hook and can be trimmed flush with the thread wraps for a clean profile or left with loose ends providing movement and attraction. Often, some type of soft hackle material is used for a throat. Red is a common color, indicating the flash of gills from an alarmed baitfish. Dan Byford inverted the pattern. This gave the fly an addition benefit of
hiding the hook and allowing the fly to flow along the bottom without snagging. He punctured the strip with the hook point
and secured the strip at the head with thread wraps. The head was covered in epoxy and eyes were painted. Scott Sanchez of Livingston, Montana came up with an interesting
variation called the Double Bunny, utilizing zonker strips both above and below the shank. In tying this fly, make sure
that the hook point is centered over the strip and pull the strip lightly over the hook eye to bind just behind the eye.
This will help keep the strip in line with the strip and keeps the hide from tearing when under pressure. Then, glue the two
strips together with contact cement.