Russ Maddin's Circus Peanut

With winter time and a lack of fishing, I switch over to mostly tying and not so much fishing.  To break the monotony of just filling my boxes, I participate in fly swaps if I'm interested in the theme.  Over on the Pa Fly Fish forum, someone suggested an articulated streamer swap.  I'm really going to fish streamers hard this year to hopefully have some success with them, both for trout and smallies.  Since we did something similar last year with the Meatbox Swap and it was a huge success, I decided to join up.

I choose for my pattern the Circus Peanut.  As far as I can tell, this fly was originally tied by Russ Maddin, if I'm wrong I'd love to give credit to the tier who first created this fly.  Here is my step-by-step for this fly.

Materials List:
Hooks: Two 2XL long streamer hooks in size 2-4 (I'm using Mustad 3306 Size 2)
Thread: Black 6/0
Eyes:Waspi Painted Eyes Size Medium
Tail: Marabou
Flash:Crystal Flash
Body: Crystal Chenile
Hackle: Black Schlappen
Legs: Sili Legs


Step 1: Attach the eyes to the front hook.  Use the Figure 8 wrapping technique and apply some glue to firmly lock the eyes into place.  Set aside to let the glue dry.

Step 2: Moving to the rear hook, tie in marabou tail and wrap up hook to create bulk for body.

Step 3: Tie some flash into the tail.

Step 4: Tie in chenile and wrap 3/4 of the way up the shank.

Step 5: Tie in 2 sili legs on each side.  Wrap chenile up the shank a few turn.

Step 6: Tie in 2 more sili legs on each side and wrap the chenile up the shank a few more turns.

Step 7: Tie off chenile and tie in your hackle dull side facing down.

Step 8: Make a few wraps of hackle and tie off.  I like to make a few thread wraps over the hackle to make sure it lays down over the body.

Step 9: Whip finish and apply some head cement.  The back hook is now finished.

Step 10: Using 7 strand jewelry wire, attach back hook to front hook.  This is an important step as it will determine how the articulated fly will swim in the water.  I like to tie one end of the wire to the front hook, then come up through the hook eye of the second fly and attach the other end of the wire to the front hook.  This ensures that the back hook will track the same way as the front hook.

Step 11: Tie in chenile and wrap up 3/4 of the hook shank.

Step 12: Tie in the legs as we did on the rear fly.  Wrap chenile up to the point right behind the eyes.

Step 13: Tie in the hackle dull side down and make a few wraps.  Tie off hackle and wrap thread over it to make sure it lays down like before.

Step 14: Wrap the chenile over the eyes in a Figure 8 pattern, make one wrap of chenile in front of the eyes, tie off, and whip finish.  Apply head cement.

Finished fly: