Fly Patterns:
The Tuna Kahuna
The Tuna Kahuna Fly...
Background
The Tuna Kahuna is the brainchild of Floyd Sparks, a talented fly tier and offshore fisherman from San Diego. Developed in the late 80s, the TK is a derivative of the ALF pattern
originated by Bill and Kate Howe. Floyd wanted a tough fly which would cast
and sink well, and have good action, but had a fuller profile than
the regular ALF or Flashy Profile Fly (FPF). He's managed to capture these
qualities in the Tuna Kahuna, which he has used successfully on all sorts
of fish, including dorado, tuna, yellowtail, yellowfin tuna, albacore, bonito, roosterfish
and barracuda.
The most noticeable feature of the TK is the unusal head treatment. While
using mylar or other braided body material to cover the head is nothing
new (see the Sea Habits, for example), most patterns simply slide a piece
over the head, bind it behind the eye, and let the back edge fray. Epoxy, Soft-tex or similar glue is typically used to keep the braid together. In the TK, however, the body material
is actually folded back over itself to form a full-bodied head, with no
exposed tubing edges (see pictures).
Durability was a primary design goal, and Floyd has achieved it. Some of
his flies that have survived for 4 years and numerous fish without being
destroyed.
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