Fly-tying

John Graham’s deadly wake-creating surface lure originated on the River Towy, but it has since caught hundreds of sea-trout all over the country.

Material list for the Jambo

Rear hook: Size 10 treble

Thread: Red

Rib: Silver wire

Body: Flat silver tinsel

Joint: 20lb nylon

Front hook: Size 2/0 Aberdeen

Thread: Red  

Rib: Flat silver tinsel

Body: Black floss

Wing: Black and orange bucktail with strands of silver Krystal Hair

Head: Black deer hair

Step 1. Jambo

Step 1. Fix the treble hook in the vice. Loop the nylon between the legs of the treble, pass the ends through the eye then run on the tying thread.

Step 2. Jambo

Step 2. Catch in a length of silver wire plus a couple of inches of flat tinsel. Wind on the tinsel to form the body then rib it with open turns of the wire.

Step 3. Jambo

Step 3. Fix the front hook in the vice and run on the thread. Pass one end of the nylon through the eye, double it back then trim the second end short.

Step 4. Jambo

Step 4. Secure the nylon to the hook with close, tight turns of thread. Carry the thread down to the bend and catch in three inches of flat silver tinsel.

Step 5. Jambo

Step 5. Tie in the black floss and wind along hook in a double layer to create the necessary bulk. Then wind the silver tinsel over the floss body in even turns.

Step 6. Jambo

Step 6. Catch in a slim bunch of orange bucktail so the tips reach the treble. Apply a similar-sized bunch of black bucktail plus strands of silver Krystal Hair.

Step 7. Jambo

Step 7. Take a large bunch of dyed-black deer hair and catch it in immediately in front of the wing. Pull the thread tight so the hair spins around the hook.

Step 8. Jambo

Step 8. Add further bunches of deer hair, compacting them as much as possible. Continue until the gap between the wing base and the eye is full. 

Step 9. Jambo

Step 9. Whip finish the thread at the eye, then begin trimming the hair roughly to shape with scissors.

Step 10. Jambo

Step 10. Trim the underside flat and leave the bulk on top. Make the head quite wide.

Step 11. Jambo

Step 11. Run a drop of varnish into the turns of the whip finish then, using a pair of pliers, carefully snip off the bend of the front hook.