The Tuffleye surf candy is a great baitfish imitation that represents food to most things that swim. In particular it has proved deadly on long tail tuna here on the Sunny Coast.
Surf candies were initially tied using epoxy, I prefer using Tuffleye’s  light cured acrylic. It makes the tying process a lot neater and there is none of the waste that you so often have when tying with epoxy. Because the Tuffleye acrylic will only set when it comes into contact with the high intensity blue light, you can take your time molding the exact shape you are after. Once you are satisfied, 10 to 20 seconds of exposure to the light will result in a hard crystal clear finish that will not yellow with age!

Materials
Hook- Gamakatsu SL12S #6 – #2/0
Under Body – Saltwater Mirage Mother of Pearl
Under Wing – White Polar Fibre
Over Wing – Tan Polar Fibre
Lateral Line – Shimmerflash Mother of Pearl
Eyes – WTP flat eyes to suit
Coating – Tuffleye Core
Final Coat – Tuffleye Finish  
 

Step 1 – place hook in vice and attach the thread

Step 2 – Cut one strand of Saltwater Mirage

and secure it to the hook. Wrap the entire

strand from the eye to the bend of the shank

and back to the eye creating an even under

body of pearl mylar. Tie it off at the eye

and remove any excess.

Step 3 – Comb out the white Polar

Fibre and cut a clump of fibres just

thinner than a pencil. Brush out the

short under fluff, measure to your

hook shank and tie in behind the eye.

The wing of Polar Fibre should extend 

1 to 1 ½ hook shanks behind the bend.  

Step 4 –With the white polar fibre

secure, cut a slightly thinner clump

of tan polar fibre and tie it in on top

of the white polar fibre. Make sure

you tie the tan polar fibre in so that

it sitting squarely on top of the white

polar fibre,this create a good lateral 

separation between the different colour

fibres best mimicking the dorsal colours

of a bait fish.

Step 5 – Cut a strand of shimmerflash,

fold it in half around your tying thread

and tie in place so that it lies along the

divide between the white and tan polar

fibre. This represents the lateral line of

the bait fish. Repeat for the other side

of the fly.

Step 6 – Ensure you have a fairly

substantial thread head and the

whip finish the head and cut

the thread.

Step 7 – Before removing the stick on

eye from the sheet, fold the sheet so

that the eye is also folded in half. 

This will allow the eye to better conform

to the shape of the thread head you

created. Stick an eye on to either

side of your thread head.

Make sure they are evenly positioned.

Step 8 – The fly is now ready to be coated.

Apply the Tuffleye Core evenly over the fly

from the hook eye to the bend. By keeping

tension on the fibres with your vices hand

it is easier to get the desired shape and

control unruly fibres. Don’t try to put too 

much on at once. For the first coat you 

just need enough to create the shape

you are after and secure all the fibres.

Step 9 – Apply the Tuffleye high intensity

blue light for 20 seconds. This is not

UV light and is supposedly a safe light

but it is still advisable to not look directly

at the light. The body will remain tacky,

this aids in adhesion when adding further coats.

Step 10 – Apply a second coat to create a

smooth finish. Apply the blue light to cure. 

Once you are satisfied with the fly use

acetone to remove the sticky residue.

This will result in a matt finish, the fly can

be fished like this as it will appear shiny in the

water and the fish really don't seem to mind. 

Or if you prefer your fly box to be full of beautiful 

shiny bait fish, you can use the Tuffleye Finish or

simply finish the fly with Hard as Hull or Sally

Hansen’s Hard as Nails.

The Tuffleye surf candy is a great little fly that I am sure you will agree is one of the closest imitation of the many small bait fish you will find along most coast lines. By using different synthetic and natural fibres you can experiment to see which one work best for your application and fishing situation.  My personal favourite is polar fibre, but bucktail, supreme hair and krystal flash are just a few of the many other materials that work wonders!

Here are a few colour combinations that work well along the Sunshine Coast:

Olive over White

Pink over White

Grey over White

All White

I hope you have fun tying this great fly!

Tight Lines

Derek