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Tom Loving’s Shad Fly

This shad fly is part of The Pfeiffer Collection.

You may recognize Tom Loving’s name, but maybe not in the context of fly fishing for shad. Loving invented the classic bass popper the Gerbubble Bug (a popper that Lefty Kreh has even mentioned as one of the best poppers of all time) as well as several classic fly patterns for stripers. However, Loving was an avid shad fisherman and began creating patterns specifically for shad in or around 1923. This fly, tied on a double salmon hook may have been one of Loving’s first shad flies, and it has been said that it was one of his favorites.

Tom Loving’s Shad Fly Pattern:

Hook: Double Salmon Hook, size 8-12
Thread: Black 6/0 Uni-thread
Body: Alternating bands of white and black wool (I chose to use sparkle yarn)
Wing: White Bucktail (I chose kip tail)
Head: Painted Red (I chose to use red Danville’s flat waxed nylon thread to finish the head)
Eyes: Yellow with black pupil

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