The Boomer was developed to imitate the juveniles of a variety of species of baitfish within the genus Clupeidae, including Alewife and Blue Back herring which seasonally migrate north in spring and early summer then south in the fall along inshore waters in the Northeast.

An interesting feature of the pattern is the use of very soft and mobile tail, collar and wing materials in conjunction with a heavily weighted (in relative terms) head. in the hand, the Boomer will seem unusually heavy for it’s size. On the retrieve, the pattern dramatically jigs vertically as it is drawn horizontally, providing a very good simulation of the movement of a natural through the water column. The soft body material ripples sinuously throughout the retrieve, providing good simulation of moving fins and gill parts.

The Boomer is a heavy pattern in the hand. A novice may require a little practice to deliver it accurately over distance. But, make no mistake, the Boomer’s design was skewed towards retrieval rather than delivery characteristics. The weight that can be a challenge to cast serves as a force multiplier to it’s action underwater. I choose the name Boomer after the nickname first tagged onto fleet ballistic missile nuclear submarines (SSBNs) during the Cold War. These vessels are huge, sophisticated missile platforms, so ponderous at drydock, yet so gracefully lethal at depth. Like it’s namesake, the Boomer runs deep and deadly. It is my all time go to pattern when fishing in fast currents or big surf.

1. Select a 2/0 hook of your choice (I prefer Owner AKIs or Tiemco 600 SPs) and crush the hook barb with pliers. Slide a 3/16" diameter silver cone lined with lead or tungsten over the hook point and around the hook bend to the base of the hook eye (Figure 1). This operation may require that the diameter of the cone tip opening be widened by filling the cone tip down. Tie in fine monofilament thread and barrel wrap the entire hook shank from the base of the cone to the hook bend and back again. At the base of the cone, build up a bulge of thread with sufficient diameter to immobilize the cone on the hook shank. (Figure 2)

Figure 1

Figure 2

2. Tie in a tail consisting of a 1/8" diameter bunch of White 3XL Finnish Raccoon Fur over six strands of Gray Ghost Krystal Flash over ten strands of Polar Bear White Superhair (ranging in length from 4 ½ to 71/2") over another 1/8" diameter bunch of White 3XL Finnish Raccoon Fur. Add a drop of super glue to the joint and carefully allow the adhesive to wick into the base of the tail assembly as it cantilevers off the hook shank. This action will increase the foul resistance of the tail while not significantly compromising it’s action underwater. (Figure 3)

Figure 3

3. Tie in a 1/8" diameter bunch of White 3XL Finnish Raccoon Fur along the relative top and bottom of the hook shank in front of the tail tie in. As with the tail apply a drop of super glue to each and carefully allow the adhesive to wick into these collar components to stiffen their respective bases to resist fouling. Smooth the fur on the bottom of the hook so that the super glue sets the fur up parallel to the hook shank so as not to fill the hook gap. (Figure 4)

Figure 4

4. Tie in 1/8" diameter bunches of White 3XL Finnish Raccoon Fur on either side of the hook shank so as to obscure the base of the tail as shown in (Figure 5).

Figure 5

5. Tie in a wing consisting of six strands of Black Pearl Accent Flash over 6-8 Peacock herls (4-6" in length) over a 1/16" bunch of olive bucktail (3 ½ - 4 ½ ") over a1/16" bunch of pale lavender bucktail (3 ½ - 4 ½ ")over a 1/16" bunch of light pink bucktail 
   (3 ½ - 4 ½"). (Figure 6).

Figure 6

6. Add six strands of Shrimp Pink Krystal Flash over six strands of Pearl Ultraviolet Krystal Flash (all 2-4" in length) to each side as a color highlights. Add a beard of seven strands of Red Krystal Flash along the bottom of the collar as shown in (Figure 7).

Figure 7

7. Coat the cone and base of the collar/wing with five minute epoxy. When the epoxy begins to gel, shape the coating into an flattened ellipse with an appropriate implement (not your fingers please). Allow the epoxy to set. Add color to the head with permanent ink markers (Delta Brown on the top edge, Olive over the top quarter, Lavender along the top third, Bronze over the top half). Apply and align 4.5 mm (excuse the mixing of unit systems here) black on pearl prismatic stick on eyes. Add a finish coat of five minute epoxy and allow to thoroughly cure before using. (Figure 8).

Figure 8