Whalley의 Tinker Peanut Bunker

Tied one of these on after spotting a blitz of mackerel, and the action was immediate—the long, slender profile really sells the imitation. It casts cleanly even in a stiff wind, which made a huge difference on the boat. I’ve never had a fly get eaten so consistently by stripers keyed on mackerel.

The mackerel imitation is spot-on, and the fly swims with a natural action that convinced a few finicky stripers I've been chasing. I just wish the hook was a tad sharper out of the package.

It holds up okay after a few casts, but the hook isn't as sticky as I'd hoped on a couple of strikes. The mackerel pattern looks good in the water, though, and it's gotten some attention even if it hasn't sealed the deal every time.