Bunny Bomber

The saltwater season is turning for anglers in the south, and thoughts drift north to warmer water. With that comes the usual planning and tying — replenishing fly boxes, or building confidence in a pattern that might help tick off a new species on fly.

The Bunny Bomber came about after several trips to tropical Far North Queensland. It draws on two iconic patterns — the Barra Bunny and the Gold Bomber — combining the movement of one and the flash of the other into a single offering. The balance of profile, contrast and flash does one thing well: convincingly imitate a panicked baitfish.

While the chartreuse colour is my go-to when the tide is full and the water is clear, I always keep a black-and-purple version ready for silty, low-tide conditions where silhouette matters more than shimmer.

A common frustration with long-tailed rabbit patterns is fouling — where the hide wraps around the hook bend and ruins an otherwise perfect cast. To solve this, I integrate a tail-supporting guard of 30lb fluorocarbon. By piercing the Zonker strip and threading the fluoro through it, the hide is kept in a fixed plane, allowing it to dance freely without tangling. It’s a small detail, but it’s the difference between a fly you trust around structure and one that turns into a mess after a couple of deliveries.

When building the body, the feel of the material is more important than the count of the wraps. Foxy and Sparkle brushes reward a patient hand — you need to comb out the fibres aggressively after every rotation. This isn’t just for neatness; it keeps the fly translucent and breathing in the water, rather than matted and bulky. Done properly, the materials pulse and flare on the pause, which is often exactly when a barra commits.

For the head, I prefer ProSportfisher Tabbed Eyes for their soft, flexible nature. They conform to the shape of the head and, positioned right on the leading edge, create a clear strike point that stands up to the jaw-crushing power of barramundi.

Fishing the Bunny Bomber is a game of structure bashing. Fallen timber, flats drains, forks with current pushing over them, spindly bushes — even that lone twig on the flats — are where the pattern earns its place. Accuracy is your greatest asset, and the guards are non-negotiable because they let you put the fly deep into the bedroom of a barra, where a standard hook would snag.

Once in the water, the Bunny Bomber is at its best when fished with intent rather than speed. Short, controlled strips followed by deliberate pauses allow the rabbit wing and brushed body to do the work, flaring and collapsing as the fly sinks back toward cover. Many takes come not on the strip, but on the pause, when the fly appears to hesitate or falter — exactly the cue a territorial barramundi struggles to ignore.

I skip the complex leaders here — a weight-forward floating line with an aggressive taper paired with a straight-through length of 40lb fluorocarbon is about as technical as it needs to get. A loop knot is essential — it gives the fly freedom to sway and reflect light even on a slow retrieve.

Before you head north, practise your short game. The ability to cast, work the fly through a snag, then quickly pick up and reposition is what keeps the fly in the strike zone for longer. And when it comes together, don’t forget to point the rod at the fish and pull — you’ll rapidly appreciate a 40lb leader.

Kits to tie this pattern are available at bwcflies.com.au and tying video: flylife.com.au/bunny-bomber