Clouser-like tarpon bunny?

Hi,

Going on my second trip to Edmund Lake, Manitoba, for trophy pike. BTW,
this is a great fly fishing destination if you are after trophy pike
(41" or more) and a lot of big pike action. Anyway, last year I was
quite successful in using smallish (4-5") tarpon bunny type flies
(rabbit strip with a palmered crosscut strip) and plan to use them again
this year. However, I'd like to tweak them and need some advice.

I'd like to make up a few flies the will ride with the hook up. I have
heard that if I tie on the rabbit strip with the leather side facing up
(away from the shank), that the flies will ride hook up. Is this so?

Also, can I use lead eyes a la Clouser to get the hook to ride up? If I
can, how far from the hook's eye should the lead eyes be (I use Mustad
34007 2/0 hooks)? Although I've tied many, many Clouser type flies, I
have to admit that the hooks don't always ride up; So, I'm trying to
correct my errors.

Thanks,

Adam

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