Bodkin / Patterns

Bantam

Streamer · Salmon/Steelhead · Steelhead · Salmon · Advanced · 1 version

Reference Recipe

  • Hook Gamakatsu up-eye salmon/steelhead hook (T10-6H or TMC 7999) front; Daiichi 2557 octopus trailer, 2 front hook; #4 trailer/stinger hook
  • Thread Black or blue to match 140 denier or GSP

Materials

  • Lead/dumbbell eyes Nickel dumbbell eyes (Extra small)
  • PowerPro braid (stinger loop) Any tube (50 lb, short loop)
  • Ice Dub (rear dubbing ball) Chartreuse or red ice dub (Small ball)
  • Schlappen/strung saddle (rear hackle) Royal blue (1 feather)
  • Oval tinsel rib Silver oval tinsel (Medium, 1 length)
  • Trilobal / SLF Fusion dubbing (body) Blue (Smurf) (Thin)
  • Krystal Flash Black holographic tinsel (~6 strands)
  • Guinea Blue guinea (1 feather, ~3 turns)
  • Grizzly hackle tips (wing) Grizzly hackle (2 (one per side))

How to tie it

  1. Start the thread mid-shank and tie extra-small dumbbell eyes underneath with figure-eight wraps; add a drop of cement and wiggle-test them.
  2. Wrap the thread to the rear of the shank. Form a short stinger loop from doubled 50 lb PowerPro, thread on the #4 octopus hook, and bind the loop along the top of the shank so the trailer rides just off the bend; lock it with tight wraps and a drop of super glue, then bind the doubled tag forward.
  3. At the rear, dub a small chartreuse (or red) ice-dub ball.
  4. Tie in a royal-blue schlappen feather by the tip and a length of medium oval tinsel for the rib.
  5. Dub a thin, tapered blue body forward over the rear two-thirds of the shank.
  6. Palmer the schlappen hackle forward three or four open turns, then counter-wrap the oval rib forward through the hackle to lock it; tie off and trim.
  7. Spin a dubbing loop of the same blue dubbing, wrap a fuller front collar/bump, and pick it out with a comb.
  8. Tie in about six strands of black Krystal Flash over the top as flash.
  9. Tie in a blue guinea feather by the tip and take about three sparse turns for a soft collar, sweeping the fibers rearward.
  10. Tie grizzly hackle tips along each side as the wing, fold back, and secure.
  11. Build a neat head, whip finish, and add head cement.

Tying videos

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