Bodkin / Patterns

Capelin

Baitfish · Salmon/Steelhead · Salmon · Steelhead · Advanced · 1 version

Joe Penich

  • Hook Saltwater streamer hook, 2
  • Thread White, red at the collar, black for the head Semperfli Nano Silk 18/0

Materials

  • Polar fibre, synthetic White uni stretch (belly, three positions)
  • Polar fibre Grey polar fibre (sides)
  • Polar fibre Black ostrich herl (back, three positions)
  • Flash fibres Pearl flashabou (wing)
  • Flash fibres Purple flash fibres (over the black)
  • Metallic tape Silver metal tape (folded body, trimmed to a belly shape)
  • Mylar tubing Silver oval tinsel (over the tape)
  • 3D eyes, 6mm (2)
  • Ice Dub Silver ice dub (around the eyes)
  • Ice Dub Red ice dub (in front of the eyes)
  • Ice Dub Blue ice dub (small clump in front of the red)
  • Krystal Flash Light blue flash (a dozen strands per side)
  • Rabbit strip (small section, throat)
  • Badger hackle tips Silver badger hackle tips (2, above the eyes)
  • Peacock herl, dyed Olive peacock herl dyed (about 6 strands, topping)
  • Thin head cement and 5-minute epoxy (head)

How to tie it

  1. Measure the metallic tape against the hook and mark where it will end, just behind the eye and just before the bend, then start Nano Silk 18/0 at that rear mark. Marking first means the tape body ends up exactly where the fly needs it and not wherever it lands.
  2. Comb the short fibres out of a section of white polar fibre and split it in half, then bind it in from underneath with tight edge-to-edge wraps along the straight portion of the hook. Layer the wing on top: pearl flash fibres, grey polar fibre slightly longer, black polar fibre over the grey, purple flash over the black. Trim all butts flush and whip finish.
  3. Peel the backing off the metal tape, fold it over the threaded area and press it down, then trim it to a belly shape with straight and curved scissors. Slide silver Mylar tubing with the core removed over the tape, secure the rear, then stretch the front over the tape and secure that too.
  4. Set 6mm 3D eyes from underneath in front of the Mylar with figure-eight wraps and cement them. Build the second set of wings around the eyes: white polar fibre underneath, grey along the sides level with the belly, black on top slightly shorter than the previous top wing, purple flash the same length as the black.
  5. Spin silver Ice Dub in a split thread and wrap it between and in front of the eyes, then add a third, shorter set of white, black and purple in front of the eyes. Bind everything, top, bottom and sides, behind the eyes with a dozen or so wraps so the whole head stays tight.
  6. Add a dozen strands of light blue Krystal Flash along each side, shorter than the main wing, wrap red thread over the white collar and cement it.
  7. In front of the eyes, spin red Ice Dub in a split thread and wrap it edge to edge going forward, then a small clump of blue the same way. Add a final black flash and polar fibre wing over the top, white polar fibre underneath, a short rabbit strip throat, two silver badger hackle tips above the eyes, and about six dyed olive peacock herls as a topping. Use a lighter to burn back any strands poking past the eye, cover the white with black thread, cement, and epoxy once dry.

Tying videos

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