Streamer · Baitfish · Trout · Advanced · 1 version
Tyer Recipe
Hook 3X-4X long barbless streamer hook, #2-6 (shown: #6)
Thread Black 140 denier
Materials
Lead-free wire (weight) n/a (0.025 inch, enough wraps to cover the middle of the shank)
Wire (rib) Any color wire (One strand)
Yarn or natural-colored dubbing (body) Natural tan/brown hare s mask dubbing (Two strands of a four-strand yarn)
Hen saddle / soft hackle feathers (matuka wing) Brown speckled hen saddle feathers (Four feathers)
Hen saddle feathers (front fins) Brown speckled hen saddle feathers (Two smaller feathers)
Deer hair (head) Natural deer hair (Two to three medium clumps, spun)
How to tie it
Mount a size 6 3XL streamer hook and wrap 0.025 lead-free wire over the middle of the shank, keeping it well back from the eye so there is room to spin deer hair.
Start black 140-denier thread, build a thread dam in front of and behind the weight, wrap over it, and leave the thread at the rear tie-in point.
Tie in a length of wire at the rear for the rib.
Tie in two strands of natural-colored yarn and wrap a body forward to about the 60% point, then tie it off (dubbing or chenille works just as well).
Prepare four brown speckled hen saddle feathers stacked together, a drop of UV resin at the butts holds them aligned, and strip the fluff from the bottom so they sit close to the body.
Tie the feather stack in on top at the front of the body with a few wraps so it lies along the back of the fly.
Wrap the wire rib forward in open turns, parting the feather barbs with your fingers or a bodkin at each turn so the rib traps only the stems; tie the rib off at the front and trim the stems.
Wet your fingers and stroke the wing barbs back into place, then smooth the front of the shank with thread.
Tie in two smaller hen saddle feathers on either side as front fins, splayed out like spent wings, and trim them to a modest length.
Spin the head: take a medium stacked clump of deer hair, set it with one loose wrap, a tighter second wrap, and a tighter third so it spins around the shank; take a wrap or two up through the middle.
Pack the hair back hard with a hair packer (or a bottle cap with a hole punched in it), then take a few wraps forward and spin a second, larger clump the same way.
Pack again, take a few wraps in front, and whip finish quickly before the hair springs forward. Trap a few fibers if you must. They can be trimmed.
Trim the head to a broad, flat sculpin shape with a razor blade, then fine-tune with scissors; leave the bottom clear of the hook gap.