Bodkin / Patterns

Matuka

Streamer · Trout · Smallmouth Bass · Intermediate · 1 version

Classic Recipe

  • Hook Streamer, 4x long, 4-8
  • Thread Olive or brown 6/0

Materials

  • Body Chenille or dubbing (full)
  • Rib Oval gold tinsel or wire (5 inches)
  • Wing/Hackle Saddle hackle (2 feathers, barbs stripped on bottom)
  • Collar Soft hackle (2-3 wraps)

How to tie it

  1. Mount hook, lay a thread base and tie in 5 inches of ribbing material at the bend.
  2. Build a full body with chenille or dubbing forward to the 75% mark. Keep it even. The wing feathers will sit on top.
  3. Prepare 2 saddle hackle feathers: strip the fibers from the bottom half of each stem, leaving fibers on the top half only. Pair them concave-to-concave.
  4. Lay the prepared feathers on top of the shank, tips extending past the bend. The stripped stem sections sit against the body.
  5. Now the key Matuka technique: wrap the ribbing forward, lashing the feather stems to the shank at each turn. Separate the fibers with a bodkin at each wrap so no barbs get trapped under the rib. 5-6 turns.
  6. Wrap 2-3 turns of soft hackle as a collar. Sweep fibers back.
  7. Build a neat head, whip finish.

Tying videos

← All fly patterns